One month left to apply for one of 20 matching grants of up to $15,000

TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2011 /CNW/ - Communities looking for some green to support their urban forestry projects have one month left to apply for a matching grant of up to $15,000 through TD Green Streets.

The grants, awarded through a partnership between TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) and Tree Canada, are available to Municipalities, Aboriginal communities and Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto-based Business Improvement Associations (BIAs). Applications must be submitted before December 9, 2011. Applicants are encouraged to visit www.tdgreenstreets.ca for details.

"We're honoured to support innovative practices from communities across Canada to plant and maintain trees through the TD Green Streets program, and we're excited to see the initiatives that our entrants are planning in the coming year," says Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. "We encourage municipalities, Aboriginal communities and BIAs planning urban forestry projects to apply."

With up to 20 grants available for tree planting, inventory, maintenance and educational activities, communities can receive the crucial funding necessary to support urban forestry projects that will help revitalize their main streets.

"We are so proud to deliver Canada's urban forest program success story with the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation," says Michael Rosen, President, Tree Canada. "It's great to see communities committed to the benefits of cleaner air, wildlife habitat and infrastructure gains such as less heat islands and better stormwater management through the planting and maintaining of urban trees in their neighbourhoods, "

"We were delighted to receive a matching grant from TD Green Streets to support our promotion of the Schools Plant Legacy in Trees (SPLIT) program throughout Saskatoon city schools," says Donald J. Atchison, Mayor, City of Saskatoon, SK. "The program is an urban forestry project offering young people an opportunity to learn about Saskatchewan's forests, fostering responsibility, stewardship, and an awareness of planting and caring for trees. Thanks to TD Green Streets we can ensure the future of this valuable program for our city's students."

TD Green Streets: Impact on Canadian Communities
Since the launch of Green Streets in 1994, more than 458 Canadian municipalities have received grants to plant and maintain trees through the program. From revitalizing downtown parks to greening industrial spaces, there are many innovative ways that Canadian municipalities have benefitted from funding received through the program. Last year, 23 communities and associations from coast-to-coast received grants through the TD Green Streets program.

TD Green Streets: How It Works

• Based on the community size and need, grants of up to $15,000 are awarded with a maximum of 50 per cent of the grant allocated towards the cost of tree planting. The remainder can be used for inventory, maintenance and educational activities.
• All submissions are reviewed by a panel of judges comprised of representatives from Tree Canada, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and urban forest practitioners.
• Winners are selected based on innovation, community involvement and technical expertise.

Recipients of a 2012 TD Green Streets matching grant will be announced in early 2012. For more information or to apply for TD Green Streets funding visit www.tdgreenstreets.ca

About Tree Canada:
Tree Canada is a not-for-profit charitable organization established to encourage Canadians to plant and care for trees in urban and rural environments. A winner of the Canadian Environmental Award (2007), Tree Canada engages Canadian companies, government agencies and individuals to support the planting of trees, the greening of schoolyards, and other efforts to sensitize Canadians to the benefits of planting and maintaining trees. To date, more than 77 million trees have been planted, more than 450 schoolyards have been greened, and Tree Canada has organized nine national urban forest conferences. More information about Tree Canada is available at www.treecanada.ca.

About TD Friends of the Environment Foundation:
Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $55 million in funding to more than 20,000 grassroots environment and wildlife projects across Canada. In 2010, TD FEF provided more than $3.5 million in support of 970 projects. Thousands of donors give to TD FEF on a monthly basis and TD Bank Group contributes in excess of $1 million annually. TD also covers the management costs of running TD FEF, which guarantees 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to funding environment and wildlife projects in the community where the donation was made. For more information on how to donate and get involved in your community, visit www.tdfef.com.