FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 17, 2026 

MEDIA CONTACT: Ben Koisti, Ben.Koisti@state.sd.us 

 

Deadline for Urban and Community Forestry Grant is October 3rd 

 

PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) is announcing that funding for new community forestry projects is available through the 2026 Community Forestry Grant program. 

 

The Community Forestry Grant program intends to help communities solve specific community forestry problems and demonstrate the importance of trees and urban forests in our communities. Grant funds must be used for trees or tree management on public land or in public right-of-ways. Funds can also be used for professional services, tree inventories and assessments, existing tree care and maintenance, urban food forests, training and education, and new tree plantings. 

 

Communities, tribes, and non-profit organizations are eligible. Projects must follow the guidelines for Community Forestry Grants. These guidelines and the grant application form can be found here. 

 

Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry no later than October 2, 2026. 

 

Communities must provide an equivalent match for all funds awarded. Match may be cash or in-kind contributions. 

 

For more information, please contact John Hartland at 605-933-9650 or John.Hartland@state.sd.us 

 

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