The Missouri Department of Conservation is offering its annual cost-share grants to assist government entities and non-profits with management, improvement, and conservation of trees and forests on public land.
The Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) cost-share grants can help communities fund tree inventories, removal or pruning of hazardous trees, tree planting, and the training of volunteers and city/county employees to best care for community forests.
TRIM grants are administered by MDC in cooperation with the Missouri Community Forest Council. The program provides reimbursements of $1,000 to $10,000 to grant recipients to fund up to 60 percent of the money needed for projects. Projects located in communities with the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA designation are eligible for an additional 15 percent in matching funds. Applicants must submit a completed application by June 7th.
Applications are to include details on project costs and funding sources, maps and drawings of the project site, and a narrative outlining the purpose and anticipated long-term impacts of the project.
Grant application forms are available at mdc.mo.gov/trim. Proposals are assessed on a competitive basis for their value to the community, the ability to promote, improve and develop a community’s urban forest, and economic feasibility.
