January 22, 2008

Project Canopy Assistance Grants are available to state, county, and municipal governments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations for developing and implementing community forestry projects and programs. Project Canopy, a cooperative partnership of the Department of Conservation’s Maine Forest Service and the Pine Tree State Arboretum, anticipates that $250,000 will be available to support community forestry projects in the following categories:

Inner City Improvement

$15,000 maximum award
Projects improve the health and livibility of Maine’s most populated and urbanized neighborhoods.

Planning and Education

$10,000 maximum award
Projects support sustainable community forestry management, and efforts to increase awareness of the benefits of trees and forests.

Tree Planting and Maintenance

$8,000 maximum award
Projects increase the health and livability of communities through sound tree planting and maintenance.

To be eligible to apply for 2008 Project Canopy Assistance grants, all potential applicants must attend a grant workshop prior to submitting an application (excluding previous workshop attendees).  Grant workshops are free and will cover topics including grant writing, project development, sustainable community forestry management, and grant administration.  After reviewing the following list of workshops, please register by calling Jan Ames Santerre at 207-623-2371.
All grant workshops are conditional on registration

Date	City	Location	Time
February 7	Augusta (origination), Presque Isle, East Machias, Oxford	Augusta Maine State Library 230 State St. Augusta, ME 04330 PH: 624-6600 Show Map Presque Isle Presque Isle High School 79 Blake St. Presque Isle, ME 04769 PH: 764-0121 Show Map East Machias Washington Academy High Street, PO Box 190 East Machias, ME 04630 PH: 255-8301 Travel RT 1 to East Machias to the Cutler Road. There are signs. Oxford Oxford Hills High School 1570 Main St. Suite 11 Oxford, ME 04270 PH: 743-8914 x9512 Show Map	12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
February 13	Gorham	Gorham Municipal Center 75 South St. Gorham, ME 04038 PH: 222-1630 Show Map	1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
February 15	Bangor	Maine DEP Eastern Regional Office (4th floor conference room) 106 Hogan Rd. Bangor, ME 04401 PH: 941-4570 Show Map	12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

 

2008 Project Canopy Grants Information
Project Canopy Assistance Grants Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (Word | pdf) Project Canopy Community Capacity Checklist (Word | pdf)
Inner City Improvement	Planning and Education Grants	Tree Planting and Maintenance Grants
Guidelines (Word | pdf)	Guidelines (Word | pdf)	Guidelines (Word | pdf)
Application (Word | pdf)	Application (Word | pdf)	Application and Budget (Word | pdf)
Budget (Word | pdf)	Budget (Word | pdf)
	Technical Guide to Developing Community Forestry Strategic Plans and Management Plans (Word | pdf)

Grant applications are due to the Maine Forest Service at 5:00 pm on March 28. All grants require a 50% match from the grant recipient in the form of cash, services, or in-kind contributions.

Project Canopy is funded by the USDA Forest Service Community Forestry Assistance Program. The USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program was authorized by the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (PL95-313) and revised by the 1990 Farm Bill (PL101-624) to promote natural resource management in populated areas and improve quality of life.

If you have questions about Project Canopy or would like to sign up for a grant workshop, please contact Jan Ames Santerre at 207-623-2371 or email canopyinfo@roadrunner.com