A new grant program to spur the planting of trees across the state is accepting applications. School Board Notes shared details about the launch of the program in its May 2 issue.
The Trees for Schools program will provide $2.5 million in grants to New Jersey public school districts, county colleges and state colleges and universities to fund the planting of trees on campuses across the state. Competitive grants of $10,000 to $500,000 will fund costs associated with planning, site preparation, trees, planting, watering, monitoring and related expenses over a three-year period.
Forty percent of the grant funding will be set aside for applicants located in overburdened communities, with preference given to schools with the lowest tree coverage and the highest coverage of impervious surface, such as paved areas and buildings. Applications are due July 13, 2023, for spring 2024 plantings.
The Trees for Schools program is administered by the Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey in collaboration with Sustainable Jersey. It is made possible through the support of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Learn more and apply for a grant.
Sustainable Jersey has released a Sharing Kit with social media posts to show your support for the program and to spread the word about the availability of the grants. You can download the kit here.
Social media graphics are also available to download online.