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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FOREST SERVICE URBAN & COMMUNITY FORESTRY
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT GRANT
City Council
December 19, 2023
Public Works Department
RiversideCA.gov
2 BACKGROUND
• August 2022 – President Biden signs Inflation Reduction Act • April 2023 – USDA-Forest Service released guidelines for multiyear, competitive grants for tree planting/related activities
Priority projects benefit underserved populations
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3 • June 2023 - Public Works submitted a grant proposal for $8,314,439.55, including dollar for dollar in-kind match to:
Create a city-wide tree inventory and canopy assessment Develop a tree management database
Complete an urban forest management plan
Plant 1,500 trees
Provide outreach and educational activities
BACKGROUND
RiversideCA.gov
4 • September 2023 - Public Works notified of $1 million grant award
• USDA-FS received 842 applications seeking over $6 billion
BACKGROUND
• 385 grants awarded totaling $1.13 billion
Increase equitable access to trees and green
spaces
All funds will flow to disadvantaged
communities
Funded proposals located in all 50 states
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5 • Grant award was a team effort!
– City Council
– City Manager’s Office, RPU, Parks, IT, General Services – Letters of support
• The Inland Empire Community Foundation
• The Riverwalk Community
• Victoria Avenue Forever
• Rivers and Lands Conservancy
BACKGROUND
RiversideCA.gov
6 • Staff met with USDA-FS grant administrators
– November 2023 - revised project narrative and
budget required to fit awarded amount of
$1 million
DISCUSSION
– Project narrative modified to include comprehensive tree inventory and development of in-house database/inventory management system
– In-kind match of City funds of $1 million required
• Leverage existing budget and volunteer hours for tree plantings • Personnel costs to implement grant-funded projects
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7 • 5-year grant performance period
• Project will be a collaboration between Public Works, IT, Park & Rec, RPU, and General Services
• Community engagement
– Non-profits
– Civic organizations
– Neighborhood groups
– Public education
DISCUSSION
RiversideCA.gov
8 Strategic Priority 4 – Environmental Stewardship
Goal 4.5 - Maintain and conserve 30% of Riverside’s natural lands in green space including, but not limited to, agricultural lands and urban forests in order to protect and restore Riverside’s rich biodiversity and accelerate the natural removal of carbon, furthering our community’s climate resilience.
Cross-Cutting Threads
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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9 That the City Council:
1. Approve acceptance of the 2023 United States Department of Agriculture – Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grant award in the amount of $1,000,000 to create a comprehensive tree inventory and develop an in-house database/inventory management system, with an in-kind match of City funds in the amount of $1,000,000;
2. With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenues in the amount of $1,000,000 to the USDA – FS Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and appropriate expenditures in the same amount to the USDA – FS Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; and
3. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents for the grant funding, including but not limited to payment requests, agreements, and amendments, and making minor and non-substantive changes.
RECOMMENDATIONS
RiversideCA.gov
10 EXTRA INFORMATION SLIDES
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11 Our urban forest has an estimated value
of more than $449,000,000!
FUN FACTS
It is more important than ever to continue pursuing funding opportunities that will augment and care for our urban forest.
RiversideCA.gov
12 FUN FACTS
The City’s Urban Forest provides social,
communal, environmental, and economic
benefits to the entire community.
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