Neighborhood Tree Act of 2026

Neighborhood tree grants for communities

This bill would create a Neighborhood Tree Fund to pay for planting and caring for community trees. The fund would be run by the Agriculture Secretary in consultation with HUD. It would let States, Indian Tribes, local governments, approved organizations, and local community tree volunteer groups get grants. It would authorize at least $100 million in FY2027; $200 million in FY2028; $400 million in FY2029; $600 million in FY2030; and $700 million in FY2031 to be deposited into the Fund. The bill would limit spending so no more than 10 percent of each year's money would be used for community tree assessments, and it would require grant rules on engagement, canopy assessment, climate science, site preparation, species selection, and long-term maintenance. The Secretary would prioritize projects in high-poverty census tracts (20% or more poverty by 2014–2018 ACS), low-canopy high-heat neighborhoods, climate resilience and public health projects, and community-led urban agroforestry or tree-based food projects.