January - March 2015
Tree Resource Improvement And Maintenance (TRIM) Grant
TRIM is a competitive, cost-share tree care program administered by the Missouri Department of Conservation in cooperation with the Missouri Community Forest Council. The program provides reimbursement of $1,000 to $10,000 to assist government agencies, public schools, and nonprofit groups with the management, improvement, or conservation of trees on public lands. Dependent on budget approval, we may be able to offer up to three $25,000-maximum grants, with collection of data and management-plan creation as the priorities.
Projects eligible for TRIM funding include tree inventory, removal or pruning of hazardous trees, tree planting, and training of volunteers and city/county employees to best care for our community forests.
Applicants must submit a completed application form, which details project costs and funding sources, maps and drawings of the project site, a three-year maintenance plan for the project, and a letter of approval from the governmental body owning the proposed project site. The application deadline is June 5.
Projects for funding are selected on a competitive basis. A panel of judges assess each proposal for its value to the
community, thoroughness as a tree-management program and the ability to promote, improve and develop a community's urban forest, and economic feasibility.
Grant recipients can receive up to 60 percent of the money needed for their projects. Projects located in communities with The Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA designation are eligible for an additional 10 percent in matching funds.
An application workbook is available in PDF format at http://mdc.mo.gov/mdc/online-trim-grant-application to help interested communities put together a first-rate proposal.