ReLeaf Community Forestry Grants

The ReLeaf Community Forestry Grants program is administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to support urban and community forestry initiatives across Minnesota. The primary goal of the program is to encourage and promote projects that enhance the health, sustainability, and resilience of community forests. This includes efforts to inventory, plant, maintain, protect, and restore trees, particularly in areas with vulnerable populations or those facing threats such as the emerald ash borer. The program aligns with statewide environmental justice priorities and contributes to carbon reduction and energy conservation through strategic urban forestry. The 2025 grant round is open to nonprofit organizations with 501(c) status, educational institutions, and local units of government in Minnesota, including cities, counties, regional authorities, joint powers boards, towns, and Tribal governments. Parks and recreation boards in cities of the first class are also eligible. Projects must take place on non-state public lands or on residential properties serving low-income residents, with specific staffing or certification requirements for the latter. A wide range of activities is eligible for funding, including tree inventories, development of management plans, removal and replanting of trees, gravel bed construction, chemical treatment for ash trees, educational outreach, and more. A total of $7,198,200 in state general funds is available, with individual grant awards capped at $500,000. There is no minimum request amount, and matching funds are not required or recommended. Applicants may incur costs for a variety of eligible expenses, including professional services, staff time, equipment under $5,000, and project-related materials. Ineligible costs include tree species identified as invasive, capital expenses, and costs incurred before the grant is executed. Projects must be completed, and all expenses reimbursed, by June 30, 2027. The application process includes several components: a completed application form, detailed project budget, timeline, map of project area relative to priority zones, a 3-year tree establishment plan (if planting), species and stock list, relevant management plans, and letters of support. Applicants requesting $50,000 or more (excluding Tribal governments) must submit a Pre-Award Risk Assessment Questionnaire. Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale across criteria including project need, timeline, budget, community impact, communications strategy, and qualifications of key personnel. Projects serving environmental justice areas or addressing canopy equity receive priority. Applications must be submitted via email to ucf.dnr@state.mn.us no later than October 28, 2025. Questions regarding the application process can be submitted by October 14, 2025. Grantees will be notified by January 23, 2026, and projects may begin once contracts are executed, expected by April 15, 2026. All expenses are reimbursed semi-annually, with final reporting and reimbursement due by June 30, 2027. Compliance requirements include photo documentation, reporting in shapefile formats, and public promotion of project outcomes. A compliance check and site evaluation will be performed by DNR staff before final disbursement.

Provide detailed, clear, and quantifiable information in all sections, especially around project justification, alignment with priority areas, and community engagement. Avoid submitting matching funds and ensure all attachments follow specified formats.