Arbor Day Foundation Reforestation

The Arbor Day Foundation provides grants to organizations around the globe for reforestation efforts through its Reforestation Program.

This program helps meet the needs of forests recovering from fire, storms, disease and insect damage, and other threats, and the needs of people through increased food security, clean water and air, and a healthy ecosystem.

The Arbor Day Foundation works with government agencies and non-governmental agencies in many fields to restore forests in need. We, along with our corporate partners, members, and donors, are working together to provide funding for trees on high-priority and large-scale projects.

We are looking for exceptional stories and projects that will make an impact on communities and the environment. These stories may include things such as sustainable forestry; mine reclamation; wildfire recovery; disease or insect damage; watershed restoration; habitat and biodiversity; and storm damage, to name a few.

We ask organizations interested in partnering with us to submit project details online for consideration. Forms can be found on the Planting Partner Resource Center.

Each submission is reviewed by our reforestation team, programs staff, and fundraising teams. We base our decisions on the need for trees in the project area, donor and corporate partner interest, the size of the project, and the project cost.

We are seeking projects of upwards of 5,000-10,000 trees, however, we may only be able to provide partial funding for large projects, depending on available funds. There is no maximum limit set on proposals or the number of trees we can support. Our aim is to support an array of projects around the globe.

Funding will be granted for, at minimum, the cost of seedlings in planting efforts. There are many associated costs in reforestation efforts, such as site prep, seed collection, administration, and contract labor. Support for other project pieces is dependent upon available funds. Our hope is that our tree planting partners can leverage our funds in conjunction with other grants, individual donations, government funding, and revenue streams.

Because our mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees, we focus solely on tree-related costs. Applicants will need to find funding outside of this partnership for other plant material.

The Arbor Day Foundation accepts proposals year-round. For projects within the United States, we make most of our funding decisions from projects submitted in our Call for Proposals, which opens in late summer and closes in early October. Proposals submitted in response to the Call for Proposals will be notified of funding decisions in early November. We aim to provide a response within 4-6 weeks for proposals received from sources outside the United States or independent from our Call to Proposals.

You will be contacted by phone or email with funding details. For timing, please see “When do you accept proposals?”

Yes. However, we may request that you combine similar projects across multiple sites into a single proposal. If the projects are notably different in scope, location, reason for planting, and tree species, we ask that you submit separate proposals for each project.

Yes. We are happy to consider multiple projects from the same group or organization. While each project is different and considered independently, we most often consider proposals for projects happening within the next 1-2 years.

Yes, though we do not work directly with individual landowners. All proposals for projects on private property should be submitted by the forestry consultancy or non-profit organization working with the landowner(s). Please ensure the proposal clearly indicates the project's location on private land and includes a discussion on site management practices. We want to ensure that landowners have the right support to ensure trees thrive long-term on their property.

At minimum, funding will be granted for the cost of seedlings in planting efforts. There are many associated costs in reforestation efforts, such as site prep, seed collection, administration, and contract labor. Support for other project pieces is dependent upon available funds. Our hope is that our tree planting partners can leverage our funds in conjunction with other grants, individual donations, government funding, and revenue streams.

We do not have a limit on the funding per tree. Each proposal will differ in purpose, impact, and location. Seedling costs vary and we will review each proposal independently.

Primary contacts listed on the proposal will receive a letter of agreement via email, which documents details such as planting goals, expectations, reporting, and invoicing.

Please fill out the proposal completely. Comprehensive information, photos, and maps enable us to make an informed decision. The most effective proposals tell a complete story in logical order by illustrating input, output, outcomes, and eventual impacts.

We understand that things can change due to weather, nursery availability, and other unforeseen circumstances. We ask that you notify us within five (5) business days if you become aware of any changes. The Arbor Day Foundation uses funds from multiple sources. Because of this, we need to know of any project changes so we can meet our own reporting requirements.

The Arbor Day Foundation is open to different payment schedules. However, reimbursement upon completion of the project is our strong preference. Regardless of payment schedule, we will need an invoice to process payment. If you have questions about this, please see the example on the Planting Partner Resource Center or reach out to your primary contact at the Arbor Day Foundation.

Please fill out the accomplishment report completely and to the best of your ability and include photos and storytelling pieces. We then share this information with our funding partners.

Within 30 days of project completion, the project contact should complete and submit an accomplishment report on our website (find a link to this on the Planting Partner Resource Center).

We greatly value long-term partnerships and strive to extend effective partnerships beyond the first year. We are committed to maintaining ongoing efforts and nurturing fruitful collaborations with our partners.