International Tree Foundation

Organizational profile:
International Tree Foundation (ITF) is an international, non-profit, non-political, conservation organization. ITF was founded in Kenya in 1924 as ‘Watu wa Miti’ (People of the Trees), by Richard St Barbe Baker and 50 volunteers. ITF’s mission is to plant, protect and promote trees in partnership with local communities in ways which support the:

• development of socially and environmentally desirable local governance and community by-laws which meet the needs and aspirations of local communities, while contributing to the formulation of more effective national and regional policies
• conservation and wise use of natural resources (forests, trees, associated biodiversity) and indigenous knowledge about plants, animals, soils and water resources
• alleviation of poverty, hunger and malnutrition through the sustainable intensification of local agriculture and through the wise use of forests and forest products, especially traditional foods and medicines as well as livestock fodder and fuel wood
• enhancement of livelihoods in rural communities by generating income, enhancing food security, improving diets, nutrition and health, and by supporting women in society, creating jobs and business opportunities
• advocacy and promotion of public awareness of global socio-economic and environmental issues created by deforestation and unsustainable agriculture and the potential of trees to rehabilitate degraded land and generate livelihood benefits through tree planting

ITF has three grants programs - UK Community Tree Planting, Africa Drylands Programme, and Sustainable Community Forestry Programme.

•    ITF’s UK Community Tree Planting Programme supports grassroots community engagement in tree planting. The programme has supported more than 50 small-scale projects over the last 20 years, from community orchards to native woodland planting. ITF is now seeking to continue and expand this work with a new round of UK tree-planting projects in 2021, focused on community-led initiatives across the UK. 

•    The Africa Drylands Programme provides funding to NGOs to deliver community level participatory projects that tackle deforestation by restoring local forest resources and associated biodiversity, increase resilience to climate change and food insecurity, improve local livelihoods through sustainable use of trees and related income generation. ITF encourages the preservation of indigenous knowledge and the extension of approaches such as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR).

•    The Sustainable Community Forestry Programme supports projects in Africa that:

• Conserve, restore and protect indigenous forest resources, habitats and associated biodiversity
• Support community-led natural resource management and regeneration to promote reforestation
• Improve nutrition, food security and local livelihoods through sustainable use of forests and trees
• Impact positively on climate change and carbon sequestration.

•    The Sustainable Community Forestry Programme supports community-based organizations (CBOs) to deliver community-level participatory projects that conserve and restore local forest resources and associated biodiversity, improve local livelihoods through sustainable use of trees and related income generation and increase resilience to climate change. They prioritize support for new community-based organizations so that they are also helping them to build their own capacity to achieve their aims and objectives. They encourage the preservation of indigenous knowledge and the planting of indigenous species of trees.

Financing Instrument: Grants
 
Project scale: 
UK Community Tree Planting has two tiers of funding available:

• Small scale: A maximum of £1,000 is available for projects of up to 1 year in duration. This could be small community woodland, orchards, hedging projects, etc.
• Larger scale: Projects to range from 1000 - 5000 trees, with a maximum price equivalent to £1.25/tree (inclusive of tree protection). Most suitable for community woodland or hedging projects.

For details of the Africa Drylands Programme and the Sustainable Community Forestry Programme, please visit ITF's official website later for updates or contact ITF at info@internationaltreefoundation.org.

Recipient countries regions/country groups: the UK, Africa countries

Recipient categories: 

• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Community-based organizations

Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible for funding of the UK Community Tree Planting Programme :

• The applicant organization must be community-based e.g. a school, community group or non-governmental organization.
• The applicant must have a bank account in the name of the applicant organization.
• The applicant must have signed permission from the owner or manager of the land indicating that the project meets all legal requirements.

ITF’s priorities for the 2021 round of the UK Community Tree Planting Programme are to support community-based tree planting initiatives that meet the following essential criteria:

• Be based in the UK.
• Plant trees in public / publicly-accessible spaces: sites that are readily accessible to the public, including schools, parks, rights of way, and sites managed by community groups
• Plant indigenous tree species: this may include traditional fruit trees and ‘honorary’ natives where appropriate
• Plant a minimum of 50 trees per £1,000 of grant funding or regenerate land for the benefit of trees and local wildlife
• Engage community members in tree planting and enjoying the benefits of woodlands
• Have clear plans for maintenance and sustainability

For details of the Africa Drylands Programme and the Sustainable Community Forestry Programme, please visit ITF official website later for updates or contact ITF at info@internationaltreefoundation.org.

Application guidelines:
There are three application documents applicants need to complete for the UK Community Tree Planting Programme. These are:

1. Proposal form: Applicants need to give their project a short and clear title and ensure that all the contact details they enter in the proposal form are accurate.
2. Tree planting plan: Please list the species that will be planted and the number of each to be planted.
3. Budget: The planned activities must be clearly described and costed. The maximum allowed for overheads is 12% of the total budget.

The applicant’s completed application can be submitted anytime from July onwards, with a final deadline on Friday 16th December 2021 for the 2021 round. ITF will assess applications at the end of each calendar month until the end of the year.
The application documents should be submitted by email to: programmes@internationaltreefoundation.org. Please enter “UK Grant Application” in the subject line.

For details of the Africa Drylands Programme and the Sustainable Community Forestry Programme, please visit ITF's official website later for updates or contact ITF at info@internationaltreefoundation.org.