The process for 2023 funding has been vastly simplified to deliver the support your community most needs.

The new process means:

  • Less paperwork and no long applications; the initial application takes just 20 minutes to complete online!
  • Quick response to your funding requests, a decision will be made in January. Applications are due December 15.
  • Opportunities for multi-year support, beginning with what you most need first and building up your program.
  • Chances to apply for specific projects with the assurance you can select the most strategic sites/options.

Consider whether your city is engaged in the following activities that could be helped by support from the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Climate or resiliency planning? Trees sequester carbon, reduce urban heating and take up stormwater. You can learn just how much pollution trees take up and how much more they can cool the city, clean the air and reduce flooding.

Engaged in social equity planning to help residents have equal access to green spaces, shade, cleaner air, and outdoor fitness? These maps and strategies can evaluate the equity of city green spaces and trees and create strategies to make access to healthy landscapes accessible to all, regardless of race or income.

Creating the next comprehensive or master plan for your community? You can gain vital data about land cover in your watersheds, access to trails and parks, complete green streets, shade, downtown business districts, and other planning needs that require beautification, runoff reduction, healthy landscapes, and successful redevelopment. Trees and urban forests contribute tremendously to successful cities, and new data, or your city, can help with all the above needs.

Following are the types of assistance available.

How is Support Provided?

If you select and are chosen to receive technical support you will receive that support directly from the GA Forestry Commission’s consultant the Green Infrastructure Center. No money changes hands.

What Paperwork is Needed?

Paperwork for technical support requires only a letter of commitment to participate.

What if I already know what I want to get funding for?

You still have to take the survey. We must ensure you have all the bases covered and ask for the most strategic support for your community. So do fill out the survey. It includes a space to request project-specific support too. If you ask for financial support (e.g., to plant trees or hire a consulting arborist), you will need to fill in a longer application (after we receive your survey).

What time do I/my community need to contribute?

Some of your’ and your agencies’ time will be necessary for any technical assistance. You will need to review maps for accuracy, attend several (2-3) online workshops to review results or discuss goals and spend time on any strategies developed – those, of course, will be your decision.

Over a year, consider that you (combined with others in your agency) might contribute a few thousand dollars of time (combined). This is no more time than any other project you are participating in, but your community will get a value of around $10,000.

Once you complete the required online application, you will be contacted in January 2023 to discuss your request and support availability. While this is a competitive application, we aim to support as many applicants as possible. The application deadline is December 15, 2022.

I’m interested! What do I need to do next?

Step One: Attend the Georgia Forestry Commission Grant Webinar on November 30, 2022, at 10 am. The Green Infrastructure Center will present an overview of this program along with a live Q&A session providing an opportunity to ask questions about the program. Register for this webinar at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3308578249126463244.

Step Two: Gather the information for the survey.

Below are the questions that will need to be answered beforehand, as the survey does not allow you to save work and come back later and must be completed in one setting.

  1. Does your locality have a digital tree canopy coverage map/data? How old is the data (what year was it created)?
  2. Does your city have a tree inventory? When was it collected, and for which areas? (entire city, neighborhood)
  3. Does your city have an urban forest management plan or forest master plan? How old is the plan (what year was it created)?
  4. Does your city have a storm mitigation plan? How old is the plan (what year was it created)?
  5. Does your city employ an arborist? If not, that’s okay too.
  6. What is the racial and ethnic makeup of the people a project would serve in your locality? If the project serves the entire city, you can use the census report for your area or look up the census block groups covered by the area you want to study. Most comprehensive plans list this information, but for the most up-to-date information, visit https://data.census.gov/cedsci/ and type in the name of your community to get results for your area.
  7. Are you the person who will be responsible for completing applications for assistance on behalf of your city? (If no, please be sure to gain the approval necessary before applying for financial or technical support.

Please be advised that if your answer to all # 1-5 of the above is “no,” that’s okay! Technical assistance grants are being provided to help your community answer “yes” to most or all of these questions in the future! For question 7, be sure to engage with the right staff or leadership from your community to ensure you can apply for assistance on behalf of your city, town, university, or other jurisdiction.

The self-assessment survey must be completed before applying for a grant from the GFC. Fill out the self-assessment tool to match your needs with our tools to ensure you ask for the right support that will most closely meet your community’s urban forestry needs. This support can be provided in addition to a specific project.

Step Three:  Take the Online Survey before December 15, 2022.

Click this link or use the QR code at right:

This 20-minute self-directed survey will help you assess which type(s) of support to apply for. At the end of the survey, your results will point to the types of support you most need. This serves as your pre-application.

Step Four: You will be contacted no later than mid-January 2023 to discuss your request and next steps. Note the December 15 application deadline!

Please contact Joan Scales below for a paper copy if you cannot complete the online application due to disability or other similar reasons.