The Chesapeake Bay Trust is seeking qualified researchers to evaluate the survival of trees planted in urban settings under two different maintenance regimes: maintenance through 2 years post-planting and maintenance through 5 years post-planting.

The Urban Trees Grant Program was called for by the Maryland General Assembly as a component of a 5,000,000-tree goal by 2031. The goal of the Urban Trees Grant Program is to green communities; enhance quality of life, human health, and community livability by improving air quality, and reducing urban heat island effect; and mitigate some of the effects of climate change by planting 500,000 trees in urban, underserved areas. Any urban tree planting or restoration program aims to result in healthy trees surviving through maturity; however, there is no consensus in the literature about how much maintenance is needed to maximize survival rates of urban trees at a cost-effective rate. This research will provide critical information about how much maintenance is adequate to achieve long-term outcomes for the Urban Trees component of the Five Million Trees for Maryland initiative.

RFP Details:

  • Maximum Bid: $100,000
  • Applications Deadline: January 23, 2026, by 4:00 PM ET

View the full RFP and apply here: https://cbtrust.org/grants/bidder-opportunities/

For questions and technical assistance: Contact Lianna Gomori-Ruben, Senior Program Officer, at lgomori-ruben@cbtrust.org or (410) 974-2941×112