Community Tree Planting Grants
Forecasted
Community Tree Planting Grants support local governments and regional park agencies in planting and replacing public-land shade trees to restore canopy and build diverse, resilient community forests.
Funder: Metropolitan Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: 2026 cycle: $10,000–$500,000 per award; up to $3.4 million total; reimbursement-based
Summary: Supports public-land shade tree planting and removal to restore canopy and build diverse, resilient community forests.
Key Information: Eligible local governments and regional park implementing agencies must self-fund tree establishment and maintenance.
Description
The Metropolitan Council’s Community Tree Planting Grants support cities, counties, townships, and regional park implementing agencies in Minnesota’s seven-county metropolitan area. Established under Minnesota Statute 473.355, the program funds removal and planting of shade trees on publicly owned land, replacement of trees lost to pests, disease, or storms, and development of more diverse forests that can withstand future threats.
The program prioritizes removing and replacing ash trees posing significant public safety concerns and planting in census block groups with a supplemental demographic index at or above Minnesota’s 70th percentile. Projects addressing both priorities receive greater consideration. Climate-adapted species, canopy diversity, benefits for vulnerable communities, and responses to extreme heat and localized flooding inform project selection.
