Open — 2026 Maine Project Canopy Planting and Maintenance competitive grants, application deadline December 17, 2026. Not publisher-approved.
Maine 2026 Project Canopy Assistance — Planting and Maintenance Grants (Up to $15,000; December 17, 2026)
Maine Forest Service grants up to $15,000 for eligible community tree planting and maintenance projects. 50% nonfederal matching contribution, cost reimbursement, mandatory 2026 grant workshop when required, and application deadline December 17, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
FundingIndividual application maximum $15,000 for Project Canopy 2026 Planting and Maintenance. Track funding approximately $125,000; 2026 Assistance grants combined pool $250,000 and combined Assistance/EAB program pool $390,000 (NOT per-applicant awards). Requires 50% nonfederal cash/in-kind match, and approved costs are reimbursed following completion and documentation.
DeadlineDecember 17, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (no time zone specified in official Maine Forest Service notice). 2026 grant workshop October 29, 1-3 p.m. is mandatory for applicants who have not attended since 2024.
Last verifiedOctober 29, 2026 (Maine Forest Service 2026 Planting and Maintenance 8-page guidelines AND 3-page 2026 fillable application, official notice and application index independently reviewed)
Required next actionReview Maine Forest Service 2026 Planting and Maintenance Guidelines and three-page application; attend October 29 workshop if required. Obtain recipient SAM.gov UEI; complete common online overview; email signed final application to PROJECTCANOPYGRANTS.DACF@maine.gov by December 17, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Application requires signed designated and official representative attestations, map of project tree sites, three-year maintenance plan, partner support letters, match budget and capacity checklist. Main proposal up to five pages outside budgets; inbox limit 10 MB per email. Do not incur reimbursement-eligible costs before executed grant agreement.
Broad Eligibility
Qualifying Maine municipalities, governmental entities, nonprofit and educational organizations pursuing accessible community tree planting and maintenance in compliance with 2026 Project Canopy criteria. 50% nonfederal match, 3-year maintenance plan, 90% tree survival expected; workshop attendance prerequisite for applicants not attended since 2024; SAM.gov UEI for recipients.
Atlas Analysis
October 29, 2026 full official-source verification: Maine Forest Service 2026 Project Canopy Planting and Maintenance eight-page guidelines AND three-page fillable application examined. Individual max $15,000; $125,000 approximate planting track pool not individual; 50% nonfederal match; approved costs reimbursed after successful eligible work and accounting. Grant period February 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028. 3-year maintenance plan, 90% tree survival, planting locations/map, signed forms, checklist, match budget and community partner support required. Main proposal limited to five pages excluding budgets; signed grant packet must be emailed after common online overview, 10MB email attachment limit. Excludes land, machinery, construction, ash and invasive plantings. Workshop October 29 mandatory for applicants not attended since 2024; recipients require SAM.gov UEI. Guideline has conflicting conditional-award year, not relied upon. Fully source-researched; existing protected publication QA/approval has not been obtained.
2026 Project Canopy Assistance: Planting and Maintenance
Maine Forest Service Project Canopy is accepting competitive grant applications for community tree planting and maintenance to improve the livability, health and long-term resilience of Maine communities. This is a genuine applicant-facing community forestry grant rather than a purchasing bid.
Funding and deadline
A qualifying project may receive up to $15,000 per applicant in Project Canopy assistance, distinct from approximately $125,000 allocated to the Planting and Maintenance track and the combined $390,000 across all current Project Canopy and emerald ash borer programs. The award can cover no more than half of eligible project costs: recipients must supply a 50% nonfederal cash or eligible in-kind match. Awards are reimbursement-based after successful completion and expense verification. Deadline: December 17, 2026, 11:59 p.m.; the published instructions do not specify a time zone. The current guidelines establish a February 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028 project period.
Eligible applicants and costs
The program supports qualifying Maine municipal and other governmental entities, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations proposing accessible community tree planting and stewardship. Applicants should confirm exact legal eligibility in the 2026 Planting and Maintenance Guidelines. Qualified costs may include approved trees, planting materials, initial site preparation and grant-period maintenance. A three-year maintenance plan and 90% survival expectation apply. No grant or match support for buying equipment or machinery, construction, purchasing land, invasive planting materials, or planting ash species; ordinary utility-line upkeep is not an eligible stand-alone purpose.
Application requirements
The official 2026 grant workshop takes place October 29, 2026, 1:00–3:00 p.m. online. Applicants who have not attended a grant workshop since 2024 must participate, and applicants should verify workshop requirements with Maine Forest Service staff. Recipients require a SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier. Submit the common online application overview and separately email the signed complete grant application to PROJECTCANOPYGRANTS.DACF@maine.gov by the deadline. Include proposed planting locations, species and planting plan, three-year maintenance commitments, detailed grant and match budget, partner commitments, required support letters and community-capacity documentation. Costs may not be incurred for reimbursement before an executed grant agreement.
Official documentation
Maine Forest Service 2026 planting guidelines and application. Verified October 29, 2026 against the eight-page 2026 planting guidelines and three-page official grant application, including required project map, signatures and three-year maintenance plan. Existing protected publication QA and approval remain outstanding.
Source verificationOfficial government source · www3.maine.govAtlas last verified this record October 29, 2026 (Maine Forest Service 2026 Planting and Maintenance 8-page guidelines AND 3-page 2026 fillable application, official notice and application index independently reviewed). Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
