Home » LG&E and KU to fund qualified tree-planting projects

LG&E and KU to fund qualified tree-planting projects

Louisville, Ky. – Applications are now available for “Plant for the Planet” grants from Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company to fund qualified tree-plantings by nonprofit or government entities.

The program awards matching grants in amounts of $500 to $5,000 to organizations with a history of successful tree plantings in the LG&E and KU service territories.

“In addition to benefitting our environment and enhancing the beauty of the landscape across our service territories, the more than 37,000 trees planted as a result of program awards are a tangible example of our company’s commitment to being an environmental steward,” said Laura Douglas, vice president of Corporate Responsibility and Community Affairs for LG&E and KU. “We’re looking forward to growing the program’s impact and our commitment even further in the upcoming year.”

Interested parties can visit lge-ku.com/plantfortheplanet for applications and program information. Applications will be accepted starting Monday, Nov. 2 and must be postmarked by Tuesday, Dec. 1 to be eligible for consideration. In February 2016, applicants will receive a letter announcing the status of their proposal.

Since the grant program’s launch in 2009, plantings have occurred in a range of urban and rural settings that offer public access, including parks and nature preserves. Many successful projects have also used unique approaches to incorporate trees within other landscape settings. LG&E and KU’s service territories include 93 Kentucky counties and five in western Virginia. Qualified applicants throughout our service territories are encouraged to submit planting projects for consideration. Following company policy, only 501(c) (3) nonprofit organizations are eligible for funding. Such organizations do not include neighborhood/condominium associations or religious groups.

The Plant for the Planet program is modeled after the United Nations’ Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign which promotes the planting of more than one billion trees annually by individuals, communities and businesses worldwide.