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Colorado State Forest Service News

$700,000 in grant funds available to enhance urban forests

Three people stand in the grass in a park
CSFS foresters and interns helped complete a tree inventory in Paonia in July 2024. Community tree inventories are one of the qualifying projects for a Colorado Urban and Community Forestry grant. Photo: Morgan Murphy, CSFS

The Colorado State Forest Service is now accepting applications for the Colorado Urban and Community Forestry grant program. This grant program support efforts to improve the health, resilience, safety and sustainability of Colorado’s urban forests.

The CSFS developed the grant program in 2024 through funding from the USDA Forest Service. The program has a $700,000 funding pool in 2026. The application window opened July 21, 2026

Cities, towns, counties, special districts, schools, nonprofit organizations, LLCs representing neighborhood groups and tribal agencies are eligible to apply. 

Qualifying projects 

  • Tree planting
  • Tree removal
  • Strategic pruning
  • Wildfire mitigation
  • Emerald ash borer response
  • Mountain pine beetle response
  • Urban forest inventories
  • Urban forest management plans
  • Urban wood utilization
  • Capacity building
  • Community outreach
  • Watering and establishment activities

Colorado UCF grants will be awarded in two tiers: $50,000 to $100,000 and $100,001 to $200,000. No matching funds are required for this grant program. An evaluation committee will review applications using published criteria listed on the application. Emphasis will be placed on project readiness, technical merit, measurable outcomes, partnerships, budget reasonableness and long-term sustainability.

The application deadline is Sept. 21, 2026. The CSFS will announce awards by Oct. 30, 2026, and projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2028. 

Review application materials or contact [email protected].

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Map powered by the Colorado Forest Atlas from the Colorado State Forest Service