2025 ReLeaf Community Forestry Grants

Are indirect costs allowed and what is the cap on them?

We do allow indirect costs for ReLeaf. We can navigate the cap on indirect costs in one of the following ways: If you have a federally negotiated rate we will use that. If you do not have one, we will use the federal de minimis rate of 15%.

If my town is just outside the 10-mile buffer for EAB Generally Infested Areas for approving emamectin benzoate injection as an eligible expense, could we still use grant funds to purchase the equipment to inject trees?

Given the current restriction within the 10-mile buffer of known infestations, you would not be able to purchase the equipment for injection treatments with grant funds. If you are awarded and the known area changes during the grant period so that EAB is found within 10 miles of your community, you may be able to use grant funds to purchase equipment if you have room within your budget.

Is admin cost an eligible expense for this grant? If so, is there a limit on how much time can be spent on admin?

Time spent on the project by staff of the grant recipient is an eligible expense for this grant (pg. 6 of RFA). This may include administrative work, such as completing grant reporting and reimbursement requests.
There is no defined limit that can be spent on staff time for these activities. Any amount spent should be reflected in the budget spreadsheet and justified in the application.

For staff time such as administration (e.g., preparing and submitting grant progress reports) would wages plus benefits be eligible costs, or just wages?

For staff time, wages plus benefits would be an eligible cost under ReLeaf.

Is the use of City equipment an example of an eligible indirect cost?

Yes, city equipment can be included as an indirect cost. However, if there is a specific rate you will be using for the equipment, it may be easier to include these as a line item under 'equipment cost' in the budget (e.g., $X for use of watering tank), rather than lumping it into indirect costs.

We are interested in creating a Natural Resources Management plan for the city that would cover management in forested parks, as well as vegetative buffers around stormwater ponds, and provide a framework for managing vegetation in a prioritized format. Would this type of work be eligible for funding?

Yes, a management plan that includes the management of forested parks and vegetative buffers would be an eligible expense.

Eligible Activities

Would providing trees to community members be an eligible project?

Tree plantings can be done on private residential lands including tree giveaways. If using a tree giveaway method, grantee must provide tree planting education and materials.
Residential work can only be done on low-income properties. If using a tree giveaway method, you will need to verify income in some way for tree recipients.

Can you share examples of wood utilization projects? We are thinking of converting a boiler to be able to burn woody biomass sourced from waste wood from the Twin Cities metro. This would help us improve the environmental profile of the boiler as well as manage the wood waste problem. We would first need to do a technical assessment and that's what we propose to use the grant money for. Would this be considered a "wood utilization" project?

Wood utilization project examples for the ReLeaf program would be things like nature play areas made using wood from removed trees or purchasing of equipment for processing wood products (provided equipment is not a capital expenditure over $4,999.99 unit price).
The project you’ve mentioned sounds like it would be eligible with adequate justification and coherence with your overall project proposal.

We have woodlands with a maple/ash mix and some oak savannas on our site. Is preservation of oak savannas an eligible project for ReLeaf?

Yes, preservation of oak savannas can be eligible if the project focuses on protecting or enhancing tree canopy. Projects must meet program requirements, such as being on eligible land and providing public benefits. Work that only restores prairie or grassland without a tree component would not qualify.

Can staff time spent on administrative and reporting tasks be reimbursed?

Yes, staff time spend on administrative and reporting tasks that are directly tied to managing your ReLeaf grant can be reimbursed. Time must be documented and included in the project budget to be eligible.

Are wages for seasonal watering staff considered an eligible expense?

Yes, wages for seasonal staff hired to water newly planted trees are eligible under the ReLeaf program, as long as the work is tied to the grant-funded project and included in the budget.

Are outreach materials like print media considered an eligible expense?

Yes, outreach materials such as door hangers and other print media are eligible expenses under the ReLeaf program if they support the grant project.

Is sending staff to the Shade Tree Short Course considered an eligible expense?

Yes, registration costs for staff to attend the Shade Tree Short Course is eligible under the ReLeaf grant program if the training directly supports your grant project goals.

We want to implement a private ash removal assistance program. Do ash trees removed with grants funds on private property have to be replaced?

Yes, removals conducted on residential property must be offered a tree replacement of one tree planted for each tree removed. The property owner must decline trees planted in order to not meet the one-to-one replanting requirement.

Regarding the community support requirement. Our project will include landscaping, even though we know that the grant will not pay for landscaping. If community volunteers plant landscaping – not planting the trees – as part of the project, would that meet the community support requirement?

Yes, volunteer efforts like planting landscaping plants can count as community support but only if they are paired with education and outreach related to urban and community forestry topics such as proper planting and maintenance of new trees or threats to our community forests like EAB. There should be meaningful engagement that connects volunteers and the community to the goals of the grant.

Could a city apply for the grant in partnership with a property management company to remove and/or replant trees on a private residential site?

The ReLeaf Grant allows for both removals and planting on low-income residential land, where low-income must be defined and reasonably justified by the applicant and submitted to the DNR.
Any work conducted on residential property will either be completed by residents (tree planting only), or by tree care companies holding liability insurance and with an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist on staff, or Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) accreditation, or equivalent certification.
Note: Letters of support are required if collaborating with an outside organization. This is to ensure that they are aware of and agree to support the project.

Could you provide more information about what gravel best construction costs would tie to forestry projects? Would this be roads for logging, etc.?

Gravel bed construction refers to an irrigated bed or pile of gravel intended to hold bareroot trees for 3-6 months before planting. You can find more information about gravel beds on the University of MN UFOR Nursery & Lab Website: Gravel Beds | The UFOR Nursery & Lab.

Are there any guidelines or constraints for maintenance pruning?

Pruning will be required to follow best management practices as outlined in ANSI A300 and the USFS Tree Owners Manual.

Are spaded trees an eligible expense for these grants?

Unfortunately, we are unable to allow trees larger than those outlined in the Request for Applications (RFA) document. Please review the RFA to review the bareroot, container, and balled and burlap stock restrictions.

What is the minimum set of TCIA credentials or accreditation staff of an organization would need to meet for of the first eligible activity: "Community forestry work conducted on non-state public land, or on residential land for low-income residents (work on residential land must be conducted by companies or organizations with an ISA on staff, TCIA accreditation, or equivalent qualification."

In regard to the TCIA accreditation, we would expect a company or organization to prove they are accredited through this process: TCIA Accreditation - Tree Care Industry Association, LLC. 
Within the accreditation program, companies are evaluated based on their adherence to ANSI A300 and ANSI Z133 standards, training and professional staffing levels, and dedication to ethical and quality business practices. A company should hold the accreditation as a whole to use that TCIA accreditation as their qualification for doing work on residential land.

If a city has received UCF grant in the past, but some of those trees have since died, could the grant funds be used to replace them?

It is the responsibility of the grantee to replace any dead trees paid for by grant funding. This is typically written into a grantee’s contract. In some cases, however, it can depend on the grant. Any further questions about this can be directed to [email protected].

Can grant funds be used to prepare and mail Emerald Ash Borer educational materials to all residents?

Yes, based on the eligible activities listed in the Request for Applications, the creation and dissemination of EAB educational materials can be funded by ReLeaf.

Is stump removal an eligible activity when the tree was lost to a storm event?

Stump removal/grinding is an eligible activity. Stump removals from boulevards and manicured parks must be replaced at a 1-to-1 ratio, and trees must be replanted at the same location of the removal whenever possible and feasible.

How is low-income defined for residential work?

Work on residential land can only be conducted on a property in service to low-income residents. The definition of low-income must be defined and reasonably justified by the applicant and submitted to the DNR. (pg. 5 of ReLeaf RFA).

Can you apply for multiple types of activities for each grant?

Yes, you can. As long as you are requesting funding for eligible expenses and activities and are under the maximum award amount, you can combine different activities under the same grant application such as obtaining a tree inventory and management plan and also doing removals and replacements.

Can I utilize this grant to subsidize residents removing their trees in priority areas or do I (the grantee) need to hire the contractor myself and pay for the full removal of the tree? Would there be a preference on the total amount the grant covers for removals?

Paying staff and contractors are an eligible expense, but providing direct payment to a resident is not. Organizations serving low-income residents will need to work with and pay a contractor directly. Organizations should structure their grant to cover the costs of removals and replacements in full for residents but other arrangements (covering a percentage of the costs and resident covering the remainder) may be considered.

Is it acceptable to apply for a grant so that more funding can be allocated to another project that may not be eligible for funding?

Yes, this is acceptable so long as the items proposed in the application are eligible activities. Grantees are encouraged to describe all impacts of the funding throughout their application.

What are some examples of an equipment purchase?

Examples of eligible equipment purchases include, chainsaws, water tank, safety hear, pruners, safety gear, etc. All equipment purchases must have a unit cost of $4,999 or less and be used to complete the project.

My community wants to plant balled and burlap trees – can we use grant funds to pay for the required training?

Yes, ReLeaf grant funds can be used to cover the cost of the MNDOT Certified Landscape Specialist training.

Can we prune trees on trails in our community?

Yes, pruning is an eligible activity under this grant.

Is treatment for two-lined chestnut borer an eligible activity?

Yes, treatment for two-lined chestnut borer is considered an ‘additional plant healthcare treatment’ on page 2 of the RFA.

My community’s proposed project is scheduled to start this year. If awarded, is my community eligible to receive reimbursement for costs incurred prior to the grant period?

No, project work and expenses that are eligible for reimbursement with grant funds CANNOT be started or incurred until the grant contract is fully executed.

Would a fence around a small orchard be something that can be covered by the grant?

A fence may be eligible if it is for protection of the trees planted. A fence established for protection should be at least 4 ft tall and have paneling designed to exclude deer and other animals. A decorative fence would not be eligible.

Is one to one removal and replanting required?

Yes, for street and park trees there is a one to one replacement required. For natural settings there is a five to one replacement (remove five and replace them with one).

Can you do removals on right of ways and how do you define right of ways? Can you replant removals in the front yard behind the right of way?

Yes, you can do removals in the right of way on both public and private land. Right of ways are defined using the individual municipality definition of their right of ways. You can replant removals in the front yard behind the right of way.

To increase universal access on sidewalks we need to make area around the trees in our tree pits smooth and at-grade. Rather than metal tree grates we would like to use flexible site-mixed paving material, which is ADA compliant and is used in some other cities for their tree pits. Would this be an eligible maintenance expense?

No, flexible site-mixed paving material is not an eligible expense. At this time there is not enough peer-reviewed quantitative research to justify the use of these materials in lieu of mulch. Additionally, using this material to replace tree grates and be ADA compliance would make this a capital investment, which is ineligible.
If the future, if there is peer-reviewed research about the use of this product in lieu of mulch with urban trees, we would be happy to revisit and reconsider this decision.

Another FAQ states that registration costs for the Shade Tree Short Course would be an eligible expense. Would travel costs (e.g., mileage, motel, food) for attendance also be eligible?

Any costs needed to attend the identified training opportunity can be covered by grant funds. This may include travel, lodging, or food. Any plans to attend trainings covered by grant funds must be justified in the application, including how the training is related to the proposed project.

Application

Can I send in my application for proofreading prior to submitting?

No, DNR cannot proofread your application, as application assistance of this sort was not incorporated into the grant release. If applicants have any questions about the completeness of their application (i.e., proper forms/documentation), they should review the grant application checklist, linked above.

Do we need to have a City Council resolution for one or both of these grants?

No, you do not need a City Council resolution in order to apply for either ReLeaf or Community Tree Planting Grants. You do, however, need to provide Letters of Support if you will be collaborating with an outside organization.

Do you have the code dictionary from the EJ atlas or can you clarify the definitions of these factors given in the map to ensure I calculate the percentile accurately?

The data for this map was originally found in the EPA’s EJScreen tool. More information on how this was calculated can be found in the EJScreen Technical document here.

Is there any data on number of households, LMI levels, or other data that could be passed along to us?

Please reach out to UCF staff at [email protected] for specific information and data related to your community’s demographics.

I think the best way to describe my proposal for grant funding is to do so through maps and quite a few attachments. If I use a large number of attachments to our application, will it diminish our chances of receiving funding?

Including a large number of attachments will not negatively impact the competitiveness of your application. We encourage grantees to provide as much information as is needed to show the scope of their proposed work and understand that a complete application requires multiple documents.

Where can I access the documents needed for the Pre-Award Risk Assessment?

All required documentation for Pre-Award Risk Assessments can be found on our grant webpages as fillable PDFs.

If we have located and marked trees on residential properties within the priority mapping areas, do we need to prepare all agreements prior to the application?

No, the agreements with residents do not need to be included in the application, however; if awarded, the grantee will be required to provide this information. Note that all work on residential land can only be conducted on a property in service to low-income residents. The definition of low-income must be defined and responsibly justifies by the applicant and submitted as part of the application.

I am having trouble accessing the RFA and Application PDFs.

We made some updates to the RFAs, you will need to clear your browser cache and the applications will open.

Please confirm the application deadline. I’ve seen two different dates.

The deadline for both UCF grants has been extended due to an update to the Priority Area map. The deadline for ReLeaf is now November 11.

I was just on the priority map for our area and saw that more of our community is now incorporated in the priority area. Has something changed in the last few days?

We updated our Priority Area map this week to reflect the EJScreen Supplemental Demographic Index data as compared to the state rather than to the US. This resulted in more areas being included in the Priority Map and we have also extended the deadlines for both grants, applications are now due October 27th for Community Tree Planting and November 11th for ReLeaf.

Are letters of support required? In the RFA, it says it is required but in the application checklist it says it is only required if collaborating with an outside organization. If it’s the latter, can this be clarified?

Letters of support are required if collaborating with an outside organization. This is to ensure that they are aware of and agree to support the project. For example, if you plan to collaborate with a local school system, non-profit, or Soil and Water Conservation District, DNR would need letter of support from those organizations.
Letters of support are not required if the applicant is not collaborating with an outside organization but are sometimes submitted to provide additional context to the project proposal (e.g., letter of support from mayor).

My organization is not located in a priority area, but some of the populations we serve live in priority areas. Can this be considered?

Yes, the priority scoring for ReLeaf allow for a degree of interpretation so even if the office and property of an organization are not located in the priority areas, applicants can consider the population the organization serves when estimating project priority.
Applicants are given space to described how they arrived at this with a clear, logical, and data-informed justification. The scoresheet for this can be found on page 11 of the RFA.

For residential tree care, it is required to be serving low-income residents. The application states that the "definition of low-income must be defined and reasonably justified by the applicant and submitted to the DNR." Do you have any specific methods of proof of low-income status that are preferred?

Proof of low-income status is typically self-certified by the resident where the work is planned to take place.

When defining low-income as ‘annual household income at or below 80% area median income’ for residential properties, do we have to check the median income of which county the resident lives in (since our city is in two counties), or could we use a singular datapoint for median household income?

County annual median income (AMI) can be used by a city for this purpose, though the AMI of a county may not be representative of the area of interest. Many communities use the AMI of their city.
Ultimately it is up to the applicant to determine what low-income is defined as for their community, and residents are asked to self-certify. We do not require certification documentation to be submitted to the DNR but do ask to see how the city is determining what qualifies as low-income.

Would a project focusing on maintenance pruning be considered for award?

Pruning projects are an eligible activity and a project focusing on pruning would be reviewed the same way as a planting and/or removal project under the ReLeaf grant program.

Is an EAB Management Plan sufficient for the ReLeaf Management Plan requirement for local units of government?

An EAB Management Plan would be sufficient to meet the local unit of government management plan requirement.

If we specify the entire city as our project are and only 17% of the city is in the Priority Area, should we claim 17% even if most of the work is not in the Priority Area?

The amount of work that you would do with grant funding in the Priority Area is what you should report. For example, if you are spending 20% of total grant costs on pruning within the Priority Areas then you would report 20% in the grant application regardless of how much of your city lies within the Priority Area.

Many cities are not within the Priority Areas identified on the Priority Area map. Given how competitive the last round of funding was, should cities outside the priority area still apply for the grant funds?

Eligible applicants outside of the Priority Areas are welcome to apply for the grant funding. Grant applications will be sorted into tiers for review order based on whether they meet the priorities for each grant (review the prioritization elements in the Request for Applications). Applications who score highest in priority will be prioritized for awards though it is possible applicants who do not score high in prioritization may be awarded if Tier A and B are not competitive.

If a city has an existing grant open, do you still need the grant closeout form for the ‘Past Grant Performance’ park of the application?

No, you do not need the grant closeout form for a currently open grant, because there would not be one. However, your current grant performance is a consideration as a part of the Pre-Award Risk Assessment. Email [email protected] if you are not sure if your community has had a UCF grant in the past.

What is the highest priority scoring a city can receive if it is not in a Priority Area? How would this be scored if a city has very few Priority Areas?

If a community applying to ReLeaf, the highest Priority Score is zero points. However, whether the application is funded depends on many other factors, including how many applications are submitted, their Priority Scores, applications scores, and how much funding is requested.
If a community has very few priority areas, applicants are encouraged to examine multiple ways of justifying the Project Priority. For example, the Priority Area may be a small percentage of community land, but does it have a high population density? Is a higher proportion of the project budget going to this area (especially if there are multiple activities happening in this area)?

What does good standing with Secretary of State in the Pre-Award Risk Assessment Questionnaire mean?

This requirement only applies to non-profit organizations. To determine if your organization is in good standing with the Secretary of State, you

1. Search for your organization’s name on the following webpage: https://mblsportal.sos.mn.gov/Business/Search
2. Click ‘Details’
3. Review ‘Status’
4. Complete question 11 in the Pre-Award Risk Assessment Questionnaire

We are hiring a contractor to plant balled and burlap trees. How do you navigate the MNDOT certification requirement in this scenario?

If your community plans to plant Balled and Burlap trees through a contractor, the contractor (i.e., the planting organization) must complete the MNDOT Certified Landscape Specialist training. This should be detailed in the ‘Key Personal’ section of the application.

Why is match not encouraged?

Match is not encouraged because grantees must be held accountable for the match submitted in their applications. If a grantee has, but cannot meet match, then grant funds may be withheld.

What is there has been an extreme weather event that has reduced canopy since the last canopy assessment or inventory? What if a species falls outside of the 20-10-5 guidelines, but has cultural significance to the area?

Grantees are encouraged to justify any decisions regarding the Species & Stock list in the submitted application.

What if the most recent closeout form for a community is not detailed?

If the provided closeout form does not have much detail and contains no constructive comments, assume that the grant was closed in good standing.

Can we apply for both Community Tree Planting and ReLeaf? Can we be awarded both?

Yes, communities may apply for both grants; however, project details for each grant should be separate and distinct. It is possible that you could be awarded both but may be unlikely due to differing prioritization metrics and unique characteristics of each grant.

Do the exact locations of grant activities need to be known at the time of application?

Exact locations of work using grant funds (e.g., planting, removal, pruning, etc.) do not need to be submitted with the application. Acceptable location descriptions of proposed grant activities include, but are not limited to, street names, neighborhoods, parks, trails, and priority areas.

Who is considered an authorized signer?

Authorized signers can vary depending on community/organizational requirements. Examples may include the Public Works Director, mayor, city clerk, or other individuals that play a prominent role in the proposed project.

Does the timeline I submit as part of my grant application have to be exactly the same as what happens throughout the grant period if my community is awarded?

No, timelines can change due to a variety of reasons. If a project’s timeline deviates from what was originally proposed, grantees will work with their grant administrator to determine how to move forward.

If a city has multiple departments who want to apply for ReLeaf with different projects how would you navigate reviewing and awarding those? For example, if a wood waste team wants to apply for a wood waste project and a different department wants to apply to remove and replace trees. Could both be awarded?

A city or organization can apply for multiple unique projects. Grantees should try to combine organization projects into one application whenever possible. A single organization will not receive more than the maximum grant amount ($500,000) regardless of the number of projects/applications they submit if they are awarded for multiple projects.

Is there a certain amount or percentage of awards/funding that will be going to the metro vs. Outstate Minnesota?

Consistent with legislative intent, we will follow the prioritization metrics outlined within the Request for Applications. These prioritization metrics do not include a certain percentage for each portion of the state.

Are the previous DNR Grants asked about in the Pre-Award Risk Assessment questionnaire the same as the grant closeouts mentioned on the last page of the application?

Yes and no. Question 2 in the Pre-Award Risk Assessment Questionnaire is referring to all DNR grants (including UCF). This information is used to determine if risk mitigation strategies need to be discussed and developed, should the grant be awarded.
The past grant performance question on the final page of the application is referring only to grants that applicants have had with the Urban & Community Forestry Program. This information is considered in application scoring (pg. 13 of RFA).

What determines good standing for a grant closeout?

Good standing on the grant closeout is determined by grantee communication and reporting throughout the grant period. For example, submitting reports in a complete and timely manner, communicating with grant administrator any major changes, and using all grant funds.

The RFA states "All trees removed and planted on public property must be mapped and submitted as shapefiles, with the planted trees identified by species." We do not have shapefile generating software. How to we submit maps?

For the purposes of the application, PDF maps of the project area are preferred.
If awarded, grantees without access to shapefile generating software may be able to submit PDF maps or work with their grant administrator to utilize mapping resources available through DNR.

On the pre-award risk assessment questionnaire, it says that we must sign with a digital signature, if we aren't able to do that are we allowed to print off the questionnaire sign it in person, then just rescan the document with our signature or will only digital signatures be accepted?

Though digital signatures are preferred, as instructed in the form, wet signatures are also accepted.

As a nonprofit that owns our own land, do we follow the application guidelines for residential properties?

As a non-profit organization, you do not have to follow the guidelines for residential tree care if your proposed grant activities occur on your organization’s property.

The RFP states, "Local units of government must adopt an urban and community forest management plan through this grant process if the community does not yet have one in place." Does this extend to educational institutions? Are there stipulations for what a tree management plan should cover?

The management plan requirement for ReLeaf grants only applies to local units of government. This requirement does not extend to higher education, though if the applicant has a management plan that is relevant to the proposed project it may provide additional context to the application. Examples include, but are not limited to, a forestry-related climate adaption plan, all lands management plan, or emerald ash borer management plan.

The RFA and application both state that past grant performance and the associated question are scored out of 5 points, which is weighted separately from the other 100 points from the rest of the application. Can you provide specifics on how past grant performance is weighted against the rest of the application?

Past grant performance score is considered separately, as indicated by the Priority Tiered Review Rubric in the RFAs. In this, 3 items are considered: priority score, application score (out of 100), and the past grant performance score (out of 5). The order in which applications will be reviewed is determined by the priority score. To be funded, the application must meet Minimum Required Project score of 70 and either no Past Grant Performance Score (e.g. no Grant Closeout Form was available) or a Minimum Past Grant Performance score of 3, or greater.

Could you provide me with a sample contract to understand the language surrounding reporting requirements?

There is no sample grant contract readily available for ReLeaf. However, much of the language included in the RFA is what will be in the contract.
Language referring to reporting requirements can be found on pages 9-10 of the ReLeaf RFA.

Who should we address the Letter of Support to?

Letters of support can use a general greeting (e.g., ‘To Whom it My Concern’) or be addressed directly to the ReLeaf Grant Review Committee.
All letters should be included in the application packet, rather than mailed directly to DNR.

A requirement in the application reads as follows: All trees removed and planted on public property must be mapped and submitted as shapefiles, with the planted trees identified by species.
As far as the map of where the trees will be planted, does the tree species actually need to be identified on each individual tree on the map for the application? Or is the Species and Stock list we will be submitting be sufficient for the types of trees to be planted?

For the application, just a species and stock list and general project area information are fine for the application. When it comes to reimbursement, that is when you would need to provide the maps with species labels on each tree.

Prevailing Wage

Does the 2025 ReLeaf grant require prevailing wages for the tree inventory contractor? I did not see it in the Request for Application.

For projects under $25,000 or that do not fall under work covered by Prevailing Wage laws, Prevailing Wage does not apply. Tree inventory projects would not involve work covered under Prevailing Wage laws and therefore they would not apply.

If we are spending more than $25,000 towards tree removal, does prevailing wage apply?

DNR cannot help determine whether prevailing wage applies to a project, but can provide applicants with some resources from the Department of Labor and Industry to aid in this determination:

• Prevailing wage: State grant programs
• Prevailing-wage FAQS related to landscaping projects

Bidding

We will hire a contractor for our project. Do you require applicants to seek more than one contractor quote? Like a competitive bid process.

No, the ReLeaf program does not require a formal bidding process, but you do need to follow your organization’s normal purchasing rules and make sure costs are reasonable. Grantees also must not contract with vendors who are suspended or debarred in MN.

Funding

Is this funding opportunity likely to be a recurring grant opportunity or is it one-time legislative funding?

We have no guidance as to whether ReLeaf will be a recurring grant opportunity or one-time legislative funding. This is determined by the Legislature.

Are the proposals judged on an all-or-nothing basis, or could the proposal be partially funded?

Yes, proposals can be partially funded. If that is the case, then DNR staff will work with you to review and approve an amended application and budget.

Would requesting less on the application increase the chance of us being selected? Is the DNR’s goal to spread the grant wealth around to as many applicants as possible, assuming equally competitive applications?

There is no specific number of grant awards we intend on making. We encourage communities to apply for the amount of funding that fits the project they can feasibly accomplish within the grant period. Your chance of being funding is tied to the prioritization elements and the scored grant criteria outlined within the RFA and not to the amount of funding being requested.

Reimbursement

How much is retained at every reimbursement request until the end of the grant?

All complete reimbursement requests received by the deadlines will be reviewed by DNR staff. Provided that the grantee is in compliance with all terms of the Request for Application and grant contracts, verified project activities and eligible expenses will be reimbursed up to 90%, with 10% retained until the project is completed.
Accommodations may be offered in select circumstances, and in accordance with Office of Grants Management policies, at the discretion of the agency. Please reach out to DNR staff at [email protected] for more information on requesting accommodations.

Priority Area

Can DNR provide shapefiles so we can determine priority areas?

Yes, please email [email protected] to request the shapefile.

Why are the High Supplemental Demographic Index (SDI) census tracts in Met Councils map for Community Tree Planting Grants different from the census tracts identified under the DNR’s UCF Priority Area Map?

The Environmental Justice Screening Tool allowed for users to define supplemental demographic index scores for census tracts based either on the United States as a whole or just within the state. Met Council used the “compare to state” metric whereas DNR used the “compare to US” metric when creating these maps. The “compare to US” was the standard comparison metric within the Environmental Justice Screening Tool and was utilized by DNR to follow the prioritization metrics outlined in legislative language. The DNR has now updated the map to include parcels who meet the 70th percentile threshold based on the “compare to state data”. All census tracts that were previously marked as priority remain in the priority layer, and new tracts have been added based on the clarified data metric. To accommodate for this clarification, we will extend grant application deadline to November 11, 2025.

Are cities with higher percentages the ones more likely to get funding no matter what based on the scoring system? If so, would reducing our funding request make us more competitive?

Your priority score will be based on the amount of work being done in priority areas outlined on your application and not based on just the amount of priority area in the city. For example, if all of your grant efforts were in the 24% that is a priority area then you would score 100% for the first priority element. If 50% of the work would be done in the priority areas, then you would score as 50% for that first priority and so on.

Budget

What if trees are not available at nurseries? What if we can’t spend all the funding?

If funding is not spent by the June 30th, 2027, deadline set by the Legislature, the money returns to the General Fund. Returning funds in this way makes it appear that communities did not need the money allocated for these grants.
If all funds cannot be spent within the grant period, grantees should notify UCF staff as soon as possible so it can be reallocated.

What if the cost of materials change? Can budgets be flexed or reallocated?

It is not uncommon for the cost of materials and activities to change in the time between the application and the work period. If costs change, grantees are responsible for the utilizing the total amount awarded and all achievements listed in the grant contract, but budgets can be reallocated to accommodate changing costs. If grant costs change during the grant period, inform your DNR grant administrator for steps on how to navigate budget modification.

Eligible Applicants

Is a nonprofit healthcare facility eligible for the ReLeaf Grant?

Yes, as long as the applicant has 501c designation they are eligible to apply for this grant.

Reporting

Would it be possible for a grantee to complete one large request for reimbursement at the end of the grant period, so long as they engage in regular reporting throughout the grant period?

Yes. Reimbursement does not have to be requested at every report, and grantees are allowed to complete one large request for reimbursement at the end of the grant period, so long as they submit the required reporting throughout the grant period.