Eligible Expenses
Q: Can this grant be used to fund staff positions?
A: No, grant funds cannot be used to fund grantee staff time.
Q: Does tree removal also include costs associated with disposal?
A: Costs associated with trees that have been removed with grant funding – including stump grinding and transportation of wood debris - are eligible uses of funds. However, stand-alone wood waste management and costs associated with trees removed with non-grant funding are not eligible grant activities.
Q: Is ongoing maintenance during the grant period an eligible activity?
A: No, maintenance during the grant period on trees planted using grant funds is not an eligible activity for grant funding.
Q: Would starter fertilizer be an eligible expense for planting trees?
A: Yes, starter fertilizer would be considered part of planting costs.
Q: We are collaborating with a local non-profit and considering doing an Arbor Day celebration, outreach, and community education with them. Would paying them for these services through the grant be eligible?
A: While the scoring rubric values community collaboration, to maximize the number of trees planted with these limited funds, the scope of what this grant can cover is narrowly focused on removing and planting trees. Unfortunately, paying for outreach and community education like an Arbor Day event is not within this scope.
Q: Can cities be reimbursed for activities outlined in the required 3-year maintenance plan?
A: We ask for a three-year maintenance plan because we know that maintaining trees through their first years is critical for them staying healthy and alive. However, given the restrictions on grant funding, maintenance costs are not eligible for grant funding. One way grantees can explore having some maintenance costs covered through the grant is to purchase trees with warranties (some of which may include maintenance care). We recognize that applicants will still be responsible for some maintenance costs in that three-year period and view the Establishment and Maintenance Plan as a tool for making sure applicants are thinking through what it will take to make sure trees survive and succeed once planted.
Q: Can grant funds be used to remove healthy ash trees?
A: Yes, because the metro region is now generally infested by Emerald Ash Borer and under a formal quarantine, these grant funds can be used for both healthy and diseased ash tree removal.
Q: Does public school land count as public land?
Yes, if the land is publicly owned, it would be eligible for planting with grant funds. School districts are not eligible applicants, so a city, county, or township would need to be the lead applicant and should document this partnership and agreement in their application. For example, an applicant could include a letter of support from the school district as an optional additional attachment under Grant Documents in Fluxx.
Q: Can grant funds be used for tree removals for non-ash trees?
Yes, removing and replacing non-ash trees that pose a public safety concerns due to disease, pests, or storm damage are an eligible expense.
Q: For trees removed from public woodlands, does the replanting need to occur in the same woodland? Or could a city plant replacement trees in a city park within the same Census Block Group?
In woodland environments, tree replanting must occur at a meaningful rate, no less than one tree planted for every five trees removed. There can be justified rationale for not planting replacement trees in the exact same location as the tree removed like utility interference concerns. We encourage finding a replanting site as close as possible. We do not want projects to remove trees from a block or neighborhood and replant in another neighborhood so that residents experiencing tree removals lose the benefits of having tree canopy in their immediate surroundings.
Q: Is there any flexibility around planting balled and burlapped trees, bare root trees, or trees above a certain diameter?
We recognize that it may be difficult to find certain tree species at certain sizes or stock types. The restrictions in the non-eligible expenses are intended to increase cost effectiveness of grant funding and ensure that trees planted with grant funding successfully grow and reach maturity. If an applicant is hoping to plant a species that they can only find balled and burlapped, for example, they should note that in the Intended Tree Species List attachment in the Other box at the bottom with a brief rationale. Additionally, because balled and burlapped trees are harder to plant successfully, the applicant should take care to explain the qualifications and certifications of the project team in the related question on the application: Describe roles, responsibilities, and expertise on your project team or partners.
Project Scoping
Q: How accurate does my budget need to be?
A: Try to make your budget as accurate as possible at this stage. We recognize that costs may change and that, in some instances, this may impact project scope. Should your project be funded, any changes to project scope, budget, or location must be communicated to the Met Council. Budget adjustments between items of up to 20% of the total budget are allowed without staff review, though must be communicated prior to reimbursement. Adjustments between line items that exceed 20% of the total budget will be reviewed first by staff. Changes to scope, budget or locations that staff determine are significant changes to the original project (that may have made the project less competitive during the selection process) may require an amendment approval by Met Council’s Community Development Committee.
Q: What if my project scope or project sites change after getting a grant? How accurate do my plans need to be at this stage?
A: Our panel reviewers will be looking for evidence that projects are well-conceived, thoroughly planned, and of a realistic scope. Your project will be scored and reviewed based on your proposed sites and activities. Any changes to scope, budget, or locations that staff determine are significant changes to the original project (that may have made the project less competitive during the selection process), may require an amendment approval by Met Council’s Community Development Committee before reimbursement for those changed activities. Throughout your project, communicate changes or challenges in advance to Met Council staff, so they can help you identify options and avoid surprise claim reimbursement denials.
Q: What if the area where trees are being removed does not have enough space for some of the replacement trees because of underground utilities or other infrastructure that is now in place?
A: If there are limitations to replanting in the exact same location due to utilities or other challenges, we suggest looking at public land nearby. Trees should be planted in the same census block group as the tree removed. In the grant narrative, consider explaining the thought process behind replanting locations.
Q: I see a requirement for climate-adapted trees, and a note about species diversity. How do we select tree species that are right for our community?
A: We have provided a worksheet with a list climate-adapted tree species for our region. This worksheet includes a few linked resources that provide further guidance on this. Additionally, building a healthy and resilient community tree canopy requires species diversity. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has a Rapid Assessment Community Tree Report Viewer with 2020 community tree surveys that include species breakdowns for each community. Further stipulations may be included in your grant agreement around tree species, to exclude species that are already over-represented in your community.
Q: Are the species on the list in the Intended Species List the only species we can plant? Can we plant non-native species?
A: The intended species list is not an exhaustive of eligible tree species. Applicants are able to plant additional species in their project and asked to include those species and a brief rationale for including them in the “Other” box on the Intended Tree Species List. All species funded through the grant must be climate-adapted species per Minnesota Statute 473.355. There are some urban climate-adapted species that are non-native, and they are eligible for funding. However, applicants should avoid non-native species that are on the Minnesota Noxious Weed List.
Other
Q: Do you have preferred vendors for purchasing trees?
A: No. The Council leaves that decision to grantees.
Q: Is a municipality required to have a resolution by the City Council submitted with the grant application?
A: You are not required to submit a resolution, but it is expected that any applicant has the approval from their governing body to submit an application/accept a grant award. The authorized representative identified in the application should ensure that they have the proper authority, as determined by each municipality, to submit a grant application.
Q: What will the required reporting process look like?
A: Grant recipients will be prompted by Council staff to submit a project update report every 6 months while the grant is still active through Fluxx, our grant management platform. These short reports will include information about deliverables, activities and expenses to date, updates on any delays, and an expected timeline for the remainder of the project. A final report will also be required before the final reimbursement, at the close of the project.