OEEF Grant Application - Ohio EPAepa.ohio.gov/Portals/42/documents/F18G/F18G-013...in tree biology & care providing tree-focused community service. Major Activities: We propose to

OEEF Grant Application

Application Type: GeneralGrant Application #: F-18G-013Revision from previous application:

Previous grant received: F-15G-059

Organization InformationName: Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Web Address: wrlandconservancy.orgAddress: 3850 Chagrin River Road, Moreland Hills, OH 44022County: Cuyahoga

Project InformationProject Title: Cleveland Neighborhood Tree Steward Program

Educational Priority: Other Environmental Education Projects Requested Grant Amount: $46,374.00Target Audience: Pre-school to University - Secondary, General Public - Primary, Regulated Community - Secondary

Project Description:Building on the success of a previous grant, Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens proposes to bringthe Neighborhood Tree Steward program to new audiences in the city of Cleveland and build on partnerships with local schools toenhance the educational component of the program. In the next phase, the program will continue to educate and engage localresidents in an ever-growing corps of Tree Stewards in four new Cleveland neighborhoods. By participating in the Tree Stewardprogram, community members will learn about the importance & benefits of trees, share input on tree planting sites within theirneighborhoods, participate in tree planting projects and learn how to provide ongoing tree care. In addition, local schools willparticipate in educational workshops and tree planting projects at schools or at sites near schools.

Anticipated List of Collaborators:Western Reserve Land Conservancy & Holden Forests and Gardens are the lead partners on this program. Our organizations havebeen working closely together for over three years to advance urban forestry initiatives and the goals of the Cleveland Tree Plan innortheast Ohio. Additional collaborators include the City of Cleveland Office of Sustainability, Ohio Department of Natural Resources,neighborhood-based organizations including Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation, North Collinwood neighborhood associations,St. Clair Superior Development Corporation and Khnemu Center/Famicos Foundation (Glenville). In addition, the project team willwork with Breakthrough Schools in target neighborhoods to incorporate middle school educational curriculum components into theproject. Local students will also be recruited to assist with plantings.

Additional InformationHave you ever attended an OEEF grant-writing workshop? No Proposed Start Date: 01/01/2018

Will this project have statewide impact? No Proposed Completion Date: 06/30/2019Which Ohio counties will the activities take place in? Cuyahoga

Audience Category

Formal Education: Primary: 5

Non-formal Education - Visitors to: Museums and Arboretums

General Public Education: Adults Generally, Senior Citizens, Parents, Property Owners,Neighborhood/Community/Organizations

Governmental Entities: Elected Officials

Regulated Community: Nonprofit Organizations

Project Issues

Air Issues: Outdoor Air

Water Issues: Surface Water/Watersheds, Ground Water, Non-point Source Pollution

Land Issues: Habitat Preservation, Wetlands, Land Laboratories/Outdoor Classrooms

Other Issues: Environmental Health, Environmental Justice, Sustainability, Energy Efficiency and Conservation

Executive SummaryAudience Need:Residents of the City of Cleveland are negatively impacted by the low 19% tree canopy in the city. Low tree canopy leads to anincreased prevalence of asthma/allergies, heat stress/heat-related illness, chronic diseases, low birth weight, substance abuse, mentaldistress, and obesity. The Cleveland Tree Plan aims to reforest low canopy neighborhoods in the city of Cleveland by planting treesand maintaining existing trees. The Cleveland Tree Plan calls for resident outreach & education at the neighborhood level. To supportthis plan and reforest the city, residents are needed to assist with tree plantings, care and maintenance. The Neighborhood TreeSteward program will educate and engage residents in four new target neighborhoods (largely minority, low income and low-canopyneighborhoods) on the benefits of trees and tree stewardship activities to collectively have a positive impact on human health and theenvironment and increase climate resiliency in target neighborhoods.

Key Personnel:The mission of Western Reserve Land Conservancy is to provide the people of our region with essential natural assets through landconservation and restoration. The vision of the Land Conservancy is to create thriving, prosperous communities nourished by vibrantnatural lands, working farms and healthy cities. The mission of Holden Forests and Gardens is to advance and inspire a deeperunderstanding of plants to enhance life. The vision of Holden is one of vibrant green communities and diverse native forests of theGreat Lakes region will flourish and sustain life. Both organizations have made a commitment to advance urban forestry goals inCleveland & have successfully launched the initial phase of the Neighborhood Tree Steward Program over the past 18 months. Theprogram trained 250 residents as Tree Stewards, held 4 community outreach events and held an Introduction to Urban Forestry event.Both organizations also have extensive experience administering state & federal grants.

Overall Project Objectives:The primary objective the Tree Steward Program is to provide outreach and education to residents about the Cleveland Tree Plan andthe benefits of trees and reforestation. The goal is to teach this audience about the importance of trees, reforestation efforts takingplace in their neighborhoods and further engage them through hands-on learning and demonstrations of tree care techniques. Eventswill help participants change their behavior by establishing tree stewardship habits by demonstrating how to engage in tree care. Wewill also host trainings to grow our corps of Tree Steward volunteers and involve them in tree planting/maintenance projects and inorganizing neighbors for future tree care events. Fifth grade students at local schools will also learn about trees and their care andmaintenance. Neighborhood organizations will assist with marketing and recruitment. The project goal is trained volunteers, proficientin tree biology & care providing tree-focused community service.

Major Activities:We propose to 1) Conduct Tree Steward Trainings in 4 Cleveland Neighborhoods 2) Conduct tree plantings in each of theseneighborhoods 3) Engage local schools within each neighborhood in plantings and conduct an educational workshop in advance ofthe planting. The goal of the Tree Steward program is to: 1) Educate residents of the City of Cleveland about the benefits of trees &how they will impact their environment; 2) Actively engage them in the Cleveland Tree Plan and reforestation efforts currentlyunderway in the City 3) Continue ongoing Tree Steward engagement with ongoing reforestation opportunities 4) Educate students onthe benefits of trees and basic tree care. We expect to reach at least 200 residents through the Community Outreach events, train atleast 100 Tree Steward volunteers and have 200 students participate in educational workshops. We propose to complete this grantover an 18-month period.

Overall Cost:The OEFF Grant Amount request is $46,374 which comprises 63% of the overall grant budget. We have identified and committed$14,195 of Applicant Match, which comprises 36% of the overall grant budget. 33% of the budget is committed to salaries & 0% iscommitted to benefits for a total of 33% of the overall grant budget (below the 35% maximum). The majority of the grant request willcover supplies (51%) & equipment (14%) which is critical to successful implementation of these events. We recognize that in order toprovide a meaningful learning experience for the broad target audience we intend to educate (keeping in mind factors such as age,income, race, educational attainment) requires providing diverse activities & ways to deliver the message that will address variouslearning styles. These budget items are essential to deliver our educational message & leave a lasting positive environmental impactin the neighborhoods (newly planted & well maintained trees).

Project DescriptionAudience Need:Residents of the City of Cleveland are negatively impacted by the low 19% tree canopy in the city. Low tree canopy leads to anincreased prevalence of asthma/allergies, heat stress/heat-related illness, chronic diseases, low birth weight, substance abuse, mentaldistress, and obesity for neighborhood residents. As members of the Cleveland Tree Coalition, both Western Reserve LandConservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens are charged with implementing the Cleveland Tree Plan. The goal of the ClevelandTree Plan is to reforest the City of Cleveland by planting trees and maintaining existing trees. Recently the Coalition announced thegoal to grow the City's canopy from 19 to 30 percent by 2040. The long-term goal is to reach 40 percent canopy. In the ClevelandTree Plan, plan action step #2 is to develop an outreach and education strategy focused on urban forestry & tree care. Through thesuccessful implementation of the first Neighborhood Tree Steward Program, funded by the OEEF, the team saw first hand the interestfrom residents in learning more about urban forestry & participating in volunteer led/community based reforestation projects and treecare activities. 250 residents were trained as Tree Stewards and hundreds more participated in events and tree plantings. Numeroustree stewards attended tree plantings in other neighborhoods demonstrating their commitment to the goal of reforestation. Renewingfunding for our Neighborhood Tree Steward program will engage new audiences in four Cleveland neighborhoods in learning how toplant and care for newly planted trees in their neighborhood. Upon completion of the first cohort of the project, we received positivefeedback on evaluation forms from residents, organizations & CDC's to date. The program is designed to teach residents theimportance & benefits of the urban forest and to give them the tools and the desire to maintain and improve it. Communities thatunderstand the benefits of trees are more likely to plant, maintain, & enhance community spaces. Increasing public knowledge is animportant component of the program, but we wish to build on this by increasing the number of dedicated Tree Steward volunteers infour additional neighborhoods who will also take a more active role in caring for newly planted trees and ensuring the success ofreforestation efforts. With the help of Tree Steward volunteers and engaged residents, our goal is to see a >90% long-term successrate for trees planted by the City of Cleveland. The Neighborhood Tree Steward program has proven to serve as a successful modelfor engaging largely minority & low-income residents in tree stewardship activities. A second round of funding will also provideeducational workshops for students that will inspire interest for future industry practitioners and more environmentally conscienceresidents. This program is a model for the region and the state as is demonstrated by the fact that a similar program in Columbus wasfunded this year. This program advances the missions and visions of the Land Conservancy & Holden Forests and Gardens andprovides an opportunity to engage a larger, broader audience on the importance of trees in creating healthy, sustainable communities.Raising awareness of trees and their maintenance compliments ongoing sustainability programs and projects and provides citizenswith tools to take action.

Qualification:The mission of Western Reserve Land Conservancy is to provide the people of our region with essential natural assets through landconservation and restoration. Our vision is to create thriving, prosperous communities nourished by vibrant natural lands, workingfarms and healthy cities. The mission of Holden Forests and Gardens is to advance and inspire a deeper understanding of plants toenhance life. Their vision is vibrant green communities and diverse native forests of the Great Lakes region will flourish and sustainlife. Holden's expertise in technical aspects of arboriculture & urban forestry along with educational programming provides a centralframework for continuing implementation of the Neighborhood Tree Steward Program. The program is further strengthened throughthe Land Conservancy's existing neighborhood & community development focused work & relationships, allowing a natural dialoguebetween tree stewards, their neighbors, the community at large, and urban & community forestry practitioners from both organizations.Expertise within the organizations is significant. All program staff have considerable education and experience to inform their workpractice with the target audience. The Land Conservancy's Urban Forester, Colby Sattler, has as a Bachelor of Science in NaturalResources Ecology & Conservation Biology from the University of Idaho. He is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) CertifiedArborist. His professional experience includes managing vacant land reuse greening projects, facilitating volunteer tree plantingprojects & educating residents on the benefits of trees. The Arboretum's Community Forester, Chad Clink, has experience inassessing, planning, and improving urban and community forests across the US. His professional experience includes consulting onurban forest inventories and studies to maximize community tree benefits and educate both public & practitioners regarding bestmanagement practices. Clink holds an Associate and Bachelor's degree in Horticulture with a focus on Urban Forestry from The KentState University, as well as, a Master's degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Idaho with focus onRestoration Ecology and Sustainability. He is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist & Municipal Specialist, tree risk assessmentqualified, & a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists organization. Sharon Graper has been the Director ofAcademics at Holden for 25 years overseeing all youth and school programs. She has a degree in Ecology from the University ofVirginia, a B.S. in Education from Oregon State University and an M.Ed. in Elementary Science Curriculum and Design from TheUniversity of Delaware. The combined experience, education, and qualifications of Mr. Sattler, Mr. Clink and Ms. Graper, strengthenthe program because of significant industry knowledge and success working with community forestry members across all ages anddemographics.

Continuation and Replication Plan:The Neighborhood Tree Steward program was a very successful program funded by OEEF in 2015. Through the initial program, 250residents of the city of Cleveland were trained in tree stewardship and care. Additional funding will provide an opportunity to reach outto residents in four more Cleveland neighborhoods. The ongoing goals of the program are to 1) To educate residents about theenvironmental benefits of trees; 2)To actively engage them in the Cleveland Tree Plan and reforestation efforts currently underway inthe City to help ensure their long-term success; & 3) To continue development of a next phase of this model program that is expandingthroughout Ohio. The 3 primary objectives of the program are: 1) To provide 4 Community Outreach events where adults and studentscan learn about the importance of trees and basic tree maintenance, and provide input on where tree planting should occur in theirneighborhood 2) To establish a corps of Neighborhood Tree Steward volunteers who have undergone 12 hours of training in treestewardship (6 hrs. classroom & 6 hrs. field) 3) Provide educational workshops for students in local schools. The program is designedto teach residents about trees, the importance and benefits of the urban forest and to give them the tools and the desire to maintainand improve it. Communities that understand the benefits of trees are more likely to plant, maintain, and enhance community spaces.Increasing public knowledge is an important component of the program, but we will continue to build on this by engaging andeducating more dedicated Tree Steward volunteers in additional neighborhoods who will take a more active role in caring for newlyplanted trees and ensuring the success of reforestation efforts. With the help of Tree Steward volunteers and engaged residents, westill expect see a long-term success rate for trees planted by the City of Cleveland. In this next phase, the Land Conservancy andHolden will continue to spread the program throughout the City, and enlist already trained Tree Stewards to help reach new potentialvolunteers in other neighborhoods. The first phase of the Tree Steward program is already serving as a model for establishing similarprograms in other cities around northern Ohio. Although headquartered in Cleveland, the Land Conservancy is in a unique position tohelp establish Tree Steward programs in other northern Ohio cities because its service area encompasses highly urbanized cities suchas Lorain, Elyria, Akron, Canton, Youngstown and Warren. The Land Conservancy has relationships with the local governments &non-profit organizations in many of these communities. While there are other national models of similar programs, there is not anexisting model in the state of Ohio & we are optimistic this program can be replicated, with additional fundraising and auditing, in othercommunities to have a lasting impact.

Budget Narrative:The overall OEEF grant amount request is $46,374 which comprises 63% of the overall grant budget. We have identified andcommitted $14,195 of Applicant Match, which comprises 36% of the overall grant budget. The sources of match are in staff salary andbenefits, existing equipment, and neighborhood organization staff time. SALARY: 33% of the budget is committed to salaries & 0% iscommitted to benefits for a total of 33% of the overall grant budget (below the 35% maximum). The key personnel are LandConservancy and Holden urban foresters. We estimate 400 total hours each to plan and execute tree steward trainings and treeplantings in 4 neighborhoods. Over the course of the 18month grant period, we estimate 100 hours per neighborhood for each of theurban foresters which includes updating curriculum, meeting with neighborhood organizations to plan events and tree stewardtrainings, identifying locations for trainings and tree planting community engagement events. In addition, the Land Conservancy'sManager of Special Events and Volunteers will spend 20 hours per neighborhood on coordinating the logistics of the events andvolunteers leading up to the trainings and events. The Land Conservancy's Executive Assistant will provide administrative support tothe Tree Steward Trainings in assembling binders and tracking registrants. The Director of Communications and Marketing willprovide match services to promote and market all events and trainings through printed and electronic communications. The Managerof Academic Services will spend 25 hours at four schools each implementing the educational workshops. BENEFITS: All benefitscalculated as 30% of hourly rate were committed as match. SUPPLIES: 51% of the grant will cover supplies, the majority of which istrees and materials to ensure the successful planting of the trees EQUIPMENT: 14% will cover equipment including rental ofequipment to dig holes which critical to successful implementation large tree community planting events. In an urban environment,much of the soil is very difficult to work with. The events run much more smoothly if the holes are pre-dug. We do still haveequipment from our first OEEF grant (shovels, rakes and brooms) that we will use to implement this grant. We are in need of soilknives and hand pruners. We also need 2 ball carts and wheel barrows for planting events. PRINTING: We will need to print TreeSteward binders and educational materials to distribute at events. CONTRACTUAL: These matching staff time costs cover thecontributions of the staff of the neighborhood organizations that are partners in the project. IWe recognize that in order to provide ameaningful learning experience for the broad target audience we intend to educate (keeping in mind factors such as age, income,race, educational attainment) requires providing diverse activities & ways to deliver the message that will address various learningstyles. These budget items are essential to deliver our educational message & leave a lasting positive environmental impact in theneighborhoods (newly planted & well maintained trees).

Project Objectives and Associated Activities & Outcome MeasurementsObjective Title: Educate and engage residents and students reforestation

Objective Description:We will host family-friendly Community Outreach Events where adults & students can learn about the Cleveland Tree Plan, theimportance of trees, benefits of trees & basic tree maintenance including safety, proper planting & establishment of trees. The goal isto raise public awareness around the benefits of trees and how to take responsible action to maintain the exiting urban forest &increase the tree canopy for our community. The activities covered under this grant proposal will be focused on four neighborhoods inthe City of Cleveland that have been identified as having a low tree canopy: Glenville, Bellaire Puritas, North Collinwood and St. ClairSuperior. These neighborhoods are located within the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern as defined by the Ohio EPA and are"stormwater green infrastructure priority areas" targeted for combined sewer overflow mitigation as defined by the Northeast OhioRegional Sewer District . Existing partnerships provide an excellent opportunity to engage residents in tree planting activities over thenext 18 months, and makes it critical to involve them in tree care to ensure the long-term success of tree planting efforts.

Activity Title: Community Outreach Events

Start Date: 01/01/2018 End Date: 06/30/2019 % of Budget: 35.0%

Activity Description:Throughout the course of developing each of the 4 proposed Community Outreach Events and updating the educationalmaterialsfor the Neighborhood Tree Stewards, we will refer to "OEFF's preferred characteristics for Adult Learners" to tailor theevents to a wide variety of audiences with the goal of providing a meaningful learning experience and emphasizing theapplicableprogram priorities including 1) information on the ways that trees can contribute to air quality and improve overall health ; 2) thestormwater benefits that trees can provide and how that relates to Cleveland's current Consent Decree with EPA; and 3) Howtrees serve to restore habitat & create biodiversity in communities. We will partner with a variety of organizations in order tomake these 4 Community Outreach Events are a success and engage at least 200 residents total . The outcome of theseCommunity Outreach Events will be educated residents who help maintain trees planted in their tree lawns or on nearby vacantlots, and who feel engaged because they helped plan the locations of future tree planting activities. We will take the followingsteps to prepare for each of the events.a. Initial meeting with all neighborhood partners and go over the timeline, budget, outputs and outcomes of the program. Planthe agenda & format of the Community Outreach Events. Incorporate Tree Steward Training in advance of the event andencourage resident attendance.b. Schedule and find a location for a site that can provide a meeting space for the Community Outreach Events and a site forplanting treesc. Create a planting plan for the tree-planting event sited. Create a marketing strategy including an advertising brochure to hand out & create a digital version that can be distributed viae-mail to partners' listservs and posted on their websites.e. Implement the Community Outreach Event recruitment plan.f. Determine best handouts for events including producing a brochure on tree planting initiatives in Cleveland and the benefits toair and water.g. Plan public input exercise to solicit participants' ideas about the best locations for tree planting in their neighborhoods.h. Hold the Community Outreach Events. Participants will be asked to asked to share their contact information so that we caninvite them to Tree Steward sessions.

Outcome Title: Educate and engage residents in reforsetation

Initial Outcome:We will host family-friendly Tree Planting and Community Outreach Events in 4 Cleveland neighborhoods where adults &students can learn about the problem of a depleted tree canopy in the city of Cleveland and the importance of trees &basic tree care. The target outputs are to have at least 200 residents and students participate in tree planting and receivebasic educational materials on the importance of trees and basic tree care. At these events, participants will be informedabout The Cleveland Tree Plan and reforestation efforts taking place in their neighborhoods & how to care for treesplanted in their neighborhoods. We will work to create unique events on a variety of topics such as tree ID walks & postplanting & pruning workshops. Participants will learn about the Cleveland Tree Plan and the Cleveland Tree Coalition andhow to get involved in reforestation in the city of Cleveland.

Long-Term Effects:Each event will include a tree planting component to help further engage participants through hands-on learning anddemonstrations of tree care techniques and will help participants change their behavior by establishing tree stewardshiphabits. This involves helping them identify cues for engaging in tree care activities, demonstrating easy routines that theycan engage in to care for trees, & and focusing on the rewards that they will experience personally. While the contentprovided will be aimed at adults and adolescents, young children will be educated about the importance of trees throughseparate hands-on activities. With adult supervision, children and students can also assist with tree planting & tree care,such as digging, spreading mulch and watering planted trees. These skills will carry over into other neighborhood basedprojects as well as the ability to appreciate & properly attend to the trees in their own yards.

Activity Title: Educate and engage students in reforestation activities


Activity Description:Holden Forests and Gardens will conduct a two part educational classroom program at schools in each target neighborhood inadvance of tree plantings. These workshops will meet state science standards for 5th grade students and will be based on statescience curriculum topics including ecosystems, energy transfer, photosynthesis and the water cycle. Holden staff will usehands on inquiry activities based on Project Learning Tree and iTree. These classroom programs will be designed to engage thestudents in being active participants in the tree planting activities. Once they understand the importance of trees to their schooland their community they will become active learners and will play a crucial role in caring for the tree and ultimately have angreat effect on the trees long term success.

Outcome Title: Educate and engage students in reforsetation

Initial Outcome:Initial success will be measured by achievement of conducting 2 part educational workshops for 5th graders at 4 schools.These workshops will introduce educational topics related to trees and engage them in the tree planting and tree careprocess. Once they understand the importance of trees to their school and their community they will become activelearners and will play a crucial role in caring for the tree and ultimately have an great effect on the trees long termsuccess. In a pilot program conducted by Holden in 2016, feedback from teachers of students related that students weremuch more interested in the environment and placed a higher value on the trees in their school yard than they did beforethe program.

Long-Term Effects:In the long-term, students who participate in workshops will begin to internalize the benefits and values of trees andimportance of their care and maintenance. Studies have shown that this type of workshop will result in a significantincrease in awareness among students. Participants will become more likely to spend their own free time helping to fixproblems in nature. The students will show an engaged sense of responsibility, creating a connection to trees and theenvironment. Long-term students will understand the the importance of trees to humans and will be aware that treescontribute to the well being of humans and humans can greatly affect the well being of trees.

Objective Title: Build Neighborhood Tree Steward Volunteer Corps

Objective Description:We will continue to expand our city-wide corps of Neighborhood Tree Steward volunteers. New volunteers will attend 12 hours oftraining in tree stewardship (6 hrs. classroom & 6 hrs. field). These volunteers will become directly involved in tree planting & treemaintenance projects & in organizing neighbors for future tree care events. We plan to host 4, 12-hour training sessions in partnershipwith local community organizations. The primary outcome will be 100 additional trained Tree Steward volunteers (est. 16/session).Tree Steward volunteers who have become proficient in tree biology and tree care & for these volunteers to provide 4 hours (total of400 hours) of additional tree-focused community service. Tree Steward Volunteer training will build on the Community Outreachevents & use those events as a recruiting tool. The training sessions will be taught by arborists from Holden & WRLC. The course willcover topics including tree biology and health, urban forestry practices, proper planting, pruning, and maintenance, and how TreeStewards can act as leaders by organizing tree plantings & tree care events in their own neighborhoods. After completing this trainingsession, volunteers will be expected to volunteer at scheduled tree care days for at least 4 hours after completing the course. Oncethey have completed their service requirement, they will be given formal Tree Steward Certification. Due to the nature of this course,we will ask that participants in the Tree Steward program be at least 18 years of age.One of the primary roles of the Tree Steward volunteers will be to enlist other neighborhood residents in the tree care events that theyorganize. These events will focus on activities such as weeding and mulching tree pits, picking up litter, & other general beautificationactivities. The Tree Steward program will provide the materials for these events & provide staff support at the actual tree care event.The expected outputs and steps that we will take to make each Tree Steward Volunteer training session a success will include thefollowing:a. Update the curriculum for the sessions.b. Schedule and secure a location for the indoor portion of the training session with easy access to a demonstration site.c. Create an advertising brochure to hand out, and a digital version that can be distributed via e-mail to their listservs & posted onwebsites & social media.d. Produce binders, power points, displays for training.e. Conduct 12-hour courses. At the end of the course the volunteers will be given an evaluation sheet on the program that asks themforfeedback & will be given a list of future volunteer opportunities.f. Tree Steward volunteers will be alerted to upcoming volunteer opportunities & will be given formal Tree Steward certification.

Activity Title: Neighborhood Tree Steward Program


Activity Description:We will a host a series of 4 Neighborhood Tree Steward Training modules to establish a corps of Tree Steward volunteers whohave undergone 12 hours of training in tree stewardship. This would consist of a 6 hour classroom portions & 6 hours offieldbased instruction with hands-on implementation of the information covered in the classroom. We expect to train at least 100(hopefully closer to 135-150 based on 15-20 attendees/session which has been the trend to date) Tree Steward volunteers. TheTree Stewards Program is designed to cover the spectrum of environmental education, from general awareness ofenvironmental issues, to facilitating active stewardship of the environment. The City of Cleveland has recently committed togrowing the City's tree canopy from 19% to 30% by the year 2030. The City and its partners are committed to reaching thisgoal, and an engaged populace will be essential to its long-term success. The Tree Steward training sessions will build on theCommunity Outreach Events and engage residents who wish to be more involved in local reforestation efforts. It will providehands-on training from arborists in tree biology, planting, and safe pruning so that at the end of the 12-hour course, participantsare certified to plant and maintain small trees. These new volunteers will also be given the tools they need to plan tree-plantingand maintenance events in their neighborhood and engage their neighbors. The target age for participants is 18 and older.Although the proposed OEEF Grant project will focus on educational activities within four new Cleveland neighborhoods, thegoal of this project is to continue to create a model that will eventually cover the entire City of Cleveland and then be replicatedin other urban centers throughout Ohio.

Outcome Title: Train Additional Neighborhood Tree Stewards

Initial Outcome:By hosting a series of 4 Neighborhood Tree Steward Training modules to establish a corps of Tree Steward volunteerswho have undergone 12 hours of training in tree stewardship. We expect to train at least 100 Tree Steward volunteers.

Long-Term Effects:We seek to actively engage residents in reforestation efforts currently underway in the City to help ensure their long-termsuccess. We can determine if we met this goal by determining if we met our medium-term outcome target of 4 hours ofvolunteer time per Tree Steward for a total of 400 hours. One important, measurable long-term outcome that will help usdetermine if we reach this goal, will be the survival rates of street trees planted by the City of Cleveland through thisprogram. This will be a longer-term metric, but the survival rate of trees planted during the first year of the grant period canbe measured. We hope to see a >90% survival rate. We will use our GIS department to create a comprehensive databaseto track planting & maintenance activities for this process. We will also work with Cuyahoga County to conduct anothertree canopy assessment of the county in the future.

Activity Title: Engage trained Tree Stewards in reforstation


Activity Description:The Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens have conducted over 30 tree steward training sessions throughout ourregion. To date 300 residents have attended some part of the Tree Steward Training and 250 residents have completed theentire training. These tree stewards will take the training to the next level. Through this grant, Land Conservancy and Holdenstaff will 1) Communicate regularly with Tree Stewards 2) Invite trained Tree Stewards to attend planting events to serve asteam leaders during plantings 3) Organize events for Tree Stewards.

Outcome Title: Engaged trained Tree Stewards in reforestation

Initial Outcome:Engagement will be measured by tracking the number of current Tree Stewards that attend tree planting events andadditional tree steward events. Our goal will be that 150 current Tree Stewards will part.icipate over the course of thegrant period

Long-Term Effects:In the long term, the Tree Stewards will become a corps of volunteers throughout the city of Cleveland that are committedto reforestation who take on projects in their neighborhoods in order to increase the tree canopy. These Tree Stewardswill also provide maintenance on trees in their neighborhood, thereby improving the tree canopy as well. In 2013,Cuyahoga County conducted a tree canopy assessment. As members of the Cleveland Tree Coalition, Western ReserveLand Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens are working with partners to raise funds for a 5 year update of thetree canopy assessment. Future tree canopy assessments will assist with evaluating outcomes in specific neighborhoods.

Budget SummaryCategory OEEF Grant % Total OEEF Grant Amount Applicant Match Total

A.1. Salary or Wages 33.0 $15,140.00 $14,195.00 $29,335.00

A.2. Benefits 0.0 $0.00 $9,600.00 $9,600.00

A.3. Substitute Teachers 0.0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

B.1. Supplies 51.0 $23,684.00 $0.00 $23,684.00

B.2. Equipment 14.0 $6,700.00 $700.00 $7,400.00

B.3. Printing 2.0 $850.00 $0.00 $850.00

B.4. Other Costs 0.0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

C.1. Contractual 0.0 $0.00 $2,000.00 $2,000.00

D.1. Administrative 0.0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Total Budget $46,374.00 $26,495.00 $72,869.00

A.1. Salary or Wages

Employee Name Title Grant # ofHours

GrantHourlyRate

Matching #of Hours

MatchingHourlyRate

GrantAnnualSalary

Grant % ofSalary

MatchingAnnualSalary

Matching% of

Salary

OEEFGrant

Amount

ApplicantMatchingAmount

Sharon Graper Manager of AcademicServices

75 $28.00 25 $27.00 $0.00 0.0 $0.00 0.0 $2,100.00 $675.00

Emily Bacha Director ofCommunications andMarketing

20 $24.00 40 $24.00 $0.00 0.0 $0.00 0.0 $480.00 $960.00

Colby Sattler Urban Forestry andNatural ResourcesProject Manager(WRLC)

200 $27.00 200 $27.00 $0.00 0.0 $0.00 0.0 $5,400.00 $5,400.00

Kate Hydock Executive Assistant(WRLC)

40 $22.00 40 $22.00 $0.00 0.0 $0.00 0.0 $880.00 $880.00

Catlin Layton Manager of SpecialEvents and Volunters(WRLC)

40 $22.00 40 $22.00 $0.00 0.0 $0.00 0.0 $880.00 $880.00

Chad Clink Community Forester(Holden Forests &Gardens)

200 $27.00 200 $27.00 $0.00 0.0 $0.00 0.0 $5,400.00 $5,400.00

Subtotal: $15,140.00 $14,195.00

A.2. BenefitsBenefits Description Rate or % of Salary OEEF Grant Amount Applicant Matching Amount

Colby Sattler 0.3 $0.00 $3,240.00

Kate Hydock 0.3 $0.00 $1,144.00

Chad Clink 0.3 $0.00 $3,240.00

Catlin Layton 0.3 $0.00 $1,144.00

Sharon Graper 30.0 $0.00 $832.00

Subtotal: $0.00 $9,600.00

B.1. SuppliesSupplies Description Quantity Unit Price OEEF Grant Amount Applicant Matching Amount

Trees 100 $175.00 $17,500.00 $0.00

Tree Gators 100 $27.00 $2,700.00 $0.00

Compost 40 $30.00 $1,200.00 $0.00

Mulch 14 $30.00 $360.00 $0.00

Binders for Educational Material for Tree Stewards 120 $3.95 $474.00 $0.00

Tree ties 10 $30.00 $300.00 $0.00

Tree guards 50 $13.00 $650.00 $0.00

Tree stakes 250 $2.00 $500.00 $0.00

Subtotal: $23,684.00 $0.00

B.2. EquipmentEquipment Description Quantity Unit Price OEEF Grant Amount Applicant Matching Amount

Mini-excavator rental 4 $700.00 $2,800.00 $0.00

Tent for registration 1 $100.00 $100.00 $0.00

Shovels, rakes, brooms 35 $20.00 $0.00 $700.00

Skid steer rental 4 $350.00 $1,400.00 $0.00

Soil knives 20 $19.00 $380.00 $0.00

Table for registration 1 $100.00 $100.00 $0.00

Ball cart 2 $350.00 $700.00 $0.00

Wheel barrow 2 $280.00 $560.00 $0.00

Hand pruners 20 $33.00 $660.00 $0.00

Subtotal: $6,700.00 $700.00

B.3. PrintingPrinting Description Rate Description OEEF Grant Amount Applicant Matching Amount

Professional printing of educationalmaterials

Lump sum for printing costs $750.00 $0.00

signage 5 signs at $20 each $100.00 $0.00

Subtotal: $850.00 $0.00

C.1. ContractualContractual Description Contractor Name OEEF Grant Amount Applicant Matching Amount

In-kind staff time to plan and coordinate events Breakthrough Schools $0.00 $500.00

In-kind staff time to plan and promote events Khnemu Center $0.00 $500.00

In-kind staff time to plan and promote events St. Clair Superior CDC $0.00 $500.00

In-kind staff time to plan and promote events Bellaire Puritas DevelopmentCorporation

$0.00 $500.00

Subtotal: $0.00 $2,000.00

Applicant ContactContact Type: Fiscal Agent Job Title: CFO/CIO

Name: Dennis BowerPrimary Phone: (440) 528-4150 Primary Fax:Primary Email: [email protected]

Primary Address: 3850 Chagrin River Road, Moreland Hills, OH 44022Alternate Phone: Alternate Fax:Alternate Email:

Alternate Address:Alternate Start Date: Alternate End Date:

Contact Type: Authorizing Agent Job Title: President/CEOName: Rich Cochran

Primary Phone: (440) 528-4150 Primary Fax:Primary Email: [email protected]



Contact Type: Project Director Job Title: Assistant Director of DevelopmentName: Elizabeth Grace




Contact Type: Primary Collaborator Job Title: Vice President, Community EngagementName: Paul Spector


Primary Address: 9500 Sperry Road, Kirtland, OH 44094Alternate Phone: Alternate Fax:Alternate Email:


OEEF Grant Staff ChecklistApplication #: F-18G-013 Organization Name: Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Application Type: GeneralGrant Project Title: Cleveland Neighborhood Tree Steward Program

A. Overall

1. Yes Project eligible?

2. Not selected Project meets which of OEEF's Educational Priorities: Other Environmental Education Projects

3. Yes Organization eligible?

4. JM Initials of staff member who provided pre-review, if any

Overall Comments:

Points were awarded for match, collaboration and support. All expenses are eligible for funding. Reviewers should consider the educational value of

those materials when reviewing the project.

B. Application Cover Sheet

5. Yes Collaborators identified on cover sheet appear to be correct based on their role as described in the proposal

Comments: Not entered

6. Yes Time lines and start date are realistic and consistent with OEEF Guidelines


7. Yes Grant duration 30 months or less

8. Yes Audience identified by applicant is correct for the project. If not, re-assign to audience: Not selected

9. 0 points Under-served Audience: Award 10 extra points if the proposed project targets a regulated community primary audience.

10. Yes List of counties identified by applicant appears correct based on activities in project description


11. 0 points Under-served Counties: Award 5 points if the applicant organization is located in (OR all the proposed activities will take

place in) a county/counties that OEEF has defined as under-served (i.e., where fewer than two grants have been

awarded). Award 3 points if some of the proposed activities will take place in counties that OEEF has defined as under-

served.

12. No Is this a revision of a previous application? (check last 2 cycles) If yes, OEEF ID#: Not entered

13. Yes Has applicant previously received OEEF grant(s)? If yes, OEEF ID#: 07G-007, F16G-005

14. No Was previous grant awarded in the past twelve months?

15. No Is any previous grant still open?

Not selected If yes, is previous grant likely to close before the Council meeting for this current grant cycle?

C. Audience Categories and Project Issues

16. Comment if applicant appears to have made assignments in error


D. Contact Information

17. Yes One person is not serving in all 3 roles (director, fiscal, authorizing)


E. Project Description - Overall

18. Yes Project does not include political advocacy

19. Not selected Project includes adequate safeguards for any potentially dangerous activities

20. Not selected If this is a K-12 formal education project, it includes specific examples or a satisfactory explanation of the process that will

be used to align student learning activities with New Learning Standards


F. Budget Narrative

21. Yes Itemized detail is provided

22. Yes Figures are accurate

G. Budget Spreadsheet

Personnel

23. Yes Salary

24. Not selected Benefits: Explanation of how calculated and % used for fringe.

25. Not selected Stipends or Substitute: OEEF is not asked to pay for both for the same teacher for the same day

Comments on Personnel section of budget:

Not entered

Non-Personnel

26. Yes Supplies: Identified, grouped, unit priced, and totaled

27. Yes Equipment: Itemized, grouped, unit priced and totaled

28. Yes Printing: Itemized, # of copies, unit price, and totaled

29. Not selected Other: Categorized, method of calculation, and totaled

Comments on Non-Personnel section of budget:

Not entered

Contractual

30. Not selected Name of party, organization, # of hours, hourly wage, total

31. Not selected The combination of Personnel and Contractual costs does not exceed 35% of the budget. (If it does, add comment and

note percentage)

Comments on Contractual section of budget:

Not entered

32. Yes There are no ineligible expenses

33. Yes There is no unacceptable pass-through of grant funds to a third party

34. Yes Overall, expenses are reasonable (if questionable, add comment)

Comments: Reviewers should consider the educational value of the supplies and equipment being purchased by the

applicant.

35. 5 points Award five extra points if the applicant (with their collaborators) has provided a strong, well-documented cash or in-kind

match that greatly exceeds 10% of the funds requested from OEEF. (Do not assign extra points for less than a 50% match)


H. Letters of Collaboration and Support

36. No Collaboration does not appear to be needed for this project to succeed


37. Yes If the project is collaborative, documentation letters have been received from all, partial or none of the collaborators

38. 5 points Award five extra points for projects with very strong, well-documented collaboration


39. 5 points Award five extra points if the applicant has provided documentation of support for the project from members or appropriate

representatives of the target audience. (Letters or applications from teachers of the targeted grade level will meet this

criteria for the pre-school to university audience. Letters or applications from an established trade or professional

association will meet this criteria for the regulated community audience.)


40. Not selected Attachments, if any, are relevant to the applicant's ability to successfully complete the proposed project

41. Not selected Other


Checklist completed: Yes Total Points Awarded: 15 out of 30

July 5, 2017

Ms. Carolyn Watkins Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43216-1049

RE: Neighborhood Tree Steward Program – grant application

Ms. Watkins:

Please accept this letter in support of the ‘Cleveland Neighborhood Tree Steward’ project as proposed by Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens. St. Clair Superior Development Corporation fully supports this program which will bring the Tree Steward Program to our neighborhood to educate residents on the benefits of trees and teach them about their care and maintenance. .

St. Clair Superior Development Corporation’s mission is to guide neighborhood transformation for residents and businesses in our neighborhood. Among other initiatives and programs that support our mission, we partnered with Western Reserve Land Conservancy when we received funding to plant trees through their Reforest Our City grant program. Based on the success of this project, we would like to expand our partnership to offer Tree Steward Training to our residents.

St. Clair Superior is committed to reversing the current trend of declining tree canopy by planting trees in our service area and educating residents on the importance of trees and their maintenance. This program will allow us to meet our goals of reforesting the Forest City.

Thank you in advance for your support of this request.

Sincerely,

W. Michael Fleming Executive Director

3615 Superior Avenue, Suite 3103A Cleveland, OH 44114 phone 216.539.9349 BreakthroughSchools.org/Friends

DONATE ADVOCATE VOLUNTEER

John Zitzner President

Board of Directors

William Koehler Chair Michael Merriman Past Chair / Vice Chair Tom Rudibaugh Vice Chair Richard Pace Vice Chair Michael Cristal Vice Chair Brian Tucker Vice Chair Jeff Berlin Treasurer Jen Grossman Secretary

Suresh Bafna Frank Bird Julia Bolton Don Bullock Denise Carkhuff Timothy Coughlin Jeffrey Cristal Karen Davies Martin Gates Robert Gillespie Ian Gresham Thomas Haught Andrew Kline Kevin Kuhn Paul Lehrman John LeMay David Lowman Alfred Miller Bridget Moreno Jane Outcalt Peter Rome Peter Roth John Sinnenberg Ron Stepanovic William Vogelgesang Cary Zimmerman Advisory Board Jeanette Grasselli Brown David Gunning Walter Kalberer John Sherwin, Jr.

July 7, 2017 Carolyn Watkins Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43216-1049 RE: Neighborhood Tree Steward Program – grant application Dear Ms. Watkins: I am pleased to offer my support of Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens application to the Ohio Environmental Education Fund for the Neighborhood Tree Steward Program. On Arbor Day of this year, Breakthrough Schools partnered with both the Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens and 75 community and student volunteers gathered at our Citizens Academy in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood to plant 15 robust trees on the school campus. The event was a huge success as students and volunteers planted trees and learned about the benefits of trees and their ongoing care and maintenance. Through this OEEF grant, we hope to enhance our partnership with the Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens to provide additional environmental education opportunities to our students throughout the City of Cleveland. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely,

Kelly M Berg Director of Volunteer Relations Friends of Breakthrough Schools

An Equal Opportunity Employer

City of Cleveland Frank G. Jackson, Mayor Mayor’s Office of Sustainability Cleveland City Hall 601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 227 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 216/664-2455 Fax 216/420-7595 www.cleveland-oh.gov

July 7, 2017 Ms. Carolyn Watkins Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43216-1049 RE: Cleveland Neighborhood Tree Steward Program Dear Ms. Watkins: Please accept this letter as a demonstration of the City of Cleveland Office of Sustainability’s support of the Cleveland Neighborhood Tree Steward Program proposal from Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens. The Neighborhood Tree Steward Program is vital to the success of urban reforestation efforts in the City of Cleveland. Cleveland was once known as the Forest City. The city’s current tree canopy is 19 percent and expected to fall to 14 percent by 2040 without proactive measures. To address the low tree canopy, the Cleveland Tree Plan was created by the Cleveland Tree Coalition that aims to reforest the Forest City through citywide collaboration. Mayor Frank Jackson and the Cleveland Tree Coalition commit –with the help of residents, businesses, government and community organizations –to grow the City’s canopy from 19 to 30 percent by 2040. The long-term goal is to reach 40 percent canopy. The Cleveland Tree Coalition will plant more than 50,000 trees in Cleveland by 2020. The City of Cleveland commits to planting and maintaining at least 5,000 of those trees. For this reason, we will continue to work with the Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens to support the tree care program that engages residents in tree care and trains them to become “Tree Stewards.” If the Land Conservancy and Holden are awarded funding from the Ohio Environmental

An Equal Opportunity Employer

City of Cleveland Frank G. Jackson, Mayor Mayor’s Office of Sustainability Cleveland City Hall 601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 227 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 216/664-2455 Fax 216/420-7595 www.cleveland-oh.gov

Education Fund, our office will continue to promote the program and to involve current and new Tree Steward volunteers in the City’s tree-planting and tree maintenance projects. We believe that educating Cleveland residents about the benefits and importance of a vibrant urban forest is vital to the success of our city’s urban reforestation efforts. We are excited to assist the Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens in continuing to implement this innovative and important educational program. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Sincerely,

Matt Gray Chief of Sustainability

July 5, 2017 Carolyn Watkins Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43216-1049 RE: Neighborhood Tree Steward Program – grant application Dear Ms. Watkins I am writing today in support of Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens application to the Ohio Environmental Education Fund for the Neighborhood Tree Steward Program. I am a member of the East Shore Park Club Neighborhood in the North Collinwood area of Cleveland. In response to the loss of trees in our neighborhood due to the emerald ash borer, residents are hoping to plan a tree planting in memory of George Voinovich who lived in our community and Tree Steward Training with Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Holden Forests and Gardens. Our former mayor, governor, senator, neighbor, and friend was an outdoor enthusiast who was almost daily seen walking in his (and our) neighborhoods with his wife prior to his death last year. The Voinovich Tree Project is part of a larger movement, centered on The Cleveland Tree Plan, aimed at reversing the trend of canopy loss in Cleveland through outreach, education, and tree planting & maintenance across the City. We hope the Ohio EPA will support our efforts to reforest our neighborhood. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, Linda Schnell

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

ODNR Division of Forestry

2045 Morse Road, Building H-1

Columbus, Ohio 43229

Phone: (614) 265-6694 Fax (614) 447-9231

forestry.ohiodnr.gov

JOHN R. KASICH, GOVERNOR JAMES ZEHRINGER, DIRECTOR

July 12, 2017

Carolyn Watkins

Ohio EPA

Office of Environmental Education

P.O. Box 1049

Columbus, OH 43216-1049

RE: Neighborhood Tree Steward Program – grant application

Dear Chief Watkins:

This letter is in support of the ‘Neighborhood Tree Steward’ project proposal from Western Reserve

Land Conservancy (the “Land Conservancy”) and Holden Forests and Gardens. The Ohio Department of

Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry’s Urban Forestry Program mission is to provide

community officials and allied agencies with the organizational and technical assistance to effectively

manage trees and the land on which they grow.

The ODNR Division of Forestry understands that continuing the Land Conservancy and Holden

Arboretum Neighborhood Tree Steward project will provide critical outreach and education for citizens

regarding the benefits of trees and urban forests. Cleveland has one of the lowest urban tree canopy

cover percentages in Cuyahoga County (19%), with a great deal of opportunity for planting on

residential land within neighborhoods (20%>). This program which is focused on engaging and

educating neighborhood residents about the benefits of urban forests and trees will provide additional

audiences with increased advocacy and promote ongoing reforestation efforts in the city of Cleveland.

We believe this program is important and are pleased to support it. In doing so, we also encourage you

to provide full support and funding of this application. The future of urban and community forests

depends on increasing scientific management and stewardship of our valuable resource. Thank you for

your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Tyler R. Stevenson

Urban Forestry Program Manager

OEEF Grant Reviewer Score Sheet with CommentsApplication #: F-18G-013 Organization Name: Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Grant Type: GeneralGrant Project Title: Cleveland Neighborhood Tree Steward Program

Primary Target Audience: General Public Application Status: Scoring Complete

Reviewer 1

A. Audience Need (up to 20 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The target audience is well-described. 5 5

2. The need is recognized by members or appropriate representatives of the target audience. 5 5

3. The need for the project was determined in a valid way. 5 5

4. Meeting this need will yield substantial benefits to the target audience, community and environment. 5 5

20 20

Reviewer Comments on Need Statement:

Not entered

B. Organizational Qualifications (up to 10 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The applicant organization and/or its collaborators are experienced and well-qualified to work with this audience. 5 5

2. The applicant organization and/or its collaborators have appropriate expertise to conduct this project and ensure that the

project information is scientifically valid and unbiased.

5 5

10 10

Reviewer Comments on Organizational Qualifications:

The collaborators appear to be a strong partnership and have shown previous success in similar community efforts.

C. Project Objectives (up to 35 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The objectives define specifically who will benefit and what will be learned. 5 5

2. The objectives address the need of the target audience as presented in the Statement of Need. 5 5

3. The objectives are consistent with the mission of the applicant organization. 5 5

4. The objectives meet one of OEEF's educational priorities. 5 5

5. The objectives are measurable. 3 5

6. The objectives are realistic for the segment of the general public being targeted as the audience. 5 5

7. The project does not appear to duplicate other available environmental education resources and programs. 5 5

33 35

Reviewer Comments on Objectives:

Unclear exactly how the success of the grant project will be documented and measured.

D. Project Activities (up to 35 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The project activities are specific, and the sequence of activities is appropriate. 5 5

2. The project activities are appropriate for meeting the stated project objectives. 5 5

3. Reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the project information is scientifically valid and unbiased. 5 5

4. The project activities are relevant to real-world environmental issues affecting, or affected by, the general public. 5 5

5. The project activities are tailored to the interests and abilities of the particular segment of the general public being

targeted.

3 5

6. The project does more than disseminate information: learners will engage in hands-on activities, problem solving, and/or

skill-building.

5 5

7. The project makes good use of existing environmental education materials, or provides good justification for the decision

to develop new materials.

3 5

31 35

Reviewer Comments on Activities:

It's not clear regarding the student "workshops." The grant proposal notes the iTree program and the Project Learning Tree (PLT) program but does

not explain well how these two programs are/will be integrated into this grant effort. May want to consider funding teacher training workshops that

would give teachers these resource tools and know-how to prepare the students as well as continue the involvement and learning about their local

environment they are having a positive impact on, far beyond the tree plantings.

E. Timetable (up to 10 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The start and end dates are realistic for completion of the activities. 5 5

2. The start and end dates show that activities will be carried out in a logical sequence. 5 5

10 10

Reviewer Comments on Timetable:

Not entered

F. Outcome Measurement (up to 15 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The outcome measurements are scientifically valid for determining if the project objectives were achieved. 3 5

2. The measurements describe success indicators, tools being used to measure, methods of analyzing the data, and who

will be conducting the evaluation.

5 5

3. The measurements address both short-term and long-term effects of the project. 5 5

13 15

Reviewer Comments on Outcome Measurements:

Documentation of outcomes and effects are a bit vague with the assumption children and the communities will become active learners and stewards

in the short and long terms. Outcomes and long-term effects do emphasize keeping Tree Stewards active in all the communities, as well as

partners/collaborators providing current and future tree canopy assessments to evaluate outcomes in the neighborhoods.

G. Continuation/Replication Plan (up to 15 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The project includes a realistic plan for sharing the results with a wider public. 3 5

2. The plan describes how the project can continue once OEEF funding ends. 3 5

3. The plan describes how the project can serve as a model for replication in other communities or with other audiences. 5 5

11 15

Reviewer Comments on Continuation/Replication Plan:

Proposal notes similar neighborhood Tree Stewards programs have been successful in Cleveland, as well as duplicated by the Columbus area.

Would help to be able to get a clearer view of what has been used in past neighborhood efforts and what is to be done the same or differently this

time round.

H. Budget (up to 20 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

1. The budget table and narrative clearly explain all expenditures to be funded by the OEEF. 5 5

2. The budget is appropriate for this type of project. 5 5

3. Salary costs are reasonable as a proportion of the overall budget. (In general, salary costs should not exceed 50% of

the total OEEF budget for the project. Higher amounts should be very well justified by the applicant)

5 5

4. Equipment costs are reasonable as a proportion of the overall budget. (In general, equipment costs should not exceed

50% of the total OEEF budget for the project. Higher amounts should be very well justified by the applicant)

3 5

18 20

Reviewer Comments on Budget:

A bit unclear as to the need for all of the equipment funds requested, especially if building upon a similar grant from the same groups doing the same

tree stewardship efforts previously in other Cleveland city communities, which is noted within this grant request. Some of the items are explained in

the narrative, such as the two $280 wheelbarrows, but others are not exactly clear why needing to purchase (i.e table, tent, etc.). Would help to have

explanation as to how more of the equipment will be used during the grant timeline and beyond.

I. Discretionary Points (up to 10 points)Points

Awarded

Maximum

Score

Up to 10 discretionary points may be awarded by the peer reviewer in cases where the applicant has demonstrated that the

project has unique characteristics and excellent overall quality, where this distinction does not appropriately fit into the

categories previously listed. The reviewer must explain in the comment section why the discretionary points were awarded.

10 10

10 10

Reviewer Comments on Awarding of Discretionary Points:

Includes strong and well-documented collaboration, as well as support for the project from key community partners.

Total points awarded by reviewer 1: 156 out of 170

Reviewer 2


Awarded

Maximum

Score





18 20


What is the source of the statement that low birth weight, substance abuse, mental distress, obesity, etc. for neighborhood residents is the result of

a low tree canopy? Good support from local organizations representing residents.


Awarded

Maximum

Score




5 5

10 10


Participants are highly qualified.


Awarded

Maximum

Score








35 35


In what way will the program "change people's behavior" as stated in the Overall Project Objectives?


Awarded

Maximum

Score






targeted.

5 5


skill-building.

5 5



3 5

33 35


It would be helpful to know if educational materials used in the original project realized successful Outcomes and are available to be used in the

second round.


Awarded

Maximum

Score



10 10


Not entered


Awarded

Maximum

Score




0 5


0 15


What Outcome measurement tools were used for the initial project? What were the Outcomes in the original project? The Outcome measurement

described in this proposal for the workshop component is an evaluation sheet, but there is no description of the content or what entity is conducting

the evaluation. Under Activity Title: Educate and Engage students in reforestation activities, how will the project determine the Long Term Effects as

described?


Awarded

Maximum

Score




9 15


Was a second round of OEEF funding support part of the continuation plan in the original proposal? Will the Land Conservency and Holden solicit

funds from funding agencies in other cities? In what other cities in Ohio is the Tree Steward program already serving as a model?


Awarded

Maximum

Score





5 5



5 5

20 20


The major component of this proposal is basically a request for 100 trees and the supplies and equipment used to plant them. Although the project

repeats educational opportunities from the initial program, it is not clear if those opportunities and planting 100 trees meets the educational goals of

the OEEF and Tree Steward program.


Awarded

Maximum

Score




10

10


Not entered


Reviewer 3


Awarded

Maximum

Score





20 20


Not entered


Awarded

Maximum

Score




5 5

10 10


Not entered


Awarded

Maximum

Score








33 35


Prior experience and success is shown for this project.


Awarded

Maximum

Score






targeted.

5 5


skill-building.

5 5



5 5

33 35


Not entered


Awarded

Maximum

Score



10 10


Good effort to include communities and stewards ahead of planting trees and get them personally engaged prior to planting.


Awarded

Maximum

Score




3 5


11 15


Is there any ability to determine how the 100 trees bought and planted in this project will help in the overall 30% canopy coverage goal when the trees

mature? Is there any indication from past years if stewardship training increases personal efforts to plant trees, shrubs or other vegetation on private,

city (e.g. school) or industrial properties?


Awarded

Maximum

Score




11 15


Perhaps include a component of newspaper and social media "success stories" or other outreach, to help publicize the efforts to other communities

within and beyond Cleveland. How are you helping other communities replicate your project to improve their neighborhoods in other cities where

EAB has siginificantly decreased city canopy cover?


Awarded

Maximum

Score





5 5



5 5

20 20


The cost of large trees is significant, thus creating local stewards to care for these trees is a great idea to protect the tree cost investments.


Awarded

Maximum

Score




10 10

10 10


Proven past success. Tied project to local community health and EPA issues. Working in communities and schools to foster stewardship for their

communities. Great partnership.


Reviewer 4


Awarded

Maximum

Score





16 20


The audience need as presented in the proposal details the need of the members of the Cleveland Tree Commission to complete their reforestation

objectives vs. need of the audience. Previous success in a similar communities is provided but it would be stronger to have statistics, quotes or

surveys from the four new neighborhoods.


Awarded

Maximum

Score




5 5

10 10


The organizations and staff appear well qualified for the project.


Awarded

Maximum

Score








27 35


Not entered


Awarded

Maximum

Score






targeted.

3 5


skill-building.

5 5



5 5

31 35


Not entered


Awarded

Maximum

Score



6 10


Each of the Activity Titles lists the start and end dates for the entire duration of the grant. Without specific dates tied to activities and outcomes, it is

difficult to score this category. Some of the initial outcomes are specific such as 5th grade students at 4 schools and 200 adults within 4

neighborhoods. Long term objectives could be more measureable. What about recording the hours of volunteer service taking care of the trees (non

tree steward participants) or an annual survey to monitor the success rate of the tree plantings. Is the measurement 19% to 30% in 2030 or 2040, it is

listed differently in sections of the grant.


Awarded

Maximum

Score




3 5


13 15


More information about the audience and specific neighborhoods would be helpful to know if these outcome measurements were realistic.


Awarded

Maximum

Score




9 15


The continuation and replication plan highlights the goals and success of the program but does not elaborate at the continuation of the project past

OEEF funding with the exception of fundraising.


Awarded

Maximum

Score





5 5



5 5

20 20


Not entered


Awarded

Maximum

Score




10

10


Not entered


Documents

OEEF Grant Application - Ohio EPAepa.ohio.gov/Portals/42/documents/F18G/F18G-013...in tree biology & care providing tree-focused community service. Major Activities: We propose to