Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grant Program

The Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grant Program is established to encourage the creation of long-term, sustained canopy cover to improve water quality across the Commonwealth. This grant is used to fund tree-planting efforts that raise public awareness of the benefits of trees and impacts on water quality.

Funding

  • The recommended funding range is $1,000 – $50,000.
  • Some project match is expected and can include in-kind and volunteer hours.
  • Grant funds are distributed on a reimbursement basis. Under limited circumstances, DOF can directly pay costs for a project. Please reach out to the program contact for more information.
  • Applications must be submitted 30 days prior to the estimated planting date and an award must be issued prior to beginning the project or incurring project expenses.

Project Categories

Projects may include but are not limited to the following:

  • Riparian Buffers
  • Community or Street Tree Plantings
  • Neighborhood-wide Projects
  • Turf-to-Trees
  • Tree Giveaways

We do fund:

  • Fees charged by private contractors and/or consultants.
  • Purchase of essential supplies and materials.
  • Purchase and planting of trees (2 inches in caliper or less) and shrubs.
  • Maintenance expenses, including watering, are eligible for reimbursement during the grant period.
    • DOF cannot reimburse until after all deliverables and activities have been completed.
    • Maintenance costs will be ineligible if submitted outside of the approved grant period.
  • Costs associated with site preparation and soil amendments.

We don’t fund:

  • Purchase of machinery or equipment.
  • Construction of any kind (e.g., sidewalks or roads).
  • Purchase of food, snacks, or beverages.
  • Purchase of land or land charges.
  • Purchase of plant material classified as invasive species.
  • Purchase and planting of ash species (Fraxinus sp.) due to the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis).
  • Costs that are not incurred during the grant award period.
  • Costs not approved by the urban and community forestry program manager during the award phase or modification.
  • Purchase and planting of vines or non-woody plants.
  • Tree removals.

Who is Eligible

Grants may be awarded to civic groups, communities, local government, nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations, public educational institutions, state agencies, tribal organizations and volunteer groups.

To Apply

Applications are accepted via the System Access Portal for Forestry Grants.

System Access Portal for Forestry Grants

  • View the user guide provided in the Resource Library below for help with registering for an account and submitting an application.
  • Local DOF staff must review the project prior to proposal submission. The local DOF forester should provide a letter of recommendation for the project directly to the U&CF program manager prior to proposal submission.
  • Projects must include community outreach and engagement components.

Additional Resources

ImageTitleIDDescriptionContent TypeViewhf:tax:document-categoryhf:tax:Media
Forestry Grant Program -Time and Activity Log for Staff and Volunteers
Forestry Grant Program -Time and Activity Log for Staff and Volunteers3.26Viewfinance financial-assistance financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestryform
Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Virginia Dept. of Accounts)
Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Virginia Dept. of Accounts)W-9Viewfinance financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry financial-assistance-forest-health financial-assistance-water-quality financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-forest-management fire-and-emergency-response forest-health forest-management urban-and-community-forestry water-qualityform
SF-424B - Assurances for Non-Construction Programs
SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction ProgramsFederal-SF-424B

This links to a federal form used for grants. Click View to download the form and then open the form manually in Acrobat Reader. The form has trouble opening directly in Chrome.

Viewfinance financial-assistanceform
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide - Contract Signing
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Contract Signing

System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of forestry grants. This guide assists with contract signing.

Viewfinance financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-forest-management financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry financial-assistance fire-and-emergency-response forest-management urban-and-community-forestryuser-guide
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide - Filing a Claim
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Filing a Claim

System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of forestry grants. This guide assists with filing a claim.

Viewfinance financial-assistanceuser-guide
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide - Registration User Guide
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Registration User Guide

System Access Portal User Guide for registering to use the grants system.

Viewfinancial-assistance financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry finance fire-and-emergency-response urban-and-community-forestryuser-guide
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide - Requesting a Contract Amendment
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Requesting a Contract Amendment

System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of forestry grants. This guide assists with requesting a contract amendment.

Viewfinance financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-forest-management financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry financial-assistance fire-and-emergency-response forest-management urban-and-community-forestryuser-guide
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide - Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grants
System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grants

System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grants.

Viewfinancial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestryuser-guide
Virginia Department of Forestry Grants - Frequently Asked Questions
Virginia Department of Forestry Grants – Frequently Asked Questions

Document answers the most common questions asked about forestry grants, including application requirements, qualifying expenses, reimbursements and other how do I… questions.

Viewfinance financial-assistance financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry fire-and-emergency-response urban-and-community-forestrydocument
Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grants - Request for Applications
Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grants – Request for Applications

Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grants – Request for Applications document details the program and application requirements as well as deadlines and submission information.

Viewfinancial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestrydocument

A variety of financial assistance programs exist through DOF and partner agencies for community forestry and forest management activities.

Explore All Financial Assistance Programs


Contact Us

For more information or questions, e-mail us or use our contact form.