Metro Blooms

METRO BLOOMS, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN MINNESOTA, PROPOSES A PROJECT TO REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO POLLINATOR HABITAT CREATION FOR RESIDENTS ACROSS THE STATE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MINNESOTA BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES, METRO BLOOMS ADMINISTERS THE LAWNS TO LEGUMES INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH ITS BLUE THUMB PROGRAM. THIS STATEWIDE PROGRAM REIMBURSES INDIVIDUALS FOR INSTALLING NATIVE PLANTINGS THAT SUPPORT POLLINATORS. HOWEVER, AN EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM REVEALED THAT ITS REIMBURSEMENT-ONLY MODELREQUIRED BY THE STATES FUNDING STRUCTURECAN DISCOURAGE PARTICIPATION, PARTICULARLY AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES.TO ADDRESS THIS BARRIER, METRO BLOOMS SEEKS FUNDING FOR A VOUCHER-BASED ASSISTANCE MODEL FOR LAWNS TO LEGUMES PARTICIPANTS WHO CANNOT AFFORD UPFRONT PROJECT COSTS. UNDER THIS PROPOSED INITIATIVE, 60 OR MORE PARTICIPANTS ACROSS THE SPRING 2026 AND SPRING 2027 LAWNS TO LEGUMES COHORTS WILL RECEIVE VOUCHERSEACH VALUED AT UP TO $400FOR NATIVE PLANTS FROM PARTICIPATING NURSERIES. THESE VOUCHERS WILL ENABLE PARTICIPANTS TO BEGIN THEIR POLLINATOR PLANTING PROJECTS WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF AN INITIAL PILOT, WE ARE SEEKING FUNDING TO EXPAND AND SUSTAIN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, ENSURING CONTINUED ACCESS FOR THOSE WHO NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE.METRO BLOOMS STAFF WILL LEAD PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION. THIS INCLUDES OUTREACH TO ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS, DISTRIBUTION OF VOUCHERS, AND COORDINATION WITH RECIPIENTS AND VENDORS TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL PROJECT COMPLETION. STAFF WILL ALSO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND GUIDANCE TAILORED TO VOUCHER RECIPIENTS TO SUPPORT THEIR HABITAT INSTALLATION EFFORTS. ALL VOUCHER-FUNDED POLLINATOR HABITAT INSTALLATIONS WILL BE COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER 30, 2027. THIS INITIATIVE IS EXPECTED TO BROADEN ACCESS TO LAWNS TO LEGUMES, ENGAGE A BROADER SOCIOECONOMIC RANGE OF COMMUNITIES IN POLLINATOR CONSERVATION, AND CONTRIBUTE TO MORE RESILIENT, POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY ECOSYSTEMS ACROSS MINNESOTA.

METRO BLOOMS, A 501C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, IS SUBCONTRACTING WITH THE BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES TO ADMINISTER THE LAWNS TO LEGUMES INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT AWARDS PROGRAM THROUGH METRO BLOOM S BLUE THUMB PROGRAM THE LAWNS TO LEGUMES PROGRAM PROVIDES COST SHARE ASSISTANCE TO MINNESOTA TO HELP THEM INSTALL POLLINATOR PROJECTS IN THEIR YARDS THE PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS TO RESIDENTS IN THE STATE BASED ON SOCIO ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION THE COST REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE FUNDING IS A BARRIER FOR RESIDENTS ON THE BASIS OF SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS AND IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERN BY ELIMINATING THE COST REIMBURSEMENT COMPONENT FOR RESIDENTS AND PROVIDING DIRECT VOUCHER ASSISTANCE WE HOPE TO REDUCE A BARRIER AND IMPROVE PARTICIPATION FROM ALL RESIDENTS, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON RESIDENTS OF LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS OF CONCERN BLUE THUMB STAFF WILL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM, PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VOUCHERS ON THE WEBSITE, AT THE STATE FAIR AND IN MEDIA AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO ALL RESIDENCES WITH A FOCUS ON RESIDENTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS OF THE STATE FOR THE FALL 2022 COHORT OF POTENTIAL APPLICANTS AND AWARDEES PROVIDE 250 NATIVE PLANT VOUCHERS FOR UP TO 30 35 PARTICIPANTS WHO INDICATE A NEED FOR VOUCHER ASSISTANCE AND COLLECT AND REPORT OUTCOMES OF VOUCHERS DISTRIBUTED AND PROJECTS COMPLETED BY JUNE 30, 2023