MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS News) - Local governments, nonprofit organizations and public educational institutions across Tennessee, including eligible organizations in Rutherford County, have an opportunity to receive state funding aimed at planting more trees and expanding tree canopy coverage in urban and suburban communities.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) is accepting applications for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program Community Tree Planting Program, which provides financial assistance for projects that increase tree coverage while supporting healthier and more sustainable urban ecosystems.

“Our Urban and Community Forestry Program partners with Tennessee’s communities, helping them enhance the well-being of residents by cultivating and sustaining healthy urban and community forests,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “One way we do that is through financial assistance that expands access to the benefits trees provide, including stormwater mitigation, cleaner air and reduced heat.”

The grant program is funded by the State of Tennessee and administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry. According to TDF, the program is specifically intended to increase the tree resource base in Tennessee cities and towns rather than simply provide landscaping or beautification. The agency notes that trees can provide communities with benefits that include shade and energy savings, stormwater mitigation, rain interception and improvements in air quality.

Eligible applicants include municipalities and other units of local government, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions such as schools, colleges and universities. Grants range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $20,000.

Eligible expenses can include the purchase and shipping of trees, contracted planting services, mulch, irrigation devices, tree labels and signage.

The program could have particular relevance in Rutherford County as Murfreesboro continues to deal with the environmental effects associated with rapid development and urbanization. The City of Murfreesboro’s Natural Resource Management program states that rapid growth and urbanization in Murfreesboro and the surrounding area have affected local natural systems as well as plant and wildlife communities. Among the concerns identified by the city are increased stormwater runoff as impervious surfaces expand, habitat fragmentation and degradation of natural areas. 

Murfreesboro is already involved in local conservation and native-plant initiatives through Outdoor Murfreesboro’s Natural Resource Division. Its Murfreesboro Indigenous Plant Project works specifically to promote the conservation, preservation and landscape use of plants native to Rutherford County and the Inner Central Basin of Middle Tennessee. The program grows locally appropriate native plants for restoration projects, city properties and residents, and has installed native vegetation at locations including Murfree Spring Wetlands Natural Area and Barfield Park. 

While there has been no indication that Rutherford County or the City of Murfreesboro has applied for the newly announced grant funding, the existing local conservation programs illustrate how tree planting and native vegetation are already being used to address environmental concerns associated with growth in the area.

Applications for the TAEP Community Tree Planting Program must be submitted online by 5 p.m. Central time on Friday, September 4, 2026.

• Those seeking assistance with a proposal can contact Urban and Community Forestry Program Coordinator Ashley Kite-Rowland at Ashley.Kite-Rowland@tn.gov.

Additional information and application materials are available through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Community Tree Planting Program. The state’s official program page confirms that applicants can seek up to $20,000, with a minimum request of $500. 

The Tennessee Division of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Program works with communities across the state through outreach, education and financial assistance designed to encourage healthy and sustainable community forests. The Division of Forestry also provides services related to forest health, landowner assistance, tree seedlings, forest inventory, forest industries and wildland fire protection.