Greening the Gateway Cities Program

This program, concentrated in Environmental Justice neighborhoods, targets areas within gateway cities that have lower tree canopy, older housing stock, higher wind speeds, and a larger renter population. GGCP is currently active in Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee , Fall River, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Quincy, Revere and Springfield.  Fall of 2020 adds four new communities - Fitchburg, Lowell, Salem and Westfield.  Spring of 2022 adds five new communities – Barnstable, Everett, Malden, Worcester, and Taunton.

Financial assistance to municipalities and non-profits for activities that support urban tree planting in coordination with the GGCP and the DCR Urban and Community Forestry program is available.  These grants are awarded on a reimbursement basis.

Please attend the online information sessions to learn more about the grant programs:

Municipal Partnership Grant - Information Session:  Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 1:30pm.

• • Grants to support municipalities as they identify and prepare urban areas for tree planting in coordination with DCR.
  • Eligible Applicants: Gateway City municipalities where DCR is planting in FY23
  • Maximum Award: $20,000
  • Deadline: Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 3:00 pm

Non-Profit Partnership Grant - Information Session:  Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 11:00am.

• Grants to support non-profits in their work to communicate GGCP objectives, raise awareness of the benefits of urban trees, and encourage residents to participate in tree planting.
• Eligible Applicants: Qualified non-profit 501(c)3 organizations
• Maximum Award: $15,000
• Deadline: Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 3:00 pm

NEW!  Tree Planting Implementation Grant - Information Session:  Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

• • Grants will support tree planting and related activities that have a measurable impact on the urban canopy in Gateway Cities.
  • Eligible Applicants: Gateway City municipalities and qualified non-profit 501(c)3 organizations
  • Maximum Award: $100,000
  • Deadline: Monday, June 6 at 3:00 pm

Please email vanessa.farny@mass.gov to register for information session by Friday, April 15, 2022. Please identify the information session you are interested in attending.  A Teams invitation will be sent to registered applicants.

For more information, you can contact:

Vanessa Farny - Division of Conservation Services

(857) 330-1978

vanessa.farny@mass.gov

You can make a difference in  your community by joining the Greening the Gateway Cities planting team.  Increasing the urban canopy will help save energy, protect air and water quality, and improve overall community health.

Apply to join the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Greening the Gateway Cities urban tree planting program!

Tree planting laborer opportunities are available for the spring (April-June) and fall (September-November) planting seasons.

For more information, contact Allison Smith at 617-626-1774 or Allison.P.Smith@ma.state.us

The GGCP operates all year long. Call your local GGCP office to determine if you are eligible to receive free trees or to schedule an appointment with a DCR Forester. Leave your name, address (including city), and telephone number.

 For Lawrence, Pittsfield, and Springfield, call (617) 826-5724.