Community Forestry Grant

The South Dakota Resource Conservation and Forestry Division created the Community Forestry Grant to distribute a portion of the state's annual Urban and Community Forestry Program funding received from the US Forest Service to communities within South Dakota. Through the Urban and Community Forestry Program, the division has provided financial assistance to South Dakota communities each year since 1991. Community Forestry Grants are intended to address specific community forestry problems, demonstrate and promote the importance of trees in communities, increase local commitment to community trees, and encourage a higher level of conservation effort. The broader program promotes the planning, planting, protection, maintenance, and effective management of community trees and forests. Community Forestry Grants may support Professional Services, Tree Inventory/Assessment, Existing Tree Care & Maintenance, Education/Training, New Tree Planting, Urban Food Forest activities, and Other Activities related to urban forestry. The maximum grant is $5,000. The detailed grant requirements identify eligible activities such as professional tree care advice and planning, development and implementation of community tree inventories, care and maintenance of existing trees, urban forestry education and training, qualifying new tree purchases, development or maintenance of urban food forest demonstration areas, and other projects specific to urban forestry or arboriculture. Grant funds may not be used for tree removal. The grant requires a community or organization receiving an award to provide matching support. The current program information states that the required match may be met through volunteer labor, donated or purchased supplies, or actual cash expenditures. The detailed requirements specify a 50/50 match and state that the grant will reimburse no more than 50 percent of documented expenses. Professional Services are subject to a more restrictive rule requiring actual hard-dollar expenditures as match, with no soft match allowed. Federal funds or in-kind services provided by federal agencies may not be used as matching resources. Applicants must document project expenses. The program is directed toward communities within South Dakota. The detailed requirements identify local units of government and approved nonprofit organizations meeting Section 501(c)(3) requirements as eligible grant recipients. Projects must occur on public lands or in public rights of way. Applicants must obtain professional advice from the Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry. Proposals must include a species list and cost estimate, and applications requesting tree planting funds must include at least two bids from local nurseries. A work plan describing who, what, when, where, and how the project will be completed must also accompany the application. Tree planting projects are subject to additional nursery-stock, planting, protection, and maintenance standards. Grant applications are accepted at any time during the year. Applications are considered in the current or upcoming grant round depending on the date the application is submitted. The annual grant round begins September 1 each year and remains open for approximately one month. Application forms are made available by the program or through the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Resource Conservation and Forestry Division. Applicants needing assistance with applications or grant questions are directed to contact their local service forester. Following grant notification and before implementation, a grantee must arrange a planning meeting with a Resource Conservation and Forestry Urban and Community Forestry team member. A Resource Conservation and Forestry forester must be present on the first day of groundwork, and new tree planting requires 10 business days of advance notice before planting. Changes to an approved grant must be made in writing and approved in advance by the Community Forester assisting with the grant. Grant recipients must document and report expenditures and accomplishments. Applications are reviewed by the South Dakota Urban Forestry Advisory Council, which recommends applications to the State Forester. Review focuses on whether projects advance national performance measures concerning management plans, professional staff, ordinances or policies, and advocacy or advisory organizations. The overriding consideration is whether the grant will implement or provide a significant improvement in the community's ability to improve the condition and extent of neighborhood trees and forests. The program recurs annually, with the next stated annual grant round beginning September 1, 2026. The provided materials do not identify a precise closing date, award notification date, performance-period end date, or a single named grant contact.

Contact the local service forester for application assistance; clearly identify the specific community forestry problem the project will address; demonstrate the importance of community trees; clearly document the required match; demonstrate increased community commitment and effort; show how the project will significantly improve the community's ability to improve the condition and extent of neighborhood trees and forests