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Grant Partnerships Public funding sources often target disadvantaged communities based on state or federal assessment tools. Although the City of Pleasanton is not considered a disadvantaged community and has a low level of unemployment and workforce needs, there are select opportunities where the City may be competitive with additional partnership. Exploring partnerships with regional entities and other community-based organizations for grant projects where urban forestry efforts are an eligible expense is one of the strategies to increase competitiveness. State and Federal entities such as the US Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency, California Natural Resources Agency, and CalFire may fund urban forestry efforts as part of their projects. Topics for funding typically include, stormwater management, green infrastructure, urban greening, g reen schools, environmental education, urban and community forestry, wood innovation, workforce development, and youth engagement, among others. Partnering with educational institutions and non-profit organizations on grant proposals that service regional areas, including disadvantaged communities may be another strategy. The City of Pleasanton may provide value to the partnering target entities by providing in-kind support for a grant proposal or administration, engaging the youth program for volunteers to engage with community members, or by providing match funds for the project. Table E-2 details various grant programs which align with urban forestry efforts. Engaging regional landowners with needs that more clearly align with grant guidelines has the potential for a more competitive proposal as it promotes collaboration among various entities and helps address regional issues of land management. The City of Pleasanton received recent funding for wildfire fuel reduction programming. According to the updated CalFire High Fire Severity Zone map, the City of Pleasanton includes select areas where the wildfire risk is high or moderate, which were changed from a State Responsibility Area to a Local Responsibility Area in 2024. The area with a ‘high’ rating would be an eligible project area, and the City abuts larger wildland areas with both ‘high’ and ‘moderate’ ratings managed by Alameda County. Exploring partnerships for public funding through the wildfire perspective is an opportunity for the City’s urban forest. Fire protection planning includes tree management recommendations within wildland urban interface/intermix (WUI) areas with a goal to retain trees and reduce wildfire risk. Discussing trees in WUI areas as a part of urban forest management, allows for education of why trees outside of the WUI should be planted, maintained, and retained to maximize canopy cover. Community Wildfire Protection Plans, a current funding category, often includes a large community education component. Partnering for wildfire risk reduction grant funding is an opportunity to support UFMP goals to increase canopy cover in appropriate areas while decreasing wildfire risk in WUI areas. Community Resources National community-based organizations such as American Forests, the Arbor Day Foundation, the National Wildlife Federation, and regional groups such as the California Urban Forests Council, at times, invest in programs to assist in urban forestry efforts regardless of disadvantaged community status. These organizations have hosted programs that give residents free trees to plant on their private property. Increasing canopy cover on private property is a continued challenge for many public entities, and pub lic funding sources do not fund private property enhancements. These partnerships help to fill that gap and provide free urban forestry resources, education, and trees for private property.