The Healthy Urban Tree Canopy (HUTC) Program is an initiative of Cuyahoga County to promote a healthy tree canopy in our county with grant funds for tree planning, planting, and maintenance projects. It is a collaborative effort between the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability, and Cuyahoga SWCD.
Since 2019 the HUTC grant program has awarded more than $4.75 million in funding support to municipalities, community development corporations, and other non-profits to help protect, restore, and maintain trees across Cuyahoga County. To date more than 11,000 new trees have been planted through the HUTC grant program.
Program Year 2025
In 2025, the HUTC Program will be shifting from a reimbursable grant-based model to a contracted services model. Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), through resolution from its Board of Supervisors, will be administering the HUTC funds in Program Year 2025 (PY2025) and executing contracts on behalf of program participants to perform tree planning, planting, and maintenance activities. This programmatic change aims to improve efficiency and impact of the HUTC program, while reducing barriers and burdens to program applicants and awardees.
On April 25, 2025 (Arbor Day) the PY 2025 HUTC Program was announced, providing $950,000 in funding support to eligible applicants for tree planning, planting, and maintenance activities throughout Cuyahoga County. Cuyahoga SWCD will be accepting project applications via the Neighborly Portal through Friday, June 6, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. See below for key program dates and deadlines, as well as links to the 2025 HUTC Applicant Manual and Neighborly Application Portal.
Any questions on the PY 2025 HUTC Program can be directed to Harper Smith, Cuyahoga SWCD, at: hs****@cu**********.org.
HUTC PY 2025 Key Dates & Deadlines
- April 25, 2025 – PY 2025 HUTC Program Announcement; Neighborly Application Portal open
- May 14, 2025 – PY 2025 HUTC Applicant Webinar (virtual)
- May 22, 2025 – Cuyahoga SWCD Application Assistance Open Office Hours (virtual)
- June 6, 2025 – Applications due in the Neighborly Application Portal by 4:00pm
- July 11, 2025 – Anticipated announcement of Project Funding Awards
- July 17, 2025 – Mandatory workshop for PY 2025 HUTC awardees (virtual)
Access to the HUTC PY 2025 Applicant Manual as well as information about the Neighborly Application Portal can be found on the CWSD website.
Program Year 2024
Awards
In Program Year 2024, twenty-three (23) applications were submitted for financial assistance from the Cuyahoga County Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Program for a total of $1,287,642 in funding requests. Thanks to assistance from the Cleveland Tree Coalition the top nineteen (19) ranked projects will be awarded funding. This year the HUTC Program will fund the following types of projects which includes approximately 1500 new trees:
- 1 High Impact Reforestation Project
- 7 Tree Planting Projects
- 5 Tree Planting and Maintenance Projects
- 5 Urban Forestry Planning and Tree Planting Projects
Project Management Information
A list of required forms, instructions, and tips to help facilitate the reimbursement of project expenses can all be found on the Project Management Information page.
Applications
In Program Year 2024 of the Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit projects that:
- Support growth, plans, and maintenance of existing tree canopy throughout Cuyahoga County, including in the county’s designated Equity Zones and climate vulnerability zones.
- Prioritize planting large, canopy trees and/or implementing large-scale planting efforts in connected, contiguous spaces.
- Expand tree canopy through “high impact” reforestation projects in connected, contiguous spaces.
- Support the development and implementation of community urban forestry plans.
New in 2024: The Cuyahoga County Neighborly Application Portal
The Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program applications are administered electronically through the new Cuyahoga County Neighborly portal. Neighborly is the new online portal that allows applicants to apply for Healthy Urban Tree Canopy grant funds, and awardees to submit reimbursement requests, scope change requests, quarterly and annual reports, and any relevant project documentation and schedule information. Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6th.
Previous Years
Contact Us
Questions or comments about the Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program can be directed to:
Maureen Riley
Planner
mr******@cu************.us
or
Susan Infeld
Manager, Planning Initiatives
si*****@cu************.us
