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BWSR's Conservation Tracking System

All BWSR grants are tracked through eLINK, BWSR's conservation tracking system. BWSR uses eLINK to distribute grant agreements, capture applications and funding requests, and to track grant progress from initial grant award through final closeout.

Access eLINK at https://elink.bwsr.state.mn.us.

eLINK is used by BWSR and its local government, tribal government, and nonprofit grantee partners to track progress on grants, pollution reduction benefits, cumulative grant funding over a period of years, and map locations of projects on a statewide, or on a county, watershed, or individual-project basis.

We do not have a public data portal in eLINK. However, you can access eLINK data at https://gisdata.mn.gov/dataset/env-state-cons-bmp-locs.

 

eLINK Training Videos
eLINK Cookbook

Managing Grant Activities and Submitting a Work Plan

Progress Reporting

Mapping Activity Details

Expenditures

Attachments

 

Account Setup and Contact Management Guidance
Funding Request Guidance
Grants Guidance
  • eLINK Reporting at a Glance: (updated December 22, 2023) - This is reference of basic reporting elements that are expected to be entered in eLINK. Additional program reporting details may also be required.
  • Accessing Your Grant Agreement or Amendment : provides guidance on how to access, complete, and submit a grant agreement from BWSR. (updated June 22, 2023)
  • Managing Activities: provides further detail on how to manage activities as part of workplans and reporting; including adding new activities, editing activities, and funding activities through more than one grant.
  • Progress Reporting: provides basic guidance on how to complete a progress report in eLINK. Progress reporting is a means to illustrate achievements and progress made towards grant program goals and to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of State funds.
  • Chart of Practices by Activity Category (PDF): chart indicates which practices are available selections under each Activity Category in eLINK. (updated December 2023)
  • Activity Categories: provides a description of the categories used in eLINK filter details in the system and create reports where listing of individual activities is not necessary or appropriate outside the system. (updated March 1, 2023)
  • Practices: provides a description of practices available for reporting under the Activity Details (updated March 1, 2023)
  • Grouping and Splitting Activities: provides guidance on when to group or split projects by Activity or Activity Details in eLINK. (updated March 1, 2023)
  • Reporting Nonstructural Land Management Practices (NLMPs): provides guidance on how to report NLMPs where a contract is implemented over multiple years, and where the practice location may change each year. (updated March 1, 2023)
  • MinnFARM Reporting Guidance: provides guidance for reporting the Minnesota Feedlot Annualized Runoff Model (MinnFARM) pollution reduction estimates in eLINK.
Technical Training Guidance
  • Video Guidance: Basic User Guidance: This video is recommended for all users of the Technical Training IDP tool, and walks through the steps of viewing Organizational Priorities; entering their own Training Needs, Credentials, and Training History; generating an IDP reporting; and searching through the Profiles feature.
  • Video Guidance: Manager Role Guidance: This video highlights the additional permissions and responsibilities of the Manager role, including entering Organizational Priorities, and generating an IDP or entering Training Needs, Creentials, and Training History cn behalf of themselves or their staff.

Water Quality Tools and Models

 

If you have an eLINK question, please email elinksupport@state.mn.us or if you encounter an eLINK error message please submit an elinksupport ticket via the Support form in eLINK.