Title
Office of Heat Response and Mitigation Inflation Reduction Act Community Canopy Grant Program (Ordinance S-51681) - Citywide
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into multiple grant agreements with multiple grantees to disburse funds for the Community Canopy Grant Program. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds and supplies related to this item. There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding is available from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Federal Fiscal Year 2022-23 Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program allocation of the Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The aggregate expenditures will not exceed $3 million.
Report
Summary
Increasing urban tree canopy cover is an important public health strategy that supports the 2025 General Plan core value to build the most sustainable desert city. In November 2024, Phoenix City Council unanimously adopted the Shade Phoenix Plan, which guides the implementation of more than 30 unique strategies and programs to provide more tree and shade coverage throughout the City. Several actions in the Shade Phoenix Plan are funded by a $10 million Urban and Community Forestry grant awarded to the City of Phoenix by the USDA. On October 4, 2023, Phoenix City Council authorized the distribution of $10 million from the USDA’s Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Grant through the IRA to the Office of Heat Response Mitigation (OHRM) for the creation of grant and community impact programs.
To increase the tree shade canopy in disadvantaged neighborhoods, OHRM is seeking authorization to use up to $3 million of USDA grant funds to implement a Community Canopy Grant Program to provide trees, labor and supplies for tree planting projects to community members, neighborhood groups and non-profits throughout Phoenix. No more than $3 million will be committed for the Community Canopy Grant Program.
Building from the successful implementation of the Community Canopy Grant Program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, the IRA Community Canopy grant will improve the prospects of residents impacted by heat, and address economic and social disparities throughout Phoenix. This grant program will assist in that effort by providing trees, skilled labor, supplies, education and follow up support to at risk community members, neighborhood groups and non-profits in neighborhoods with low tree canopy cover.
The Community Canopy Grant Program will be open to community members, neighborhood groups and non-profits for tree planting projects in underserved neighborhoods. OHRM will facilitate and administer this grant program. The Community Canopy Grant Program will accept applications on a rolling basis and all funding will be spent by the end of June 2029.
Financial Impact
Funding for this program will not exceed $3 million. There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding is available through the Federal IRA from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, through the City's award from the Federal Fiscal Year 2022-23 UCF Program.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation.