Community Challenge Grants

Community Challenge Grants is sponsored by Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Encourages and promotes the development and conservation of greenspaces on K-12 school, healthcare, and faith-based institution campuses.

Community Challenge Grants — Arizona Department of Forestry and... Community Challenge Grants This funding opportunity provides financial support to local governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions in Arizona for projects that promote the health benefits of trees and enhance urban forestry initiatives.

The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, through its Urban and Community Forestry Program and in cooperation with USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry, offers the Urban and Community Forestry Community Challenge Grant. The program supports stewardship of urban natural resources and encourages citizen involvement in developing and sustaining urban and community forestry programs at the local level.

The current grant theme is the role of trees in public health and wellness. Projects are intended to promote and enhance the quality of Arizona urban and community forests, improve their long-term health and care, or establish new initiatives that would not otherwise be supported through existing budgets.

Every proposal must address at least one applicable urban and community forestry strategic goal in the Arizona Forest Action Plan 2020, including goals concerning benefits from forests and trees, ecosystem resilience, climate resilience, public understanding of climate change, or communication concerning cultural perspectives on forests and natural resources. Approximately $135,000 is available through the program.

Individual requests must be between $15,000 and $40,000, with a typical granting range of $20,000 to $30,000. No cost share or match is required. The grant is reimbursement based, with funds distributed at up to 100 percent of eligible project costs after expenditures have accrued and appropriate documentation has been provided.

Reimbursements may take 60 to 90 days after DFFM approval, and 10 percent of grant funds may be withheld from final payment until the project is completed and approved. No expenses incurred before execution of the formal written grant agreement are reimbursable. Indirect costs may not exceed 15 percent of reimbursable project costs.

Grant funds cannot support ordinary operational expenses, food or beverages, capital equipment costing more than $10,000, infrastructure or construction, or research and development. No more than 20 percent of total project dollars may be used for non-tree plant materials.

Eligible applicants include units of government such as state, county, municipal, city, and town governments; tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, including qualifying faith-based institutions and health care facilities; and public educational institutions. Citizen groups may participate by working with or through an eligible organization. For-profit companies and individuals are not eligible.

Projects must generally occur on non-Federal lands, although lands held in trust for Native American Tribes and individuals are eligible. Organizations that have not previously received funding from the DFFM Urban and Community Forestry Program may receive priority. Previous DFFM grant recipients must be current on applicable quarterly reporting and reimbursement requirements before they can receive a new award.

Tree planting projects require a separately funded five-year maintenance plan, and a Certified Arborist or Certified Landscape Professional must be present when plants are delivered and when planting occurs. Applications must be submitted electronically through the Euna Grants Powered by eCivis portal no later than 11:59 PM Arizona Time on November 12, 2026.

The online submission includes a required Organization Profile, required Application, required Budget Form, and applicable attachments. Organization information includes key management and implementation contacts, Employer Identification Number, and organizational information. A Unique Entity Identifier from SAM.

gov is required before an award can be made. Applicants selected for funding must register in the federal System for Award Management and the Arizona Department of Administration Vendor Portal before receiving reimbursements. Tree installation projects must submit a tree maintenance plan.

When specific partners have been identified, Letters of Partnership or Collaboration are required and are limited to five combined pages in one electronic file. Optional letters of support may also be submitted, subject to a five-page limit in one file.

The application is competitively evaluated on its fit with the theme of trees in public health and wellness, project need and justification, scope of work and project timeline, collaborative elements and partners, project outcomes and deliverables, evaluation and sustainability, project budget and financials, and overall completeness and understandability.

Applicants must explain the project's effect on the urban forest canopy and alignment with Arizona Forest Action Plan goals, provide detailed implementation responsibilities and a specific achievable timeline, identify partner contributions, state measurable quarterly outcomes and deliverables, explain long-term sustainability, and provide a reasonable and specific budget. Budget narratives must mathematically explain requested costs.

DFFM staff and Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Committee members independently review eligible applications, with conflict-of-interest recusal procedures applying to reviewers. Recommendations are presented to the State Forester, who makes the final funding decision. Funding is expected by December 2026, and applicants will be notified of proposal status by email.

The stated project timeframe is Quarter 1 of 2027 through the end of Quarter 4 of 2027. All project work must be completed by December 31, 2027 unless otherwise authorized, and projects close January 31, 2028, when final reports and reimbursement requests are due. Each recipient must also participate in the annual Grantee Showcase while its grant is active; the showcase typically occurs online in September or October.

Award records must generally be maintained for five years following final payment. Questions may be directed to Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager Madeline Burton at [email protected] or 480-769-4184. The solicitation does not state that this funding opportunity recurs on an annual or other regular application cycle.

Typical granting range is $20,000-$30,000. This is a reimbursement-based grant with reimbursement of up to 100 percent of eligible project costs. Indirect costs may not exceed 15 percent of reimbursable project costs.

Project work must generally be completed by December 31, 2027, with project closure and final reports and reimbursement requests due January 31, 2028.

City or township governments Native American tribal organizations Eligible applicants include units of government such as state, county, municipal, city, and town governments; tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, including faith-based institutions and health care facilities operated as 501(c)(3) organizations; and public educational institutions.

Citizen groups may work with or through an eligible organization. For-profit companies and individuals are not eligible. Projects must be located on non-Federal lands, except that lands held in trust for Native American Tribes and individuals are eligible.

Organizations that have not previously received Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management Urban and Community Forestry Program funding may receive priority. Previous DFFM grant recipients must be current on required quarterly reporting and reimbursements before being eligible for a new award.

Directly address the role of trees in public health and wellness and clearly connect the project to applicable Arizona Forest Action Plan goals. Proposals touching multiple project categories are described as more desirable and competitive. Clearly demonstrate project need and direct benefits to the urban forest canopy.

Provide a detailed, specific, and achievable implementation timeline with responsible parties identified. State measurable quarterly outcomes and explain how results and impacts will be shared. Explain how the project will remain sustainable without additional federal or state financial support.

For planting projects, provide the required maintenance plan. Mathematically show how every requested budget figure was calculated and ensure costs are reasonable and necessary. Keep details consistent across all application sections and submit a complete and understandable application.