The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program grant period is open. This is a competitive grant program through the USDA Forest Service whereby local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations and Native American tribes are eligible for grants to establish community forests through fee simple acquisition of private forest land from a willing seller.  Continue reading “Grants: community forest & open space conservation” →

Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in (or conducting their project in) Wisconsin are encouraged to apply for a regular or startup 2020 Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry Grant! The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar for dollar. A startup grant of up to $5,000 is available for communities that want to start or restart a community forestry program. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy and the benefits it provides.

Communities and organizations interested in applying for a 2020 Urban Forestry Grant may find the grant application informational video to be a valuable resource. It highlights priorities of the Urban Forestry program and discusses several other key aspects of the application process. The video is approximately eleven minutes long and includes topics such as the difference between startup grants and regular grants and how to contact an Urban Forestry Coordinator.

The application period opened July 1, 2019 and closes October 1, 2019. To view the application and informational video, visit the Urban Forestry Grant’s website. If you have questions regarding application process and eligible projects contact your DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator.

There are some new faces in the DNR Urban Forestry grant staff.

Chase O’Brien started on June 10th as the Urban Forestry Grant Manager located in the Madison office. He has spent the last 3 ½ years working in the DNR Forest Tax Program. He has a degree in Geography & Earth Science with a GIS concentration from UW – La Crosse. Chase enjoys spending his free time seeing live music, traveling, crafting food and drink and playing Ultimate Frisbee. His contact information is Chase.OBrien@wisconsin.gov and 608-640-6143.

Nicolle Spafford is the Forestry Division Budget and Grant Specialist located in the Tomahawk office. She’s been working with our program for several months now, but you’ll be seeing even more of her in the future. Nicolle has been with the DNR Division of Forestry for 28 years. She enjoys spending her free time at her daughter’s academic and sporting events, running races with her daughter, bicycling, reading/collecting books, traveling, training for a marathon and collecting wine corks. Her contact information is Nicolle.Spafford@wi.gov and 715-453-2188 ext. 1274.

Information on the Urban Forestry Grant Program can be found at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/UrbanForests/grants/index.html. DNR Urban Forestry grant staff may also be reached at DNRUrbanForestryGrants@wi.gov.