AUGUSTA —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 between the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) , Conservation, and Forestry’s Maine Forest Service and GrowSmart Maine, anticipates that $150,000 will be available to support community forestry projects in the following categories:

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. Specialized funding is available for inventory and planning for street and shade trees, with emphasis on planning and management in preparation for invasive pests such as the emerald ash borer.

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 2015 Project Canopy Assistance grants, all applicants must attend a grant workshop prior to submitting an application, excluding previous workshop attendees. Grant workshops will be scheduled for November 2015, will be held in various locations throughout the state, and will cover topics including grant writing, project development, sustainable community forestry management, and grant administration. Grant applications will be due to the Maine forest Service at 5:00 pm on Friday, December 4, 2015. All grants require a 50% match from the grant recipient in cash or in-kind services.

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.

For complete grant application and workshop information, please visit the Project Canopy website at projectcanopy.me/grants. You can also learn more about the Project Canopy assistance program by contacting Jan Ames Santerre by phone at 207-287-4987 or by email at jan.santerre@maine.gov.

In all its programs and activities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Those with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202)720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.