Utility Arborist Research Fund Grant Program

The Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund) and Utility Arborist Association (UAA) established the Utility Arborist Research Fund (UARF) in 2010 to finance work with real importance and benefit to utility tree care professionals. The UARF endowment reached its $1.0 million activation goal in 2017, and the first grant was awarded in 2018. TREE Fund manages the UARF endowment and administers all research grants awarded, while UAA's Research Committee advises TREE Fund with respect to research priorities. For 2026, TREE Fund and UAA are seeking UARF proposals guided by prioritized research topics including Employee, Contractor and Public Safety, Service Reliability, and Regulatory Compliance. The program aims to generate reductions in tree-related outages, customer complaints, vegetation management complexity, or emergency tree work. Both organizations are open to evaluating any proposal related to vegetation management in the utility industry. Applications are accepted only between January 15 and March 15, 2026, with Letters of Intent due by March 1, 2026. Work funded by UARF is expected to be completed within one to three years of award. Grant recipients must submit reports and findings, which TREE Fund desires to be freely and widely available to all parties who may benefit from the research.