Tree Canopy & Workforce Community Grant
Faith in Place’s Tree Canopy & Workforce Community Grant gives money to non-profit organizations and Houses of Worship to help plant more trees and build a stronger forestry workforce in places that need it the most in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Faith in Place is an equal opportunity provider.
About the Opportunity
Faith in Place is re-granting a total of $1.6 million to 501(c)(3) organizations and Houses of Worship. This is the second round of funding and will award $466,000 (up to $30k per project) in regrants to 16-20 projects Learn more about the opportunity by viewing our full Invitation for Grant Proposals and checking out our FAQs.
Important dates:
Project Applications Open: April 13, 2026
Deadline to apply: May 7, 2026
Awards announced by: June 4, 2026
Tree Planting Success Stories
First Presbyterian Church
Danville, IL
"The [tree planting] project is concerned with improving air quality by planting more trees, particularly native species, because natives thrive rather than just exist."
Church Member, Claudia Ferrell
How to Apply
1. Save the Date
Join our informational webinar on April 14 at 12pm CT. Register here!
2. Apply
Grant Applications will open on April 13, 2026. The deadline for submitting applications is May 7, 2026.
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Step 1: Complete the eligibility survey: When you complete the eligibility survey (called an LOI in the grant portal), if you are found eligible you will be emailed access to apply through the online portal. Follow instructions on our website to complete the eligibility survey.
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Step 2: Prepare your application: Follow the Application Toolkit (bit.ly/tree-application-toolkit) which overviews what you will need to submit when completing your grant application through the portal. There will be sample templates, tips, and more to guide you step by step through the process summarized below on page 9-10.
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Step 3: Submit your application: To apply, you need to use our online Grant Management System (GMS) portal.
Check Your Eligibility to Apply
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The project must be in Illinois, Indiana, or Wisconsin.
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Priority project locations include sites within a low-income census tract and/or areas identified as having low or moderate tree canopy cover. If your site does not fall within one of these designated areas but you believe it should still qualify, please provide an explanation in the eligibility questionnaire.
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Our review team will carefully consider your request and inform you of your eligibility status.
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Income Map: Use this tool to determine if your project’s address is located in “high poverty level” (darker orange) or “possibly high poverty level” (lighter orange) area.
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Tree Canopy Map: Use this tool to determine if your project’s address is located in a priority “high” (score 70-79) or “highest” (score of 0-69) area.
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If you have employees, they must have provided an I-9 form upon hire for employment eligibility confirmation.
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Have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number as provided through the System for Award Management (SAM).
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If you do not have a UEI, you can obtain one at sam.gov here: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration
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Application Guides and Resources
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Step-by-step guidance on how to complete the application
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Letter Template Granting Permission to Plant
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Required to indicate the property owner approves the planting project
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Example of what a completed application could look like
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Downloadable Excel template to use for your application budget
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List of Recommended Tree Species
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List of tree species you can plant. If you have a non-invasive species you want to plant that's not on the list, please write to grants@faithinplace.org for permission.
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List of Supplies That the Grant Can Pay For
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When creating your budget, only include items on this supply list.
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Ideas for Incorporating Workforce Development in your Application
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Additional FAQs
FAQs
Please email grants@faithinplace.org if you have a question not answered here.
Can I use this grant funding to plant native gardens?
No, this funding can only support the planting and maintaining non-invasive trees and the growth of the forestry workforce.
Do volunteers or employees have to do all the tree maintenance?
No, you are able to utilize grant funding to pay for contractor support for the planting and maintenance of trees.
If a number of houses of worship/organizations want to collaborate, can they apply for this grant as a collaborative entity?
This would make the application process more challenging. Suppose groups wanted to work in a common area. In that case, we recommend each group doing an application for their portion of the work, or having a primary applicant complete the application and being the entity in charge of the financial tracking and reporting.
Could the grant be used to plant trees from seed rather than sapling?
This grant can only be used to plant saplings. The reason being, the seeds would take longer to establish and grow to benefit the tree canopy at the pace desired by the Forest Service. They want to see trees planted at a 1" caliper to maximize the benefits to the tree canopy.
Can this grant be used to remove invasive/diseased/dead trees and plant native trees in their place?
Any tree removal would have to be a very small part of your proposal and trees would need to be replanted at at least a 2:1 ratio of those removed.
Can an applicant whose address is in an eligible community area apply with written permission to plant on property they aren’t located on but is also in an eligible community?
Yes, as long as they have signed permission to plant and it is clear who will be responsible for maintaining the trees.
Can planting be done on municipal property/ right of way in front of an organization/ House of Worship or in residential locations?
Yes, though the municipality or property owner must provide written permission.
Can funding be used for soil amendments?
Soil amendments such as compost are acceptable; fertilizers, etc. are not recommended for newly planted trees as they can burn the tree’s roots and would not be permitted.
Can funding be used for "earth moving" to prepare a space for tree planting?
This could be eligible; though hand digging trees is usually the best option. Using heavy equipment to plant trees can result in improper planting depth so the application should include how the property would be prepared in a way that support healthy tree planting.
Can we use funding to remove concrete/ashpalt for tree planting?
This could be eligible but the grant would only cover the cost to remove concrete/asphalt directly needed to plant the tree.
Tree Planting Tips & Resources
We invite you to use the following resources and tips when creating your planting and maintenance plan.
Call 811 Before You Dig!
Call 811 at least 72 hours before digging to ensure you won't damage utility lines.
Find you local number here.
Right Tree, Right Place
The best tree options for your property depend on where the trees will be planted. When reviewing options, consider the mature height and ensure trees are planted at least 5 feet from sidewalks, pavement, and buildings.
Watering is Critical!
Your maintenance plan must include 10-15 gallons of watering per week per planted tree during the growing season.
