Planning Assistance Grants

Investing in planning that builds on community strengths
Planning assistance grants are non-competitive grants offered by the Metropolitan Council to support 2050 Comprehensive Plan updates. All eligible communities who submit a complete application by Nov. 6, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. will be awarded a grant at the base award levels. The awardee is also eligible to work toward one or both of the opt-in incentive grants - Early Plan Completion and/or Advancing Regional Goals. 
 

Timeline:  

  • May 2026 (early) – Grant application opens. 
  • Nov. 6, 2026 – Grant application closes at 3:00 p.m.  
    • ​Monthly – After the first of each month, all applications submitted during the month prior will be processed.  
  • Oct. 10, 2028 – Early Plan Completion Incentive Grant deadline for 2050 Comprehensive Plan submissions.
  • Oct. 31, 2028 – Deadline for Met Council staff to deem 2050 Comprehensive Plan submissions complete to qualify for the Early Plan Completion Incentive Grant.  
  • Dec. 31, 2028 – Deadline for all Planning Assistance grantees to submit their 2050 Comprehensive Plan to receive full base grant amount.   
For complete application and grant information, read the Planning Assistance Grant Guide, and the How to Apply section below.  

The Met Council recognizes that updating local comprehensive plans requires significant time, knowledge, and resources from municipal partners. This burden often falls most heavily on the region’s least populous communities. Planning Assistance Grants provide direct funding assistance to support a subset of communities in the region with 2050 Comprehensive Plan updates.  

Sixty-four individual communities, Scott County and Carver County, and one consortium of five or more rural service area communities in Dakota County have been identified as eligible for Planning Assistance Grants, at the following base funding levels: 
 

  • 60 sewered communities - $40,000 each 

  • 4 unsewered communities - $25,000 each 

  • Scott County, Carver County, and Consortium = $110,000 each  

Eligible communities are identified on this map and list. 
  
In addition to the base-level funding, grantee communities are eligible for two opt-in incentive grants: 

  • Early Plan Completion - $4,000 

  • Advancing Regional Goals - $10,000  

Information about and criteria to qualify for the incentive grants will be provided in early 2026. 

Eligible communities for the non-competitive Planning Assistance Grants were identified based on selection criteria adopted by the Met Council. The criteria aimed at selecting communities in the region with a greater need for assistance to fund and manage a comprehensive planning process. The two criteria used in estimating need were current population and adjusted net tax capacity per capita of the community compared to the metro median.  

Communities eligible for a Planning Assistance Grant meet one of the following three criteria:  

  1. Current population (2024) is between 2,500 to 14,999 AND adjusted net tax capacity per capita (2024) is less than or equal to 125% of metro median net tax capacity per capita; or   

  1. Current population (2024) is between 15,000 to 35,000 AND adjusted net tax capacity per capita (2024) is less than or equal to 100% of metro median net tax capacity per capita; or   

  1. County with land use planning authority for townships within their jurisdiction OR a consortium of 5 or more Dakota County communities in the Rural Service Area working collaboratively on their comprehensive plan updates.    

Under these criteria, a total of 64 individual communities, 2 counties, and 1 consortium group are eligible for planning assistance grants.   

Communities eligible for planning assistance grants are identified on this list and map. 

Step 1: Review the grant requirements and instructions in the 2026 Planning Assistance Grant Guide. 

Step 2: Identify who will be responsible for entering and submitting an application online, and make sure this person has an account in the Met Council’s online grants management system, Fluxx. You can log in here. 

  • Please refer to the Met Council’s Fluxx Information webpage for a Fluxx User Guide, as well as general tips and resources. 

Step 3: Create a new Planning Assistance Grant application.  

  • Within Fluxx, navigate to the “Apply For Funding” page, and find the Planning Assistance section. Click “Start your application.”  

  • Be sure to add yourself as a contact on the grant application before closing it, to ensure you are able to access it after saving. 

Step 4: Complete the brief online application form. 

Step 5: Upload your authorizing resolution(s).

Step 6: Upload your work plan and budget (template coming soon!) 

Step 7: Click “SAVE.” When your application is complete, click “SAVE AND CLOSE.” You will see a “SUBMIT” button. Submit before 3:00 p.m. on Nov 6, 2026  

​After the first of each month, all Planning Assistance Grant applications submitted during the month prior will be reviewed and processed by Met Council staff. This process includes confirming eligibility, approving the work plan, receiving any additional needed information from the applicant, setting up the accounting records and payment forms, and executing the grant agreement.  

Read the 2026 Planning Assistance Grant Guide for complete grantee requirements, including use of funds, grant extensions, and the grant closeout process. 

Semi-Annual Reports 

You will be prompted to submit a progress report through Fluxx, Met Council’s online grant management system twice a year. Fluxx will send automated emails reminding grantees of these report deadlines.  

Check-ins with Sector Representatives 

Grantees will also meet with their sector representative at least twice throughout the grant period. The first meeting with your sector representative will be near the mid-point of your grant activity period, sometime between Aug 2027 and Nov 2027. This meeting is required to receive the second half of grant funds. It's an opportunity to provide an update on how your planning process is progressing, make any updates to your work plan, and get connected with resources and technical support.  

Your sector representative will use your work plan and most recent semi-annual progress report as a guide for the discussion. This may also include how work toward meeting the Early Plan Completion deadline and/or any identified Advancing Regional Goals outcomes is progressing. You may submit an updated work plan before or after the mid-point check in. 

Emma Dvorak
Senior Planner, Local Planning Assistance
651-602-1399
[email protected]