BWSR grants provide funding to local units of government to deliver soil and water conservation services to their communities. Grant funds support and increase local capacity to implement programs and, provide cost-share with landowners who install conservation practices on their land to benefit state water and soil resources.
Biennial Budget Request
The Biennial Budget Request is a process to coordinate all grants that BWSR manages that protect, restore and enhance Minnesota's water and related land resources. This Initiative will result in increased efficiency in BWSR grant programs, provide information to support State budget processes, and encourage improved local government water quality project planning.
More information available on the Biennial Budget Request page.
Grant Administration Manual
BWSR Grant Administration Manual: Comprehensive instruction manual with administrative requirements for BWSR grant recipients (Posted June 13, 2011)
Apply for Grants
Recent Requests for Proposals and other guidance for grant applicants is on the Apply for BWSR Grants page
Awarded Grants
2011 Competitive Grants Awarded
BWSR has approved $10 million in state dollars for conservation projects that will protect and restore streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater. Funding for the grants was from the Minnesota Clean Water Fund (one of four funds available through the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment). Read the news release
- List of Clean Water Fund Competitive Grants Awarded
- Conservation Drainage Grant projects funded
- Subsurface Sewage Treatment System projects funded
- SSTS Imminent Health Threat Abatement Continuous Signup Awards
More information is on the BWSR Grants Awarded page
Constitutional Amendment Funding
Minnesota voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in 2008 to increase the state sales tax and dedicate the funding for natural resources and cultural heritage. Reports on these expenditures will be published by the Legislative Coordinating Commission
More info:
- BWSR Clean Water Fund page
- Minnesota Constitution(see Article 11, Section 15)
- Clean Water Council
- Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council
Contacts
Grant Recipients:
Programs
- Clean Water Fund Competitive Grants
- State Conservation Cost-Share
- Cooperative Weed Management Area Grant Program
- Native Buffer Grant Program
- Natural Resources Block Grant (NRBG) - (FY 2011 grant allocation posted June 30, 2010) base grants for implementing Comprehensive Local Water Management, Wetland Conservation Act, DNR - Shoreland Management, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Feedlot Permit Program, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Program
- SWCD Conservation Delivery
- SWCD RIM Services Grants
- Clean Water Legacy (One-time funding for this program was approved in 2007, 2008 and 2009)
Outcomes
- Information about projects funded through the Legacy Amendment are available at our Clean Water Stories page.
- eLINK4Web is an online database for tracking expenditures and conservation outcomes
- Pollution Reduction Estimates Reported By Grant Recipients
Resources for Grantees
- BWSR Grant Program Work Plan & Reporting Overview
- WCA 2011 Annual Reporting Form (posted Jan. 10, 2012)
- State Cost-Share Manual and Policy
- What's Working - Comments from grant recipients and other conservation professionals
- Native vegetation establishment resources
Other funding sources:
Minnesota Conservation Funding Guide - Information on Conservation Practices and Payment Rates, Produced by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture
