Arbor Day Foundation, Vita Coco Help Transform School Campuses Through Growing Roots Grant Program
Three K-12 schools across the country were awarded funding to grow greener campuses
LINCOLN, Neb., December 9, 2025 /3BL/ - In partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, Vita Coco’s “Growing Roots Grant” program is making a lasting impact in the lives and education of young people. The grant initiative awarded $50,000 to three schools seeking to expand access to green spaces and strengthen outdoor experiential learning.
Growing Roots was launched in 2024 as a pilot initiative to bring meaningful, tree-focused projects to K–12 schools. Funding applications were open to all schools recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus K-12 program and the opportunity saw great demand. In total, 24 schools representing 18 states submitted nearly $850,000 in requests.
“The overwhelming demand we saw through Growing Roots shows just how eager schools are to connect students with trees and outdoor spaces,” said Dayna Berry, program manager for the Arbor Day Foundation. “Alongside Vita Coco, we’re proud to help schools act on their environmental goals by connecting them with the resources they need to bring nature into the classroom.”
“We’re proud to partner with the Arbor Day Foundation to help schools transform unused locations into green spaces that promote health, wellness, and leadership,” said John Tran, Director of Sustainability and Social Impact at Vita Coco. “These projects reflect our commitment to strengthening communal wellbeing by investing in the people and places that help neighborhoods thrive.”
The Arbor Day Foundation and Vita Coco selected three recipients for the $50,000 in funding. At the end of the program’s pilot year, Growing Roots engaged nearly 2,000 students, grew 800 seedlings, and planted more than 90 trees.
Growing Roots Program Funding Recipients
- Buffalo Public School #84 (Buffalo, NY) transformed 1,500 square feet of unused space into an accessible learning and inclusive outdoor classroom for students with mental and physical disabilities. With a view of 14 cherry blossom trees, staff and students immediately integrated the space into daily learning and wellness activities.
- Le Jardin Academy (Kailua, HI) built a native plant nursery as on-campus conservation and nature education hub. In addition to dozens of trees and hundreds of seedlings, grant funding also supported summer internships and fostered leadership opportunities for students.
- On Track Academy (Spokane, WA) empowered students to help turn unused campus areas into outdoor classrooms. It motivated them to expand the scope of the project and seek collaboration from more than 15 local partners, businesses and community organizations. In total they raised an additional $85,000 in community donations. The project also helped connect students to real-world urban forestry careers.
The three 2024 grant recipients are all schools recognized by Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus K-12 program. Tree Campus K-12 honors schools that show dedication to enhancing student well-being through tree education, hands-on experiences, and community engagement. Currently 107 K-12 Campuses are recognized across 33 states.
Visit arborday.org to learn more about the program’s four core standards.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners.
And this is only the beginning.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.
About The Vita Coco Company
The Vita Coco Company is a family of brands on a mission to reimagine what’s possible when brands deliver healthy, nutritious, and great-tasting products that are better for consumers and better for the world. This includes its flagship coconut water brand Vita Coco and protein-infused water PWR LIFT. The Company was co-founded in 2004 by Michael Kirban and Ira Liran and is a public benefit corporation and Certified B Corporation. Vita Coco, the principal brand within the Company’s portfolio, is the leading coconut water brand in the U.S. With electrolytes, nutrients, and vitamins, coconut water has become a top beverage choice among consumers after a workout, in smoothies, as a cocktail mixer, after a night out, and more.
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