Division of Forestry and Wildlife: Forestry Program

Community Grants & Arbor Day Grants Open Feb. 2!

GRANT PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Our grant program encourages community involvement in creating and supporting long-term and sustained urban and community forestry across Hawai‘i.

Kaulunani has awarded grants to hundreds of non-profit groups, schools, community organizations, parks, museums, and arboretums. As of 2026, over $9.1 million dollars have been awarded to over 500 projects, which have been matched by over $9 million dollars in cash and in-kind contributions.

We believe community-driven solutions are a vital part in addressing the Forest Action Plan (FAP) Objectives.

We support a diverse range of forestry projects impacting most urban areas in Hawai‘i. Get to know our current grantee partners! You can also check out all the projects we’ve funded since 1993 on our StoryMap.

The Kaulunani Council encourages applications from communities large and small across all islands, and values the principles of equity, access, and environmental justice in project partnerships.

COMMUNITY GRANTS

COMMUNITY GRANT APPLICATIONS OPEN FEB. 2

Kaulunani supports a wide range of urban and community forest projects that promote the protection and enhancement of urban and community forest ecosystems – tree planting, the care of trees, and education on tree issues where we live, work, learn, and play. 

Grant Categories:

Each grant category has a separate Request for Proposals and application. Please see the information and links below.

Community Grants

• Link to the Request for Proposals, which includes the application link
• Award amount: $20,000 to $50,000
• Notice of funding approval: Mid-April 2026
• Project must be completed by April 2027
• Examples of project components:  
  • Tree plantings & giveaways
  • Tree care and maintenance, both education and application
  • Education and/or outreach about Urban & Community Forestry issues
  • Cultural and artistic expression related to urban and community forestry
  • Invasive species, pest and disease management for trees

Arbor Day 2026

• Link to the Request for Proposals, which includes the application link
• Award amount: $10,000
• Notice of funding approval: Mid-April 2026
• Project must be completed by December 2026
• Arbor Day Projects are encouraged to focus on community celebrations with tree planting and/or giveaways. Events should be scheduled on or around Arbor Day 2026 (Friday, November 6th)
  • Other project components may include: tree care, education, cultural/artistic expression, and invasive species management for trees.

The application deadline is March 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm HST.

Who can apply? Communities from all islands of Hawaiʻi are encouraged to apply. Eligible applicants include organizations, schools, religious centers, community groups, and state and county agencies. All applicants must provide a current Hawaiʻi Compliance Express certification in order for their application to be considered. (Government agencies are exempt.)

What kind of projects are eligible? Projects should relate to urban and community forestry on public or publicly accessible land or educational institutions in Hawaiʻi. Eligible activities include planting, caring for, learning about, and/or expanding the communities’ relationship with the trees and forests. 

How to Apply: Click on the links under each grant category to view the full Request for Proposals, which include the application links.

Questions? Watch a recording of our informational webinar hosted 2/10/2026, 10- 11 am or review the slides.

Note: The one-to-one cost share requirements using non-federal sources (match) will be waived for this funding opportunity. 

For more information and questions about the community grant program, please contact Kate Wiechmann, Community Partnership Coordinator.

MULTI-YEAR FOREST SERVICE FUNDING

GRANT APPLICATIONS UNDER THIS OPPORTUNITY ARE CLOSED

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded $3.5 million to the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program to fund tree planting and related projects in locations the program needs to reach.

Applications for funding through this opportunity are closed and all funds have been awarded. Award announcements were made in April 2024 in this DLNR news release. Click here to meet the Kaulunani Grantees!

In addition to the competitive opportunity Kaulunani facilitated, multi-year Forest Service funding was awarded to Kaulunani to support two projects. Both will be led from within the overall Kaulunani program through 2028:

• Community Coconut Project 
• Shade Trees for Schools Project

For more information and questions about multi-year funding, please contact Koki Atcheson, Community Partnerships Coordinator at [email protected].

2024 STATE FUNDING

STATE FUNDING APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED

Special funding from the Department of Land and Natural Resources enabled Kaulunani to support seven additional three-year urban and community forestry projects. Recognizing the investment in community forests on local to global scales, this funding demonstrates the state of Hawaiʻi’s commitment to the forests where we live, work, learn, and play. 

Applications for state funding are closed. All funds have been awarded and this opportunity is not expected to open again. You can meet the state-funded partners in this news release or on our current partners page.

For more information and questions about funding, please contact Koki Atcheson, Community Partnerships Coordinator at [email protected].

CELEBRATING YEAR OF OUR COMMUNITY FORESTS 2025

GRANT APPLICATION IS CLOSED

Kaulunani is excited to announce a unique grant opportunity as part of our “Year of Our Community Forests” campaign. This initiative aims to celebrate, raise awareness, and engage communities around the vital role of our community forests— our trees and green spaces where we live, learn, and play. More information here. Different from Kaulunani’s usual tree planting and distribution project funding opportunities, these projects must prioritize education, awareness, and outreach.

Applications for funding through this opportunity are closed and all funds have been awarded.

For more information and questions about this grant opportunity, please contact Kate Wiechmann, Community Partnership Coordinator at [email protected].

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION

Please read our Grant Guidelines carefully. We also suggest contacting Kaulunani staff ([email protected]) to discuss your application well in advance of the deadline so we can provide support and guidance.

Once your application has been submitted, the Kaulunani Advisory Council reviews and makes decisions during the forthcoming quarterly Council meeting. Visit the Kaulunani Council Page for more information on the Council and quarterly meeting dates.

A NOTE FOR PROPOSED TREE PLANTING PROJECTS

Tree planting projects are asked to use native species, Polynesian introductions, or non-invasive plants that are screened by the Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment and are predicted to be a low risk of becoming invasive. All Budget forms for tree planting/giveaway projects must include Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) scores. These can be found through the Plant Pono or Hawaii Weed Risk Assessment websites.

RESOURCES FOR CURRENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Forms:

• Kaulunani Grant Recognition Guidelines (PDF)
• Sample of Volunteer Tracking Form (Microsoft Word .docx)
• Interim Report Form (Online Form)
• Final Report Form (Online Form)
• Year of Our Community Forests Report Form (Online Form)

Logos can be downloaded here.

Additional Grant Opportunities

The table below lists some of the known opportunities for Urban & Community grant funding for which funding is available.

We welcome your proposals to pursue any and all opportunities, please contact prior to submitting an application.

Pre-Proposals are required for most opportunities and we strongly encourage you to complete this brief form so we are aware of your wonderful work and can match you to appropriate funding opportunities that may arise.