Maryland turns its community forestry fund into grants of up to $10,000, with one application for several funders
The Department of Natural Resources said on Oct. 28 that nonprofits, local governments, schools and community associations can apply year round. The state picks the funding source that fits each project, and the next deadline is Jan. 15, 2027.
Annapolis. Maryland's Department of Natural Resources has turned its Community Forestry Catalyst Fund into a program of small grants, generally up to $10,000, that organizations reach through a single application covering several funding sources, the department announced on Oct. 28.
The fund, known as CF2, opened in 2024 with money from the USDA Forest Service under the Inflation Reduction Act and made large grants. Its first round drew requests for more than five times the money available, the department said. The Maryland Forest Service is now moving it to what the department calls a micro-grant framework: smaller awards made on a continuing basis, including for the ongoing care of trees and forests that already stand.
One application, several funders
Applicants describe their project once, and Forest Service staff decide which source fits the work. The sources may include U.S. Forest Service urban and community forestry funds, the Maryland Department of Transportation's Urban Tree Program and Tree-Mendous Maryland, depending on what is available in each review cycle. A project that qualifies for more than one may receive a single combined award.
“By bringing several funding sources together under one application, we can make it easier for local organizations to get projects off the ground.”
Standard awards generally range from $1,000 to $10,000, the program's request for proposals says, and larger ones may be offered when a funding source allows. The money can pay for forest assessments and management plans, invasive species control, tree planting and care, and education or volunteer training. It cannot pay for planting or restoration required by a permit or other obligation, land purchases or general operating costs.
Who can apply and when
Nonprofits, local governments, schools, neighborhood and community associations, businesses and other organizations may apply for work on public or private property in Maryland. State and federal land is excluded, and individual residents cannot receive awards directly. Every project needs a cash or in-kind contribution from the applicant or its partners, such as volunteer time, but there is no minimum; the request for proposals values volunteer time at $36.14 an hour.
Applications are accepted year round and reviewed after Jan. 15 and July 15. The next deadline is Jan. 15, 2027, and an organization may send one application per cycle. Reviewers including members of the Maryland Urban and Community Forestry Council evaluate proposals, and the Maryland Forest Service decides. The Maryland Forestry Foundation, a nonprofit, will handle award agreements and payments. Projects run for 12 months, with a final report due 30 days after.
The department said the program complements the Chesapeake Bay Trust's Urban Trees Program, and its program page sends applicants who mainly want money for tree planting to the trust's grants.
About this story
501c3.help wrote this story from the sources listed with it, not from material an organization sent. Our editors approved it on Oct. 29, 2026. Stories in The Nonprofit Herald are free, and nothing is asked in return. Editorial rules.
Found an error? Write to [email protected] and we will correct it.
For the organizations in this story: put the badge on your website
Put it on your About page or wherever you list press mentions, rather than in a footer that repeats on every page. It links to this story.
Linking is welcome and never required. Nothing about the story changes either way.