Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting urban forestry projects in Wisconsin can now apply for a regular or startup 2026 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry grant. The total 2026 available funding is $559,680, with a possible release of $139,920 of catastrophic storm reserve to fund a second round in March 2026.

Regular Urban Forestry grants are competitive cost-share grants ranging from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar-for-dollar. These grants fund projects that improve a community’s capacity to manage its trees and projects that help conserve, protect, expand or enhance the urban forest resource. Funded projects will support Wisconsin’s Trillion Tree commitment to plant 1 million trees by 2030. These grants do not subsidize routine forestry activities.

Startup Urban Forestry grants range from $1,000 to $5,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar-for-dollar. These grants are available for communities that want to start or restart a community forestry program.

Successful 2026 project proposals should result in one or more of the following DNR Urban Forestry Program priorities:

• Increase tree canopy cover and diversify tree species in urban forest areas (diversify can include species, age and size classes)
• Improve local capacity to manage and care for the urban and community forest
• Improve urban forest health and resilience to emerging pests, diseases and abiotic factors (such as storms)

Applications for the 2026 grant cycle will be accepted from July 1, 2025, through Oct. 1, 2025.

For more information, visit the Urban Forestry Grants webpage.

If you have questions regarding the application process and eligible projects, contact your DNR urban forestry coordinator.