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Community Planting and Stewardship Grant

Supports tree planting and stewardship on private Toronto land

Offered by
City of Toronto
Official source: toronto.ca

Source change captured

Funding available
$ 5,000 - $ 100,000
Up to 50% of project cost
Deadline
Unspecified
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
Incorporated not-for-profit corporations without share capital.
See full eligibility

Overview

Community Planting and Stewardship Grant supports eligible not-for-profit corporations, charities and charitable foundations in Toronto with funding from $5,000 to $100,000. The program helps increase canopy cover on private land across the City of Toronto. Eligible projects include planting non-invasive trees and shrubs, maintaining existing trees, and education and engagement around planting, care, and stewardship.

At a glance

Funding available

Maximum funding
$100,000
Minimum funding
$5,000
Maximum share of project costs
50%
Financing goals
  • Increase social or community impact
  • Reduce environmental footprint
  • Train or support volunteers
  • Raise awareness or mobilize a population

Eligible candidates

Location
  • Toronto
  • Ontario
Eligible Industries
All industries
Annual revenue
All revenue ranges
Organisation size
All organization sizes
Audience
All groups
Legal structures
Non-profit
Non-profit candidates
Scope
Local

Receipt of requests is now closed

Get notified about updates to this grant.

Availability timeline

2026
Periods: 2

Latest changes

Private tree grant eligibility and terms updated

The Supports for Tree Planting on Private Property page now adds the Mature Private Tree Maintenance Grant, with new eligibility rules, an October 15 to November 16 application window, required quote and photo documents, and reimbursement terms up to $1,500.

See more

The Supports for Tree Planting on Private Property page now includes the Mature Private Tree Maintenance Grant, which is available to Toronto residents who own single-dwelling residential properties with eligible private trees greater than 61 cm DBH. The page also adds explicit exclusions for businesses, corporations, industrial properties, condominiums, apartment buildings, duplexes, triplexes, boundary trees, and trees rooted on neighbouring property. The application window runs from October 15 to November 16, and applications may close earlier if funds run out. Applicants must submit an arborist or tree-care quote and at least one recent photo of the full tree and trunk, and work completed before approval is not eligible for reimbursement; successful applicants can receive support up to $1,500.

Official source: toronto.ca
October 12, 2026

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • Incorporated not-for-profit corporations without share capital.
  • Charitable organizations.
  • Foundations registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Who is not eligible

  • Grant-making or third-party fundraising organizations.
  • Landlord/tenant and condominium corporations.
  • Individuals or for-profit business ventures.
  • Political or lobby groups.
  • Groups eligible for the Greening Partnership Grant, any group currently in litigation with the City of Toronto, previously funded groups that failed to meet past grant terms or have outstanding requirements, and previously funded groups that have received over $1 million in funding from the City of Toronto for related activities.

Eligible expenses

  • Only direct costs to run or deliver a project that are reasonable and necessary.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

  • Purchase, care or maintenance of herbaceous plant material.
  • Purchase, care or maintenance of invasive species or other species prohibited by the City.
  • Purchase of low-growing shrub material with a mature height under three feet without prior written approval of the City.
  • Requests for core operating funding.
  • Fees and/or expenses for memberships, courses and conferences; travel, personal vehicles and parking that are excessive or unrelated to the project; taxes such as GST and HST for which the recipient is eligible for a tax rebate and all other costs eligible for rebates; contingency costs; capital costs or infrastructure; and other costs deemed ineligible by the City, including summer camps, land purchase, advocacy expenses, fundraising activities, endowments or endowment building, scholarships, grants or bursaries, awards and prizes, and alcohol purchase.

Activities funded

  • Local projects that plant trees or shrubs in a specific area of Toronto or engage a community in planting and stewardship of local, privately owned trees.
  • Naturalization projects that convert maintained lawn into a more naturalized space.
  • Youth engagement projects focused on tree planting and stewardship through education, employment and/or youth-led projects.
  • Citywide projects that increase canopy cover across Toronto in a variety of communities and areas simultaneously.
  • Other projects deemed eligible by the City.

How to apply

  • Submit the application through the Toronto Grants, Rebates and Incentives Portal (TGRIP).
  • Allow time to create an account and organizational profile within TGRIP if you are new to the portal.

Documents Needed

  • Declaration of Compliance with the City's Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policy
  • Conflict of Interest Declaration
  • Certificate of Insurance (before funds are released)
  • Audited Financial Statements for 2 years (before funds are released)

Selection criteria

  • Concept: the project must closely align with the stated purpose of the grant.
  • Feasibility: the application should demonstrate the applicant’s experience and capacity to complete the project and maintain the trees over the long term, with a feasible process and clear deliverables and timelines.
  • Budget: project costs should be reasonable and show how the 1:1 matching funding requirement will be met or exceeded.
  • Impact: the application should demonstrate how the project will increase tree canopy cover through planting, stewardship and/or outreach and engagement.
  • Additional assessment considerations may include geographic representation across the City of Toronto, low-canopy or high-need locations, maintenance plans, environmental impact, community impact and equity benefits, and maximizing canopy within available planting space; use of Toronto’s Tree Equity Score Analyzer (TESA) is encouraged but not mandatory.

Processing and Agreement

  • Applications are reviewed for completeness and for alignment with the grant guidelines and assessment criteria.
  • The City will contact applicants to say whether the application requires revisions, is declined, or will proceed to full review.
  • Applications are assessed by a grant review panel of City staff and external members with relevant expertise and experience, which makes recommendations on which projects should be considered for funding and in what amounts.
  • Successful applicants must sign a Letter of Understanding with the City of Toronto.
  • Grant recipients must submit progress reports through the Toronto Grants, Rebates and Incentives Portal, including an interim report in the middle of the calendar year and a final report at the end of the project.

Additional information

  • A recording of the 2026 Urban Forestry Community Grants information session is available.
  • Accessibility support is available, including alternative formats and off-hours meetings.
  • Prospective applicants can contact forestrygrants@toronto.ca for help determining eligibility or for questions, comments, or complaints about the program.

Contacts

forestrygrants@toronto.ca
(416) 392-4401

Official sources

Supports for Tree Planting on Private Property

Program guide

Community Planting and Stewardship Grant (2025)Urban Forestry Community Grants
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Community Planting and Stewardship Grant Program

What is the Community Planting and Stewardship Grant?

Community Planting and Stewardship Grant supports eligible not-for-profit corporations, charities and charitable foundations in Toronto with funding from $5,000 to $100,000. The program helps increase canopy cover on private land across the City of Toronto. Eligible projects include planting non-invasive trees and shrubs, maintaining existing trees, and education and engagement around planting, care, and stewardship.

How much funding can be received?

Community Planting and Stewardship Grant Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $100,000 per project.

Who is eligible for the Community Planting and Stewardship Grant program?

To be eligible for the Community Planting and Stewardship Grant program, you must: The applicant must be an incorporated not-for-profit corporation without share capital, a charitable organization, or a foundation registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue Agency. Applicants that are not incorporated and/or do not have audited financial statements for the past two years must work with a trustee organization. Projects must be completed within 12 months between January 1, 2027 and December 31, 2027.

What expenses are eligible under Community Planting and Stewardship Grant?

Only direct costs to run or deliver a project that are reasonable and necessary.

Who can I contact for more information about the Community Planting and Stewardship Grant?

You can contact City of Toronto by email at forestrygrants@toronto.ca or by phone at (416) 392-4401.

Where is the Community Planting and Stewardship Grant available?

The Community Planting and Stewardship Grant program is available the province of Ontario.

Is the Community Planting and Stewardship Grant a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Community Planting and Stewardship Grant is a Grant and Funding