Dig In!
Tree, Bulb, & Native Perennial Grants
About
The Dig In! Tree, Bulb and Native Perennial grant supplies
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daffodil bulbs
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native trees
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native perennial plants
to eligible schools, municipalities, and community groups in Passaic County to promote habitat restoration and community-wide beautification.
City Green grants plants, and planting supply stipends. Grantees are responsible for the site preparation, planting, irrigation, and maintenance of their projects.
Applicants can request up to 2 plant types for their planting project (Ex. Trees and daffodils OR daffodils and native perennials.). Applicants applying for larger tree and native perennial projects can also apply for small material stipends to support their projects. See details below.
Eligibility
All projects must have:
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A minimum of 2 adults committed to the project (project coordinators).
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A visible location
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An identifiable positive impact on the neighborhood
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Adequate sun and water access for the plants selected.
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An appropriate plan for site preparation, irrigation and maintenance.
Not eligible:
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Commercial for-profit entities
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Private residences
Grant Timeline
Site Identification and Prep: January - June
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Community organizations, schools, and Passaic County municipalities identify their desired garden sites, recruit community support, and get ready to apply.
Application Period: June 5th - August 7th, 2026
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The Tree, Bulb, and Perennial Grant Applications open online. There are separate applications for municipalities and community organizations/schools.
Grant Notification: Late August 2026
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Your project coordinators (named in your application) will receive an email including your grant award letter and agreement. The agreement must be signed and returned to City Green by the deadline provided in the letter.
Mandatory In-Person Awards Ceremony, Grant Training, and Plant Pickup: October 6, 2026
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All grantees must attend an in-person Awards Ceremony, Grant Training, and Plant Pick-Up at the City Green Farm Eco-Center (171 Grove Street, Clifton). At this event, grantees will be celebrated and presented with their grant award certificates, review the grant requirements and plant care guides, and pick up their plants. Brief planting demonstrations will also be featured at this event.
Installation Deadline: November 30th, 2026
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All plantings must be completed by November 30th.
Grant Report Due: December 11th, 2026
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This is the deadline for you to submit your required grant report online. Not submitting a grant report can result in City Green requesting you to return plants to us or may jeopardize any future applications to the program.
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The Grant Report Form is mandatory and must include:
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Photos of your project. This should include what your planting site looks like before and after planting, as well as photos from your planting day.
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A social media post or press release about your project, with mention of City Green’s Dig In! Program and the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners as the project funders. A link to your social media post or press release must be included in the grant report form.
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About Tree Grants
How Tree Grants Work
Once awarded, grantees can select from 5 native tree species in the quantity they are offered in their grant letter.
What You Will Receive
You will receive native trees that are 6 - 8 ft. tall. They come in 15 - 20 gallon pots with 1 - 2 inch trunk caliper. Smaller projects will also receive 1 bag of compost and 1 bag of mulch per tree and larger projects are eligible for a monetary stipend (up to $250) to use for compost, mulch, fencing, water bags or other maintenance/protection costs.
Number of Trees You Can Apply For
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Municipalities can apply for 3, 5, or 10 trees
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Community Group/Organization can apply for 1, 3, or 5 trees
Additional Information
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Applicants must have access to water and an effective irrigation plan to qualify.
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Schools are not eligible for trees.
About Native Perennial Plant Grants
There are two types of Native Perennial Grants:
1) Plants-Only Grants and 2) the Pollinator Planter Grant. See below for details.
1.) Plants-Only Grant
What you receive
You will receive native perennial plants in 1 - 2 gallon pots that are ready to be planted. Plants are pre-selected by City Green based on your site conditions and nursery availability. Smaller projects are also eligible to receive up to 8 bags of compost and up to 8 bags of mulch for the planting site. Larger projects are eligible for a monetary stipend (up to $250) to use for compost, mulch, or other maintenance costs.
The following kits are available to select in your application. Please select the kit that you believe best suits the site you will be planting in. To preview the kit contents and view criteria for determining your site, view the guide below.
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Full Sun to Part Sun
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Full Shade to Part Shade
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Wet Site (full-part sun)
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Deer Resistant
Dig In Native Perennial Kit Information
How Many Plants You Receive
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Municipalities can apply for
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35 plants (80 sq. ft of planting space or more required)
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OR
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70 plants (160 sq. ft of planting space or more required)
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Community Organizations and Schools can apply for
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20 plants (60 sq. ft of planting space or more required)
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OR
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35 plants (80 sq. ft of planting space or more required)
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What else to know
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Applicants must have access to water and an effective site preparation and maintenance plan to qualify.
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Kit contents must be planted together, or at locations within a 100ft area.
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Applicants can only apply for one planting site.
2.) Pollinator Planter Grant
What you receive
Grantees receive 10 native, perennial plants complete with 1 - 2 metal raised beds, soil, signage, and watering accessories as needed. Grantees will receive either one 3’x6’ raised bed or two 4’x4’ raised beds (special requests may be considered).
Eligibility
The Pollinator Planter is only available to schools and community organizations without access to workable in-ground soil. The site must receive 6 + hours of sunlight and have an accessible water source to qualify.
About Daffodil Grants
What You Will Receive
Once granted, you will receive daffodil bulbs that are ready to be planted.
How Many Daffodil Bulbs You Can Receive
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Municipalities can apply for 500, 1,000, or 3,000 bulbs
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Community Organizations and Schools can apply for 100, 250, or 500 bulbs
Additional Information
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Applicants must have access to water and an effective irrigation plan to qualify.
Apply
We are currently accepting applications for the Tree, Bulb, and Native Perennial Grant with a deadline of August 9th, 2026.
Questions? Reach out to Miranda Madrazo at mmadrazo@city-green.org or call 973-869-4086