The City is eligible for the Metropolitan Council’s 2016 - 2018 Planning Assistance Grant program. The maximum grant award is $32,000. The grant award can be used for costs directly associated with your local 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update. Eligible costs include staff pay, consultant and professional services, printing and publishing; provided that they are entirely consistent with a Council-approved work plan and budget and executed two-party grant agreement, the Council’s Comprehensive Development Guide, the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, and other applicable state laws. Grant funds may not be used for costs incurred prior to execution of a grant agreement between the Metropolitan Council and your community.

It is important to note that Planning Assistance Grants are non-competitive grants to eligible communities for the 10-year update to their local comprehensive plans.

Upon execution of a grant agreement, communities will be expected to have their local Comprehensive Plan Update reviewed and adopted by December 31, 2018. To retain eligibility for funding, the local Plan Update will be required to meet the Statutory 6-month Requirements for Adjacent and Affected Jurisdiction Review. In addition, the local Plan Update must be complete as described in the Council’s Local Planning Handbook (see http://metrocouncil.org/Handbook.aspx), must conform to metropolitan system plans of the Council, must be consistent with the adopted policies of the Council, and must be compatible with the plans of adjacent and affected jurisdictions. Grantees will also be expected to submit both a mid-point and final progress report and to maintain accurate and complete accounts, financial records, and supporting documents relating to the receipt and expenditure of the grant funds.

The Planning Assistance Grant will be disbursed in two installments, with the first 50% of the grant amount disbursed to the Grantee within 30 days after final execution of a grant agreement and the remaining 50% disbursed after the Council has reviewed and acted upon the Grantee’s Comprehensive Plan Update, with that action finding that the Update meets all Statutory requirements for timeliness, completeness, conformance, consistency, and compatibility. 

A full list and map of the communities eligible for Planning Assistance Grants can be found at http://www.metrocouncil.org/Communities/Planning/Local-Planning-Assistance/Maps,-forms-misc/Planning-Assistance-Fund-Communities.aspx. Please be advised that your community is eligible.  Applications which request grant assistance in excess of the designated award amount may be delayed in processing, and will only be approved for funding up to the maximum award amount.