Frequently Asked Questions About Tree For Me What is Tree For Me? Tree For Me is a facilitated grant program geared towards non-profit organizations interested in engaging residents in their community in tree planting on private land. With these grants, organizations can plan, promote and host a Tree For Me event in their neighbourhood. Residents who have registered for a tree, attend their neighbourhood event and take part in a short tree planting and care workshop prior to receiving their free tree and mulch. Who leads the workshops? Volunteers do! TPTF hosts a train-the-trainer workshop where your lead organizer and volunteers learn the necessary information to host event-day workshops for participants. What are the workshops about and why are they mandatory? Residents interested in receiving a free tree can only do so after they have taken part in the planting and care workshop where they will learn how to properly plant and care for their tree. These workshops are approximately 15-20 minutes in length. We view the participation in these workshops as an investment of time instead of dollars. What is the timeline for planning an event? The planning process begins with your application. Your application will include your preliminary plan for your event including tree goals, number of required volunteers, event date and location, and your plans for promoting your event. Once your application is approved, TPTF works with you to finalize your plans so you can start recruiting volunteers and promoting your event. Applications should be submitted no later than 60 days prior to your proposed date. Registrations for events close 5 days prior to your event. What are the benefits of hosting a Tree For Me? Aside from the benefits that trees in our lives, hosting a Tree For Me event can be a tool to help your organization build capacity, grow your membership, and create awareness around your organization and what you do. Tree For Me events are also a great way to have fun with your neighbours while making a contribution to our urban environment. How much help will we receive from TPTF? TPTF is available every step of the way to answer any questions you might have. Tree For Me - 2017 About Tree For Me FAQs
Where do the trees come from? In 2016/17, all of our trees came from nurseries that specializes in growing native, seed zone specific, trees and shrubs. What happens if we have leftover trees? We ask that all applicants have a plan in place for handling leftover trees. TPTF will work with your organization to help you determine the most appropriate home for these trees. Do we have to commit to a minimum number of trees? Yes, we require groups to agree to a minimum of 50 trees. In spring 2017, all of our grant recipients met or exceeded their tree goals. Don t be surprised if your neighbourhood exceeds your expectations, but it s okay--we re here to help you! Can we choose our tree inventory and species selection? Yes. Grantees have the option to have all species available to participants or a select number. We can work with you to determine the appropriate inventory. Is the community group responsible for storing and caring for these trees leading up to our event? Yes and no. Trees will be delivered to your event location (or wherever you would like the trees delivered) a day or two prior to your event. Organizations are only responsible for storing and caring for trees once they are delivered. Are organizations responsible for managing registration? Yes. TPTF will set up the online registration portal for you. Once registration goes live, organizations are responsible for managing registrations and communicating with participants. Who can receive a free tree through Tree For Me? Any Toronto resident with room to plant a tree or with permission to plant a tree on private land can register for and receive a free tree to pick up at a Tree For Me event. What happens after our Tree For Me event? Grantees are responsible for completing an impact report with photos and results of your event. Grantees who receive more than $500, will be asked to submit a more in-depth report that will include a detailed budget breakdown. A template will be available for you to use. Grantees are also responsible for ongoing communication with participants after their event is over. This includes letting them know about tree care tips and other events you are planning. TPTF will contact participants only for data collection purposes (e.g., planting and survival rates) Tree For Me - 2017 About Tree For me FAQs
What information do you collect from participants? For long-term data collection purposes, we ask for participants first and last names, addresses (and addresses of tree planting locations, if different from home address), emails and phone numbers. This information is mandatory in exchange for the free tree. Why do you only offer native trees? Studies have shown that a healthy forest is comprised of native trees. The trees offered through Tree For Me are best suited to Toronto s urban environment, giving them the best chance for long-term growth. Do we have to host an event, or can we adjust the distribution method to suit our neighbourhood? Yes, we require groups to agree to a minimum of 50 trees. In spring 2017, all of our grant recipients met or exceeded their tree goals. Don t be surprised if your neighbourhood exceeds your expectations, but it s okay--we re here to help you! A large population of my community does not use computers, can they still participate? Yes! You can determine the best way to engage residents, whether it be a manual registration, hiring staff to assist with registrations, or registering them on the day of your event. Remember, additional funding is available to help you reach ALL members of your community. When are train-the-trainer events? Our train-the-trainer workshop can be completed online in early September. Once you have completed the workshop, a TPTF staff member will schedule individual meetings with lead organizers to answer specific questions and help with your planning. When can Tree For Me events take place? Tree For Me events happen during the spring and fall planting season. We suggest events happen between the middle of September and the middle of November as trees must be planted before the ground freezes. Previously most TFM grantees have held their events on weekends. Tree For Me - 2017 About Tree For Me FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions About the Grant Application What are Tree For Me grants designed to support? Grants are designed to help you engage your community in your Tree For Me events. TFM grants are not program funding grants. They are meant to help your organization expand its reach and engage residents. I m an individual interested in starting an organization and hosting Tree For Me, can I apply for the grant? You can partner with a non-profit agency with a charitable number that will be the lead applicant. Your proposal will need to have an event plan and a volunteer recruitment plan (see the application overview). Are organizations responsible for identifying planting locations? No, but you should have a good idea of the state of the tree canopy in your neighbourhood. This will help you determine if there will be interest in trees from residents and what type of promotion you will need to focus on. Does the grant application have to identify residents willing to take a tree? No, but you should have a basic idea of what participation in activities such as these has been like in the past to be able to estimate the likely response to your event. Can only residents of my neighbourhood participate in my neighbourhood Tree For Me? No, but you should have a basic idea of what participation in activities such as these has been like in the past to be able to estimate the likely response to your event. Who can apply for additional funding? Applicants who require extra financial support to support their capacity to get their event off the ground can apply for additional funding. What type of activities are eligible for additional funding? Activities that increase the cost of hosting Tree For Me are eligible. These can include translation/interpretation services, staff time (e.g., if you require staff to be available to assist with registrations), rental spaces, honorariums, etc. We ask applicants to provide a rationale and a proposed budget when applying for additional funding. Tree For Me - 2017 About The Grant Application FAQs
What is the decision-making process? Decisions for Tree For Me grants will be made as applications are submitted. Thus, we encourage groups to apply as early as possible to get a head start on their event planning. A follow-up phone call to learn more about your organization and capacity to host an event may be required before a decision can be made. What is considered Private Land? For the purposes of the Tree For Me grant, private land is defined as lands not owned or managed by the City of Toronto for public use, rather private lands are lands managed by individuals, institutions or corporations considered as residential, industrial, commercial or institutional land use. Can a school or youth group apply? YES! We love seeing youth get involved in Tree For Me. What other opportunities are there in addition to the grant? TPTF s Making Trees Count grants are aimed at organizations looking to fund an existing program or start a new one. TPTF also hosts occasional learning opportunities. We also act as a funding partner for organizations looking to fundraise for park improvements. How can I find out what the tree canopy in my neighbourhood is? Determining the estimated tree canopy in your neighbourhood can be done with this map. Tree For Me - 2017 About the Grant Application FAQs