Projects
2021 Recipients
Mesa, Arizona
The Phoenix metropolitan area greatly suffers from inequitable access to trees, combined with lack of shade, sweltering environments, bad air quality, and some very desolate spaces. The Arizona Sustainability Alliance will enhance the Mesa, AZ community resilience through eight tree plantings at Title 1 schools, five critical public parks, and establish a large native plant nursery at an extremely high need high school.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
In partnership with the Mayor’s Greening Initiative, the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks will enhance their community resilience by planting 1,500 neighborhood trees, address stormwater runoff mitigation, and improve greenspace and wildlife habitats. Over the next year, 10 planting events will take place in the Roosevelt Park and Black Hills neighborhoods.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Seeking to address urban heat island effects, The Riverfront North Partnership will set out to add new trees into strategic neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. This project will consist of six volunteer tree plantings, two tree distribution events at local parks, a planting and distribution of 300 trees to the Holmesburg and Frankford neighborhoods, while engaging five community and civic groups.
Columbia, South Carolina
Led by Keep The Midlands Beautiful, this project will focus on developing a new generation of youth environmental leaders who will engage in the sustainability of their community well after this grant awarding. The goals of the project include education outreach on environmental justice, volunteer engagement in beautification projects, multiple free educational workshops, and enrolling 20 youth in an instrumental tree stewardship internship program.
2020 Recipients
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis’ Boulevard Heights neighborhood has felt the loss of its tree canopy due to the emerald ash borer. This project will replenish the urban tree canopy throughout the neighborhood and provide much needed shade and cleaner air, with runoff filtration and erosion prevention for the nearby river. Trees will be planted along the main street in the neighborhood and distributed to community members for their personal properties.
Durham, North Carolina
Planting trees in three areas of Durham will have a significant impact, improving the community’s resilience to extreme heat. By adding green infrastructure to a park, secondary school, and neighborhood, this project will provide healthier living conditions for all community members within this vulnerable census tract.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio has been affected by rising temperatures, increased flooding risks, along with devastating effects from the foreclosure crisis. This project will focus on enhancing the livability of the Union Miles neighborhood through green space and reforestation projects. This will result in reinvestment in the neighborhood and increasing community participation through education in tree stewardship.
Nashville, Tennessee
In Nashville, Tennessee, tree plantings and tree giveaways are planned for an area that was hard hit by tornadoes in early 2020. The 37208 zip code region has experienced a significant decline in tree canopy coverage, correlated with higher community risk factors. This project will help to revitalize the community through tree plantings at public schools, city parks and residences, along with tree giveaways and tree maintenance education.
2019 Recipients
Tucson, Arizona
In Tucson, Arizona, tree plantings and giveaways helped LMI residents cool their homes and reduce energy costs. The project was coupled with the city’s low-income rainwater harvesting grant and loan program. The program helps residents install rainwater harvesting equipment at their homes and addresses concerns about the cost of watering trees in Arizona’s hot climate.
Kansas City, Missouri
In Kansas City, Missouri, tree planting, care and education events not only brought urban trees to LMI neighborhoods to reduce the heat island effect, but also built a grassroots movement in support of the trees. The events engaged residents and helped to educate the community about the benefits of green infrastructure.
Providence, Rhode Island
In Providence, Rhode Island, tree plantings around Roger Williams Park and in the surrounding LMI areas improved storm water management. Water pollution and flooding due to storm water are significant challenges in the region, and the new trees will better protect the area against these impacts.
Norfolk, Virginia
In Norfolk, Virginia, three tree planting projects delivered unique benefits for their sites. At a local elementary school, fruit trees, shrubs and pollinator plants expanded outdoor classroom opportunities. At Poplar Hall Park, an urban forest provided a buffer from an adjacent highway. At Sarah Constant Beach Park, trees stabilized an ecologically sensitive dune system.
The 2021 Grant Application timeframe is now closed.
Bank of America’s Community Resilience Grant is a Bank of America
program administered by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Questions? Contact the grants administrator at
.