Photo: Matthew Shepherd
Applying to become a Bee City USA affiliate
Join the national network of communities committed to supporting pollinators! Questions about the process? Visit our FAQ page.
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Application steps
1. Form a committee.
Every committee will be different, but should include individuals with experience and interests that will help the committee complete the commitments. Committees generally include a mix of volunteers and city staff. We recommend including at least one park/grounds/landscape staffer. The committee should have a chair or multiple co-chairs. This committee should be managed either by the affiliate (i.e. City or County) or a non-profit organization and should have a regular meeting schedule that is open to the public. See the resolution for a full list of requirements associated with the committee.
2. Assign facilitation to a local government body or non-profit organization.
Assign facilitation of the Bee City USA effort to a new or existing committee. This committee may be based in a local government or with a non-profit organization and may be an existing committee or a newly formed subcommittee.
3. Designate a local government department as a sponsor.
Designate a local government department as the Bee City USA program and committee sponsor and an employee from that department as the Bee City USA committee liaison. The liaison may or may not serve on the Bee City USA committee, but they facilitate communications between the city, the city staff and elected body, and the Bee City USA committee as needed.
4. Complete the online application form.
Log in to create a profile and complete the online application form. Your application form will be reviewed once you indicate that it is complete and ready for review.
5. Complete the draft Bee City USA resolution.
Complete the draft resolution by downloading the template and updating the areas highlighted in yellow. Please note: we ask that you start an application and upload your draft resolution for our approval before it is passed.
6. Submit the application and resolution to your local government for approval.
Present your Bee City USA application and resolution to your local government for formal approval and adoption. Make sure you receive a scanned copy of the adopted resolution to upload to your application.
7. Submit your adopted resolution and pay the application fee.
Submit a scanned copy of your adopted resolution by uploading it to your online application and pay the application fee. Payment information is available once you begin your application. Once the final application, adopted resolution, and fee payment have been submitted, Xerces will notify all contacts listed on the application form of the approval of your application. Application and renewal fees are based on population size.
- 100 (population <9,999)
- 200 (population 10,000 - 24,999)
- 300 (population 25,000 - 49,999)
- 400 (population 50,000 - 99,999)
- 500 (population >100,000)
New! Funding opportunity for New Mexican applicants
Our friends at the Petrie Foundation in Santa Fe are offering a grant opportunity for existing and prospective Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA affiliates in New Mexico to encourage them to further reduce their pesticide use. View Petrie Foundation’s request for proposals (external link).
- Up to $100,000 per award; $1,000,000 total available funding.
- Up to 25 grants will be awarded.
- RFPs accepted February 1, 2023 to October 1, 2023.
- Grant awards will be divided into two equal payments over two years.
APPLICATION RESOURCES
Outreach Materials
Template Resolution
Use this template to draft your resolution.
Application Preview
This is meant to give you a preview of the application. To complete the application please scroll down and click on "apply now" to access our online portal.
Bee City USA Presentation
This presentation is meant to provide an introduction to the program. It is approximately 15 minutes and you can either download a copy with recommended text to present yourself or the recorded narrated version.
Bee City USA ArcGIS Story Map
View this multimedia presentation to learn more about Bee City USA.
Application Registration
Log into our online portal to begin an application and access additional resources. Once you log in you can return anytime to view or edit your application.
