 Hennepin County has grants available to cities, affordable housing properties, schools, and non-profit organizations to enhance the county’s tree canopy.
The goals of the program are to combat threats to trees from invasive insects and disease by funding tree plantings, educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees, and increase the diversity and resiliency of the tree canopy.
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Type of grants available
Different types of grants and funding amounts are available depending on the type of organization. See the tree grant flyer (PDF) and the tree grants web page for more information on the different types of grants available.
Cities
Two types of grants are available.
- Step 1 is for cities to conduct or complete tree inventories.
- Step 2 is for cities with completed inventories to implement tree plantings, maintain newly planted trees, replace ash trees, conduct outreach, develop gravel-bed nurseries, and develop tree management plans.
Affordable housing properties
Grants are available for tree removals and planting replacement trees on affordable housing properties.
Schools and non-profit organizations
Grants are available for tree plantings on school or community properties, tree-related education, and Arbor Day celebrations.
Information meetings
Learn more about the grants and get feedback on project ideas at an information meeting.
- For city staff: Thursday, November 1 from 9 to 10 a.m. at Ridgedale Library in room 172
- For affordable housing properties, schools and non-profit organizations: Thursday, November 1 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Ridgedale Library in room 172
How to apply
Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Monday, December 10. Applications must be submitted through the online Supplier Portal.
Learn more about the grants and the application process.
Hennepin County has created a tree planting prioritization map that factors in both environmental and demographic data to identify areas that have lower tree canopy cover and higher need.
How trees address disparities
Trees provide many benefits, but these benefits are not shared equally across neighborhoods. For example, many lower income neighborhoods have fewer trees. Hennepin County strives to reduce persistent disparities in health, income, and employment among its residents.
Tree canopy improvements play a role in reducing disparities because they provide the following benefits to health, environment, and communities:
- Trees help clean the air, reducing health issues like asthma and cardiovascular problems.
- The presence of trees reduces stress, encourages active living, and reduces crime.
- Trees provide shade that reduces energy use and cools our streets and buildings, mitigating the impacts of heat waves.
- Trees slow the flow of rain water, acting as a natural water filter and preventing erosion.
- Trees improve property values.
About the map
The tree planting prioritization map uses the University of Minnesota Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis Lab's 2015 land cover classification data for the Twin Cities as well as disparity data such as income, housing, and health. This analysis will help Hennepin County prioritize locations for tree plantings on county property and will be used as a selection criteria for awarding healthy tree canopy grants. The map can be used as a resource for cities and organizations when planning tree planting locations.
The following GIS layers or topics are included: air quality, education, employment, health (asthma), housing, impervious surfaces, income, population density, tree canopy cover, urban heat island temperatures, and water quality.
Access the online interactive map, view a pdf of the map, and review the methodology for the map.
 Help beautify the Hiawatha corridor! Hennepin County is holding a community tree planting to add more than 70 trees along the bike path on Hiawatha Avenue.
The tree planting will take place on Saturday, October 20 from 10 a.m. to noon on Hiawatha Avenue between 32nd Street and 38th Street in Minneapolis.
No experience is necessary. Hennepin County foresters will provide all the tools and instruction on how to plant trees. This is a family friendly event. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Shane DeGroy at shane.degroy@hennepin.us or 612-543-3697.
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