School & Community Habitat Grant

Plant resources & Expert consultation

Teachers, parents, and students working on a native plant garden.

Purpose & WCCD's Mission

Assist schools and community organizations with accessing plants, especially natives, and establishing wildlife habitat. Furnishing spaces with native plants benefits all residents—human and otherwise—by fostering connection to local ecology, enhancing biodiversity, filtering air and water, sequestering carbon, adding beauty, and providing vital ecological services.

The WCCD is a local government agency with the mission to assist residents with and provide leadership in the conservation, management, and wise use of natural resources in Washtenaw County.

Grant Award:

The WCCD staff and/or our partnering contractors, as requested by the awardees and within the award budget, may provide any combination of the following:

Site visit for assessment & consultation
Site design plan & maintenance plan
Site materials, such as native plants, trees, and/or shrubs and planting aids (tree shelters, etc.)
Site installation assistance, including use of the WCCD's tool and equipment lending library and assistance with volunteer outreach

Grant fund availability is dependent on county millage funding as well as donations made to the WCCD for this purpose.

Applications for 2025 are now closed.

We thank you for your interest in the School & Community Habitat Grant. Check back in early 2026 for the next opportunity.

If you have any questions reach out to WCCD's Community Forester Matt DeJonge: matt@washtenawcd.org or call at 734-302-8715

Read the latest Habitat Grant project reports:

December 5, 2025

Ann Arbor STEAM Native Pollinator Garden Post-install

Ann Arbor STEAM Northside leveraged the School and Community Habitat Grant to develop an incredible project at their school. Utilizing class participation, they applied for and installed a native pollinator garden on school grounds. They were engaged with real problems like erosion, enhanced plant diversity, and put on a showcase of the diverse native plants found in Southeast Michigan.

Read the News
December 3, 2025

EMU Children's Institute's Rain Play Garden Post-install

The EMU Children’s Institute successfully utilized the SCHG to create an interactive Rain Play Garden. Supported by partner Feral Flora, the project mobilized over 40 community volunteers and students to dig and install "mini-raingardens" directly into the nature playground. This hands-on initiative exists as an educational space that inspires environmental curiosity while improving the resilience of the school's landscape.

Read the News
November 26, 2025

Risdon Park Pollinator Garden Post-install

In 2024 volunteers from the City of Saline applied to install a pollinator garden in Risdon Park. During 2025 they successfully turned a corner of their neighborhood park into a vibrant key-hole style garden.

Read the News

See All

Pre-recorded webinar explaining what the School & Community Habitat Grant is and how to apply for it.

Support Local Habitat Projects

Donations purchase plant materials, installation, or design services for awardees to install wildlife habitat. Grant awards are made based on the amount donated. All donations are tax deductible (receipt via email).

We're looking for partners to match our awardees' for selected projects. Partners have provided services including consultation, design planning, labor & equipment usage, and more.

Grant awards are determined by an evaluation committee of local experts and community members. Contact us if interested to join the committee or nominate someone else.

School & Community Habitat Grant