Alliance for Community Trees : Jobs

Deadline: September 15, 2009

Thanks to support from The Home Depot Foundation, the USDA Forest Service, and the National Tree Trust, the Alliance for Community Trees is able to offer extra support to make your local NeighborWoods Month events more memorable. NeighborWoods Month Mini-Grants are a package of professionally designed marketing materials worth $500, plus up to $500 in financial assistance. Grants should enable you to host a more successful event rather than be the determining factor in whether you organize an event. Eligible events involve the public during October in tree planting, tree care, education, and other activity that engages people in urban and community forestry, and are branded as NeighborWoods Month events.

Purpose: The purpose of the NeighborWoods Month Mini-Grant is to help nonprofit tree groups make their NeighborWoods Month events memorable and successful. Grants should enable you to host a more successful event rather than be the determining factor in whether you organize an event. Eligible events involve the public during October in tree planting, tree care, education, and other activity that engages people in urban and community forestry. Envision the mini-grant as a way to accomplish something extra. We encourage you to focus on marketing, media, and elevating the quality of your NeighborWoods Month event.

Eligible Uses: Suggested uses include:
* Order printed posters, banners, T-shirts, and other promotional items.
* Pay for a media service to disseminate press releases to get coverage for your event. (One example is U.S. Newswire)
* Hire a professional photographer or videographer to document your NeighborWoods Month event. Professional photos make a big difference for your website, brochures, and annual reports. So make a list of the shots you want the photographer to capture. To research photographers in your area, visit the Society for Sport & Event Photographers or the Professional Photographers of America or ask colleagues about photographers they have worked with successfully.
* Pay for a sign-maker to print your logo or local sponsor's logo onto the NeighborWoods Month banner.
* Create awards or recognition for elected leaders, volunteers, or partners involved in your events.
* Make your event kid-friendly and inviting to the whole community: provide games, a babysitter, a children's entertainer, music, etc.
* Or other strategic one-time investment that will help you make a bigger splash and draw more attention for your NeighborWoods Month events.

Ineligible Uses: Grant funds are not permitted to be used for:
* Personnel, including salaries and benefits.
* General office expenses, equipment, capital expenses, and overhead.
* Plant materials and planting supplies.
* Food.

Available Funding: Nonprofit organizations are eligible for up to $500 in cash assistance for one or more NeighborWoods Month events during October. In addition, you may request NeighborWoods Month posters, banners, door hangers, toolbelts, and kids' activity cards (valued at $500). Grants will be awarded on a first come-first served rolling basis.

Grant Requirements:
* A minimum 1:1 in-kind or cash non-federal match is required. Staff time and volunteer time (valued at $20.25/hour) may be reported as matching support.

* Electronic outreach- including organization websites and e-newsletters- should display one of the NeighborWoods web banners or ribbons located at: http://neighborwoodsmonth.org/ribbons.html.

* Printed materials- including press releases, Tshirts, other promotional materials, advertisements, etc., should include both the NeighborWoods and Home Depot Foundation logos. They are attached in JPG format, but higher resolutions can be provided. A copy of each of the materials should be forwarded to ACT.

* Spoken materials- including radio or voice advertisements- should credit: "This NeighborWoods Month event is made possible through support from The Home Depot Foundation. A copy of each of the materials should be forwarded to ACT.

Application Deadline: To ensure financial assistance and materials arrive timely, please make your request by September 15, 2008. After this date, call to confirm logistics.

Application Procedure: Complete the online application and submit it with a copy of page one of your 501c3 determination letter via fax or email. If ACT already has your letter on file, you do not need to resubmit it.) Completed applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.

Reimbursement: Your promotional materials will be shipped immediately. The cash portion of the Mini-Grant will be paid on a reimbursement basis as long as you meet the Grant Requirements. Also, a post-event survey will be required to confirm results, including the match.

Inquiries: Please direct questions regarding the NeighborWoods Month Mini-Grant to the ACT's Director of Programs, Jared Liu at 301-277-0041 (p) or 301-277-0042 (f).