Federal grant competitions tend to reward organizations with a proven record. When the Pittsburgh Canopy Alliance secured an $8 million U.S. Forest Service grant through the Inflation Reduction Act, years of steady Colcom Foundation investment in Tree Pittsburgh helped build that record. The City of Pittsburgh received an additional $1 million.
Spending Rules and Priorities
The federal money comes with a deadline. All of it must be spent within five years. Eligible uses include tree planting, maintenance, education, and workforce development, with the work focused on neighborhoods facing high pollution and economic distress.
How did a local nonprofit position itself for an award this size? Part of the answer lies in operating support. Colcom Foundation first backed Tree Pittsburgh in 2007, then began providing annual general operating support in 2012. Unlike project grants, that funding covers the core costs of running an organization, which gave Tree Pittsburgh room to expand, build capacity, and take on new regional leadership roles.
Building a Coalition
That capacity showed in 2020, when Tree Pittsburgh led the creation of the Pittsburgh Canopy Alliance. Twenty environmental organizations joined, including Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, and Allegheny Land Trust. The Alliance set a clear target: no net loss in county-wide tree coverage.
That goal responds to hard numbers. Allegheny County lost 10,148 acres of canopy between 2010 and 2015 to the emerald ash borer, oak wilt, and development. The county still loses about 2% of its remaining canopy every five years.
Tree Pittsburgh’s Heritage Nursery, also sustained by Colcom Foundation funding, produces thousands of native trees and shrubs annually for planting across the county. A reliable local supply of native trees supports the coalition’s planting goals.
The episode shows how private foundation support can multiply. A regional funder’s long commitment helped open the door to millions in federal dollars aimed at the neighborhoods that most need trees. Refer to this article to learn more.
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