Trees for Watersheds (formerly TreeVitalize Watersheds) Grant Program

Provider

Led by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) - The program receives funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and corporate sponsors Aqua PA and PECO, as well as substantial inkind contributions from various partners.

Application Deadline

October 31, 2024

Summary

This program if focused on tree plantings along stream corridors, wetlands, adjacent upland areas, headwaters, and naturalized stormwater basins. Through this program, dozens of watershed restoration projects are conducted throughout the region every year, resulting in well over 100,000 trees planted in sensitive water protection zones. There are no hard and fast rules about the size of the grants, and our budget for all cumulative grants varies from year to year. Past grants (not including grantee match) have ranged from as low as $1,500 to over $30,000, but the average grant is a little under $6,000. Trees for Watersheds will cover up to 75% of the total project costs. The remainder must be covered by other sources as part of the required minimum 25% match. New applicants must complete PHS Tree Tenders Training.

Common Eligible Projects

Streamside and source water protection areas, on public lands or private permanently protected lands. Projects may include stream buffers, wetlands, plantings on adjacent uplands (where stormwater “sheet flow” across the land would drain directly into the stream below) and naturalization of stormwater basins... Grant applications should only be submitted for projects that are “shovel ready” (meaning that with sufficient funding, plantings can be completed and billed prior to the reimbursement request deadline, as all associated permits and/or authorizations have already been secured, where necessary).

More Information

Already Tree Tender Trained? Select this link for program information: https://phsonline.org/programs/tree-programs/watersheds-grant-program or contact Delaware County Conservation District's Watershed Specialist: https://www.delcocd.org/district-information/ 

Interested in the program, but need to complete this training? Select this link: https://phsonline.org/events/tree-tenders-virtual-training-2024