Extreme heat events are increasing in frequency and intensity every year, leading to devastating human costs such as hospitalization and death. In urban environments, where over 80% of Americans live, these effects are exacerbated by the urban heat island effect. In alignment with the White House’s nature-based solutions efforts to address the effects of climate change, the role of greening has been touted as a life-saving means to protect urban residents from extreme heat, mitigate stormwater, and reduce air pollution. Nonetheless, the benefits of urban forestry have not yet been realized due to unsustainable funding at municipal levels for maintenance and stewardship, limited coordination across branches of government, inequitable distribution of trees, and a lack of analyses that define the economic value of urban forestry. A coordinated, equity-focused, and economically validated federal plan to guide the development and maintenance of urban forestry will allow the full utilization of this critical resource. Achieving this goal requires action at all levels of government; sustainable funding to grow, develop, research, and sustain urban forests; and ongoing leadership from the scientific and forestry communities.