Identify and fund programs that support the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in arboriculture and urban forestry.
Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund concentrates on research that expands knowledge in arboriculture and urban forestry, with a clear emphasis on evidence generation and knowledge transfer. Its active grant programs show that this work is not limited to laboratory or field studies: the fund also backs communication of tree value, technology transfer, student support, and specialized inquiry into trees, soils, roots, and nursery practices. The largest recent grants point to a sustained research portfolio. Pennsylvania State University received $158,109 in 2023 and $157,223 in 2025, while West Virginia University Foundation received $50,000 in 2025 and $49,572 in 2023. Those repeat awards suggest ongoing project-based support rather than isolated one-off gifts. The fund also supports applied scholarship and technical education through programs such as the John Z. Duling Grant Program, the Jack Kimmel International Grant Program, and several named scholarship tracks for students entering arboriculture, urban forestry, horticulture, nursery management, and utility forestry. Across its programs, the foundation links academic research with professional practice in tree care and urban forestry.
Arboriculture research sits at the center of the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $30,000 in 2025 to Tulane University for support research and $25,000 in 2025 to The Davey Institute for support research, showing a mix of academic and applied research partners. Urban forestry also appears as a recurring subject area. The foundation awarded $30,000 in 2025 to the University of Virginia School of Architecture, again for support research, and its stated focus includes urban forestry and community education and outreach. The funder supports tree-soil and nursery-related inquiry as well. Colorado State University received $24,977 in 2025 for support research, which aligns with its Tree and Soil Research Fund and Barborinas Family Fund Grant Program. It also finances technology transfer and communication work through programs aimed at helping arborists and urban foresters explain the value of trees to developers, planners, and policymakers.
Typical grant sizes cluster around a median of $30,000, with the 25th percentile at $23,975 and the 75th percentile at $68,327. That spread matches a portfolio that includes both mid-sized research awards and smaller program grants. The recent record shows repeat support to the same institutions across 2023 and 2025, including Pennsylvania State University and West Virginia University, which points to multi-year project funding. The foundation is a public charity, gives on a national basis, and accepts unsolicited applications across several active programs. It does not fund individuals directly as a general matter, although it does run scholarship programs within its broader arboriculture and urban forestry mission.
$327K
$6.3M
$687K
$875K
Most grants fall between $24K and $68K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$24K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$68K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in PA.
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Grant dollars land entirely with U.S. recipients in the recent sample, and the top state by grant count is New York. Recent awards also reached Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Louisiana, Iowa, Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts, Colorado, Texas, and Georgia. City-level recipients include State College, Morgantown, New Orleans, Des Moines, Charlottesville, Kent, Amherst, Fort Collins, Stephenville, Ithaca, and Athens. The pattern is national rather than locally concentrated in Illinois, with 0% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state.
The fund supports arboriculture research, urban forestry, tree health and pests and disease, nursery and transplanting practices, soil and tree root research, community education and outreach, scholarships, and workforce safety in arborist techniques. Its summary emphasizes discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in arboriculture and urban forestry.
Yes. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including the Bob Skiera Memorial Fund Building Bridges Initiative and John P. White Grant Program, the Tree and Soil Research Fund Grant Program, the John Z. Duling Grant Program, the Jack Kimmel International Grant Program, and the Barborinas Family Fund Grant Program.
Typical grants are centered around a median of $30,000, with the 25th percentile at $23,975 and the 75th percentile at $68,327. Individual programs range lower, including $5,000 to $10,000 for the Tree and Soil Research Fund and $5,000 scholarships.
The funder supports individual researchers, research teams or labs, and research institutions such as universities and institutes. Its scholarship programs also support college students, high school seniors, and returning college students pursuing arboriculture, urban forestry, horticulture, nursery management, or related fields.
Its recent grants are national, with all documented recipients in the United States. By count, New York is the top state, while recent awards also reached Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Louisiana, Iowa, Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts, Colorado, Texas, and Georgia.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to projects proposing innovative research and technology transfer.
Deadline: LOIs accepted August 1 to September 1, 2026; for approved LOIs only, applications accepted September 15 to October 15, 2026.
Who can apply: Applicants must propose original research that improves safety for tree care workers and the public.
Deadline: LOIs accepted August 1 to September 1, 2026; for approved LOIs only, applications accepted September 15 to October 15, 2026.
Who can apply: Applicants must propose projects that communicate the value of trees and urban forests through outreach to relevant stakeholders.
Deadline: LOIs accepted August 1 to September 1, 2026; for approved LOIs only, applications accepted September 15 to October 15, 2026.
Who can apply: Applicants must work primarily outside of the United States.
Deadline: LOIs accepted August 1 to September 1, 2026; for approved LOIs only, applications accepted September 15 to October 15, 2026.
Who can apply: Open to applicants pursuing research that directly affects the work of industry professionals.
Deadline: LOIs accepted August 1 to September 1, 2026; for approved LOIs only, applications accepted September 15 to October 15, 2026.
Who can apply: Open to research projects in Integrated Vegetation Management in the United States and Canada.
Deadline: LOIs accepted August 1 to September 1, 2026; for approved LOIs only, applications accepted September 15 to October 15, 2026.
Who can apply: Start-up or seed funding for innovative research and technology transfer projects.
Deadline: LOIs accepted August 1 to September 15, 2026; approved full applications accepted August 1 to October 1, 2026.
Who can apply: Applicants must propose work that is important and beneficial to utility tree care professionals.
Deadline: LOIs accepted January 1 to February 1, 2027; for approved LOIs only, applications accepted February 15 to March 15, 2027.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | STATE COLLEGE, PA | $157,223 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | MORGANTOWN, WV | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $30,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| TULANE UNIVERSITY | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $30,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| THE DAVEY INSTITUTE | KENT, OH | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY | FORT COLLINS, CO | $24,977 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION | ATHENS, GA | $9,514 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $49,940 | 2024 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $29,040 | 2024 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | STATE COLLEGE, PA | $25,322 | 2024 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| THE DAVEY INSTITUTE | KENT, OH | $14,888 | 2024 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | STATE COLLEGE, PA | $158,109 | 2023 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | STATE COLLEGE, PA | $87,082 | 2023 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $49,572 | 2023 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| CN UTILITY CONSULTING (CNUC) | DES MOINES, IA | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | AMHERST, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY | STEPHENVILLE, TX | $22,950 | 2023 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT RESEARCH |
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$157,223SUPPORT RESEARCH
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$50,000SUPPORT RESEARCH
THE DAVEY INSTITUTE
$25,000SUPPORT RESEARCH
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
$24,977SUPPORT RESEARCH
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$49,940SUPPORT RESEARCH
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$25,322SUPPORT RESEARCH
THE DAVEY INSTITUTE
$14,888SUPPORT RESEARCH
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$158,109SUPPORT RESEARCH
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$87,082SUPPORT RESEARCH
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$49,572SUPPORT RESEARCH
CN UTILITY CONSULTING (CNUC)
$30,000SUPPORT RESEARCH
TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY
$22,950SUPPORT RESEARCH
