Inflation reduction act urban and community forestry expansion

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service awarded a $526,500 Project Grant to the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education Corp under the Inflation Reduction Act Urban & Community Forestry Program (CFDA 10.727). This five-year grant, awarded on April 16, 2024, supports projects that advance environmental justice through urban and community forestry initiatives in underserved Kentucky communities. Key activities include planning, establishing, and managing trees and green spaces to provide ecosystem services, social benefits, and economic advantages to these areas. Additionally, in April 2023, the organization received a $100,000 EPA Region 4 grant to increase environmental awareness in the Southeast, which involves creating a landscape analysis tool, conducting teacher focus groups, and hosting listening sessions, as well as providing subawards to environmental education organizations in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and North Carolina to address gaps in climate literacy efforts in schools.