Free trees for private properties are available through Urban Forestry’s annual Yard Tree Giveaway (YTG) program, held each fall. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is accepting applications from organizations that can advance Urban Forestry's effort to plant 4,000 trees on private property in Portland this year.

We are offering two options for contract partnerships this year, including PROMOTION PARTNERS and REGISTRATION AMBASSADORS, see full descriptions below. These contracts are managed by PP&R Urban Forestry.

We know that in the face of climate change, the communities most detrimentally impacted by the lack of protection from robust, large form tree coverage are Black and Indigenous Peoples of Color, low-income residents, and elder communities. The Yard Tree Giveaway (YTG) program aims to disrupt this systemic environment by planting new trees where the most vulnerable live, restoring our lived spaces for generations to come.

Visit our Yard Tree Giveaway priority map to see where our service focus is (Priority 1 and 2). Urban Forestry staff and community partners use this information to guide efforts to ensure that the services provided by urban canopy – safer streets, reduced air pollution, cooler summer temperatures, and improved health outcomes (to name a few) – are accessible to all Portlanders, especially the most vulnerable communities.

The goals of these Partner Contracts are to:

• Promote free trees available through the PP&R Urban Forestry’s Yard Tree Giveaway program.
• Provide access to early registration and assistance for underserved community members.
• Advance Urban Forestry's effort to plant 4,000 trees on private property in Portland this year.

Applications are due by April 18, 2025.

Optional information sessions will be held:

• March 18, 5:00 - 7:00 pm: North Portland Library (English), 512 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217

• April 9, 4:00 - 6:00 pm: Charles Jordan Community Center (Spanish), 909 N Foss Ave, Portland, OR 97203

Contract Partnerships may begin as early as May 15, 2025.

Details and Required Scope of Work for Contract

OPTION 1: PROMOTION PARTNERS

Contract length: 7 months

Compensation: $5,000

Capacity: 8 contracts

Contract Description: ad space

EXPECTATIONS:

1. Submit Promotion Partners outreach tracking sheet monthly
2. Attend scheduled check-ins with Urban Forestry (UF)
3. Route inquiries about Yard Tree Giveaway (YTG) from social media to UF
4. Use the supports of a Recreation Services team member for outreach and tabling
5. Submit 3 invoices for payment in July, October, December
6. Actively promote YTG for duration of contract

DELIVERABLES:

1. Provide an Outreach Plan for each of the 7 months of the contract
2. Post YTG social media content (content provided by UF)
3. Add YTG content to organization website, provided by UF
4. Share out YTG information in organization newsletters provided by UF
5. Distribute YTG flyers at organization’s summer-fall events provided by UF
6. Distribute UF and PP&R branded items at organization’s events
7. Share out PP&R Recreation Services and discount opportunities in newsletters and social media
8. Attend at least one Recreation Services quarterly gathering in May, July, or October for networking support

OPTION 2: REGISTRATION AMBASSADOR

Contract length: 7 months

Compensation: $10,000

Capacity: 4 contracts

Contract Description: promote, recruit, register, self-declared quota

EXPECTATIONS:

1. Attend monthly check-ins with Urban Forestry (UF)
2. Submit an activities and outputs reporting form for each outreach effort
3. Submit 3 invoices for payment in July, October, December
4. Set a quota goal for registrations to be gained by your organization June-November
5. Actively promote Yard Tree Giveaway (YTG) for duration of contract

DELIVERABLES:

1. Provide an Outreach Plan for each of the 7 months of the contract
2. Create a promotional script that advocates for YTG, aligned with your organization's goals, and share with UF
3. Attend two UF YTG summer outreach tabling events for outreach training and practice
4. Hold dedicated, one-on-one registration support at your organization’s planned outreach events
5. Help at two Saturday YTG events, September-November
6. Host a special tree-selection event on August 23rd, 24th, 30th , or 31st for your community to receive first choice of trees (UF team member will be a guest)
7. Post YTG social media content and respond to comments (content provided by UF)
8. Add YTG information to organization website, provided by UF
9. Share out YTG information in organization newsletters (UF provides base information)
10. Share out PP&R Recreation Services and discount opportunities in newsletters and social media
11. Attend at least one Recreation Services quarterly gathering in May, July, or October for networking support
12. Distribute YTG and PP&R flyers at organization’s summer-fall events
13. Distribute UF and PP&R branded items at organization’s events

Thank you for being a part of Portland Parks & Recreation's tree planting work. We appreciate your interest in partnership and are excited to bring this opportunity to you and your community.

Portland Parks & Recreation is committed to accessibility for all our programs and services. Please contact the Community Partnership Team at parks.cpp@portlandoregon.gov if you would like assistance in submitting your application.

Urban Forestry Yard Tree Giveaway Contract Partnerships

Service Contract Partnerships fill service gaps and provide key supports to the community. A contract partnership is not a grant. The service provided is directed by PP&R. Under a service contract partnership, PP&R focus area teams identify the need for the service and pay the individual or partner organization to provide the service.

This partnership opportunity is supported by the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) Equitable Tree Canopy Program. PCEF focuses investments in climate action, giving priority to people that have been historically under-resourced by sustainability and clean energy programs. Outreach Contract Partnerships will be awarded to organizations that best demonstrate in their proposal how they will serve priority communities, specifically:

•    People with low incomes

•    People of color

•    People living with disabilities

•    People in geographies identified as medium and high planting priority

Staff and contractors on projects funded by PCEF must be paid at least 180% of the relevant state minimum wage (currently $28.71 per hour).

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Your application documents are potentially subject to disclosure under Oregon public records law.

All documents and information submitted as part of your application may be deemed public records subject to public disclosure under Oregon public records law. Any member of the public has the right to request the documents and information you submit as part of your application.

Before submitting confidential information to the City, you must notify the City’s grant manager (megan.dirks@portlandoregon.gov) in writing that you intend to submit confidential information to the City as part of your application. If, after consulting with the City’s grant manager, you determine that it is necessary to submit confidential documents and information to the City, you must identify, highlight, and segregate any information that is identified as confidential from information that is not confidential. You must identify applicable exemptions under the Oregon Public Records Act that permit the City to withhold the confidential documents and information from public disclosure. Information that you have not properly marked as confidential may be disclosed by the City in response to a public records request.

The City makes no warranty or representation as to the confidentiality of your application documents or information submitted to the City whether or not the documents or information you submit are identified as confidential. Documents or information you identify as confidential may be disclosed by the City if the City determines, in its sole discretion, that the documents or information are subject to disclosure under Oregon public records law. In the event City receives a public records request applicable to your documents or information, the City will make an independent determination regarding exemptions that may apply to documents or information properly marked as confidential in your application.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that all application documents and information you submit to the City may be subject to public disclosure in the event of a public records request (1) upon the City’s determination that your documents or information are subject to disclosure under public records law, (2) upon an order of the Multnomah County District Attorney, or (3) upon an order of a court. Because the City cannot give you legal advice, you should consult your legal counsel regarding the applicability of Oregon public records law to your documents and information submitted to the City.