Building Better Neighborhoods
Community-Based Landscaping
Grant Program

Landscaping is a key component of GMHF’s Building Better Neighborhoods (BBN) program because vegetation and trees add curb appeal to homes and increase the value of the neighborhood to the community and homebuyers. Landscaping can also serve to reduce homeowner energy consumption costs, prevent erosion, and provide wildlife habitat.

Encouraging Attention to Home and Urban Landscape: As BBN developments have been completed over the past seven years, it has become apparent that the landscaping has been largely neglected by developers and/or homeowners. The key factors limiting landscaping include pressure on developers to meet initial affordability guidelines and homebuyers’ lack of financial resources necessary to complete the envisioned landscaping. What limited money homeowners have access to is typically spent on other expenses, such as finishing bedrooms for growing families.

Funds Available to Organize Neighborhood Planting Events: To encourage communities to organize grassroots neighborhood planting events in BBN developments, GMHF is providing non-profit organizations, cities, and others completing BBN developments funds to organize neighborhood landscaping events. The events will engage dozens of residents in neighborhood-wide planting programs and utilize donated, low-cost or resident-organized plantings.

Download the one-page grant application (.doc or .pdf).

Fostering Resident Leadership and Initiative: Organizations are encouraged to recruit and pay a stipend and other costs to a neighborhood resident to engage and enlist the assistance of neighbors and the community. Such community landscaping projects will improve the appearance of neighborhoods and serve to create a sense of community among residents. The neighborhood organizer will:

  • Promote the event to residents and the community;
  • Recruit volunteers from the community;
  • Raise funds from residents, community organizations, local business, and other funders;
  • Enlist the assistance of local tree farms, local foresters, U of M Extension Office, Minnesota DNR and other “greenthumb” organizations to assist with locating and obtaining low-cost seedlings and educate residents on planting and maintenance of landscaping;
  • Research where to purchase seedlings at the lowest cost;
  • Seek press coverage of the event; and
  • Prepare a one-page report on the project, which includes photos.

BBN neighborhoods that apply for funds must have significant portions of the development completed to accommodate the planting event and the proposed landscaping project must be large enough in scale to be effective. GMHF will provide guidance to locate educational materials and resources on landscaping and planting. Neighborhood organizers would be encouraged to locate free or low-cost seedlings through:

View educational materials and resources assembled by GMHF.

FUNDING AVAILABILITY

Applications will be accepted on a pipeline basis throughout the year. Applicants may apply for up to $3,000 to organize neighborhood planting events in significantly completed Building Better Neighborhoods developments. Applications for the Community-Based Landscaping Grant Program are available for immediate download (.doc or .pdf) or by contacting GMHF directly.

CONTACT

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund
332 Minnesota Street, Suite 1310E
Saint Paul, MN 55101
Web Site: www.gmhf.com
(p) 800-277-2258 or 651-221-1997
(f) 651-221-1904
(e) gmhf@gmhf.com

GMHF PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL LINKS AND RESOURCES TO FACILITATE COMMUNITY-BASED LANDSCAPING EFFORTS

Sources of Low-Cost Seedlings and Planting Materials ::

Educational Materials ::

Minnesota DNR

University of Minnesota

Minnesota Power

National Arbor Day Foundation

Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee

Back to GMHF funding resources.
The Value of Trees
to a Community
"The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day."
-U.S. Department of Agriculture

"Trees can boost the market value of your home by an average of six or seven percent."
-Dr. Lowell Ponte

"Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent."
-Management Information Services/ICMA

"One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people."
-U.S. Department of Agriculture

"There are about 60 to 200 million spaces along our city streets where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, and saving $4 billion in energy costs."
-National Wildlife Federation

"Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 - 50 percent in energy used for heating."
 -USDA Forest Service

"Trees can be a stimulus to economic development, attracting new business and tourism. Commercial retail areas are more attractive to shoppers, apartments rent more quickly, tenants stay longer, and space in a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent."
-The National Arbor Day Foundation

"Shade from trees could save up to $175 per year (per structure) in air conditioning costs."
-Dr. Lowell Ponte

"Healthy, mature trees add an average of 10 percent to a property's value."
-USDA Forest Service

"The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams."
-USDA Forest Service

"In laboratory research, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension."
-Dr. Roger S. Ulrich Texas A&M University

"Nationally, the 60 million street trees have an average value of $525 per tree."
-Management Information Services