California ReLeaf is pleased to announce $50,000 in funding for 2024 California Arbor Week to celebrate the value of trees for all Californians. This program is sponsored by Edison International. Arbor Week celebrations are wonderful community engagement and education events about the importance of trees in promoting community health and combating climate change.
This grant program encourages community-based organizations to plant trees to grow greener, stronger, and healthier neighborhoods, bringing many benefits, including cleaner air, cooler temperatures, and stronger social bonding.
If you are interested in applying for a grant to celebrate California Arbor Week, please review the criteria and details below.
Program Details:
- Grants will range from $3,000 – $5,000, estimating 8-10 grants awarded
- Project awards must be to organizations with projects within the service area of the sponsoring utility: Southern California Edison. (See map)
- Priority will be given to underserved or low-income communities, neighborhoods with fewer existing trees, as well as communities that have not had recent access to urban forestry funding.
Eligible Applicants:
- Community-based organizations who do tree planting, tree care education, or are interested in adding this to their projects/programs.
- Must be a 501(c)(3) or have/find a fiscal sponsor and be in good standing with the California Attorney General Office’s Registry of Charitable Organizations.
- Events must occur within the service area of the sponsoring utility: Southern California Edison. (See map)
- Projects must be able to be completed by Friday, May 31, 2024.
- Project reports must be submitted by Friday, June 14, 2024.
Encouraged Activities:
- Planting shade trees and caring for trees in underserved low-shade communities.
- Projects that are community-oriented with a big-picture vision addressing local issues or needs through tree planting (climate resilience, pollution mitigation, food insecurity, extreme heat/urban heat island effect, youth educational training, etc.)
- Tree planting/care events(s) and/or community greening celebration(s) that have an educational component, including sharing about the benefits of trees and tree care (especially ongoing watering in the tree establishment period – the first 3 years after planting).
- Projects that engage multiple local partners, including but not limited to civic organizations, local businesses, health organizations, nonprofits, city officials, schools, students, elected officials, and organizational volunteers.
- Tree planting/care event(s) during California Arbor Week (March 7 -14) or other established community celebrations or gatherings.
- Sharing California ReLeaf’s California Arbor Week Youth Poster Contest with your community/local schools/youth and encouraging youth to participate.
- Tree care post planting - including ongoing maintenance and watering beyond the grant period to ensure tree survival.
- Inviting Edison International representatives and corporate volunteers to your tree planting/care event(s) to participate and be recognized and thanked publicly.
- Invite local media and elected officials to your event to share broadly how your tree planting project/ event(s) benefits the local community (i.e. climate action, community resilience, cooling neighborhoods, air pollution mitigation, food access, public health, etc.)
Ineligible Activities:
- Tree giveaways as the main component of the project.
- Planting trees in temporary planter boxes/pots. (All trees must be planted in the ground to be an eligible project.)
- Tree Planting/Care/Educational Event(s) outside the Edison service area.
- Planting tree seedlings. Trees are expected to be 5-gallon or 15-gallon container-sized for all tree planting projects.
Sponsor Engagement & Recognition:
You are required to engage and recognize Edison International as your grant sponsor, including:
- Posting their logo on your website and promotional materials as a sponsor for your Arbor Week Grant event.
- Inviting Edison representatives and corporate volunteers to attend, participate, and be recognized and thanked publicly as your grant sponsor during your event/project.
- Tagging and recognizing Edison as a sponsor for your Arbor Week project on social media.
- Offering Edison Representatives time to speak briefly at your celebration event.
- Thanking Edison International during your celebration event.
Key Dates:
- Grant Informational Webinar: Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 11 a.m. Register Here
- Grant Applications Due: December 8th, 2023 at 12 p.m.
- Estimated Grant Award Notifications: January 10, 2024
- A representative from California ReLeaf will contact applicants via email. The formal public announcement will be on our website and social media.
- Anticipated Mandatory Grant Orientation for Awardees Webinar: January 17, 2024
- Project Completion Due Date: May 31, 2024.
- Final Report Due Date: June 15, 2024. Read Final Report Questions.
