DELAWARE - Organizations interested in planting trees as part of the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative in spring 2026 have until July 21 to apply for grant funding.
Grant requests must range from $10,000 to $40,000. Funding is dependent on the TEDI program receiving money in the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget.
Eligible applicants include state agencies, conservation districts, counties, non-governmental organizations having 501(c)(3) status, municipalities, public school districts, private K-12 schools, colleges and universities, business entities responsible for corporate campuses, and tribal governments.
“Planting trees increases carbon sequestration and storage, contributing toward Delaware’s climate goals,” said Greg Patterson, secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. “In addition, they also improve air and water quality, provide shade for cooling and create habitat for wildlife.”
TEDI is a joint effort between DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy and the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. The initiative aims to plant 1 million trees by 2030. So far, more than 350,000 have been planted.
Ellen Lake, director of conservation and research at Mt. Cuba Center, said her organization used a $37,000 TEDI grant to restore four acres of riparian buffers along Red Clay Creek.
“We planted a total of 1,484 native trees consisting of 11 species. This planting will provide food for native wildlife and improve water quality by shading the stream and helping to decrease erosion and flooding,” Lake said.
Beth Krumrine, sustainability team lead at DNREC, said grant recipients will be notified by September. Funded tree plantings will take place in March, April and May of 2026.