The Georgia Tree Council (GTC) and the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC), in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, announce the Georgia ReLeaf program. This program makes funding available to municipalities, government agencies, non-profits and educational institutions in Georgia for tree planting and tree-giveaway projects.
Funding for this Program (Legislative Authority)
The USDA Forest Service, authorized by the Community Forestry Assistance Act of the 1990 Farm Bill, has allocated funding to the Georgia Forestry Commission for statewide distribution, in partnership with the Georgia Tree Council.
Communities identified as most in need of urban forestry resources will be eligible for a match waiver. Refer to this mapping tool to check if your community qualifies. Select the drop-down arrow in the upper right corner to access the search tool.
Program Objectives
The objectives of the Georgia ReLeaf Program are to:
1) Improve the urban canopies of Georgia communities.
2) Help sustain the health of Georgia’s community forests.
3) Improve planning efforts of city administrators, municipal tree departments and tree boards.
4) Increase access to the health benefits provided by urban forests for Georgia residents.
Projects submitted must be for 1) Tree Planting projects and/or 2) Tree Giveaway events which meet at least one of the program objectives.
Maximum grant award is $15,000.
For complete grant guidelines and to submit an application, please visit the Georgia ReLeaf page on the Georgia Tree Council’s website. The 2025 application period is open May 16 – July 31.
Helpful Resources
| Title | Description | Document Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1. GA Tree Owners Manual | From Planting to Maintenance | |
| 2. GFC and Georgia ReLeaf Grant Program – How to Plant a 5 Gallon Containerized Tree | How to plant a containerized tree from a Georgia ReLeaf Tree Giveaway. | Video |
| 3. Community Tree Planting and Establishment Guidelines | This Document is intended to aid homeowners and local government staff in planting and directing the establishment and maintenance of community trees. | |
| 4. Tree Planning and Planting Campaign: A Guide for Reforesting Cities and Towns | This document is a guide to reforesting cities and towns. | |
| 5. How to Plant Trees – A Homeowner’s Guide | “How do I plant a tree?” This is a common question, and tree planting and establishment guidelines have changed considerably over the past 20 years. Learning how to plant a tree and following proper practices when planting trees can lead to long term benefits from well established plants. | |
| 6. Tree Giveaway Checklist | Checklist for planning and executing a Georgia ReLeaf-funded Tree Giveaway | |
| 7. GA ReLeaf Giveaway Budget Example | This example budget can be used as a reference and a template to develop your giveaway project budget. If your project is for both a giveaway and planting, all budget items can be included in one budget sheet. | Excel |
| 8. GA ReLeaf Planting Budget Example | This example budget can be used as a reference and a template to develop your planting project budget. If your project is for both a giveaway and planting, all budget items can be included in one budget sheet. | Excel |
| 9. GA ReLeaf Flyers 25 Slides | Informational flyers for tree species commonly given out at tree giveaways. Additional flyers for other species are available upon request.
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