Community Tree Planting Grants
Community Tree Planting Grants support local governments and regional park agencies in removing and planting public-land trees to restore a diverse, climate-resilient canopy in the Twin Cities region.
Funder: Metropolitan Council
Due Dates: October 22, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. (Application) | June 30, 2029 (Grant term ends)
Funding Amounts: $10,000–$500,000 per grant; up to $3.4 million available in 2026; grants expire June 30, 2029
Summary: Supports tree removal and shade-tree planting on public land to restore a diverse, climate-resilient regional canopy.
Key Information: Applicants must accept state bonding requirements and 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 improving the seven-county Twin Cities region’s tree canopy. Established under Minnesota Statute 473.355, the program funds shade-tree removal and planting on public land, replacement of trees lost to pests, disease, or storms, and development of more diverse community forests that can better withstand pests and disease.
State law prioritizes projects removing and replacing ash trees that pose significant public safety concerns and projects in census block groups with a supplemental demographic index at or above Minnesota’s 70th percentile. Projects addressing both priorities receive earlier funding consideration. Climate-adapted species, community-scale species diversity, and replacement planting near removal sites are central to retaining canopy benefits for residents.
