Grants

Many government agencies in the Twin Cities area offer grants or "cost-share assistance" for landscaping projects that benefit water quality. The details of each agency’s programs differ, but most offer financial assistance for design work, installation and plants. The list below includes some of the agencies that have grant programs in the metro area. To learn about financial assistance programs outside the metro area, contact your local soil and water conservation district.

Anoka Conservation District

http://www.anokaswcd.org/ or contact Nate Zwonitzer at nate.zwonitzer@anokaswcd.org or (763) 434-2030.

Cost-share assistance may be available for residents of Anoka County.

Brown’s Creek Watershed District

http://www.mnbcwd.org or contact Karen Kill at (651) 275-1136 x.26, klkill@mnwcd.org

Cost-share assistance is available for residential projects near impaired water bodies. Grants cover 100% of the design work and 50% of the expenses for installation.
Potential projects for funding include native plantings, raingardens, shoreline and streambank stabilization projects and porous pavement installations. Higher priority is given to collaborative projects and those with opportunities for public education.
BCWD covers northern and western Stillwater, the eastern half of Grant, the southeastern corner of Hugo and southwestern corner of May Township. To view a detailed map of the watershed visit www.bcwd.org/.

Capitol Region Watershed District

http://www.capitolregionwd.org or contact (651) 644-8888

Stewardship Grant Program: The Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) values efforts of individuals and organizations in support of their mission to improve water resources. The District’s Stewardship Grant Program offers cost-share grants for projects or programs with goals to improve water quality or decrease stormwater runoff; preserve native plant and wildlife communities affected by lakes, rivers, and wetlands; or create and carry out water quality education programs.
Eligibility: CRWD Stewardship Grants are available for all CRWD residents, non-profit organizations, government agencies, businesses and corporations located within the CRWD, and public and private schools located within the CRWD.
CRWD covers a large portion of St. Paul and portions of Falcon Heights, Roseville, Lauderdale, and Maplewood. For a district map visit www.capitolregionwd.org.

Carnelian-Marine Watershed District

Contact Amy Carolan at (651) 275-1136 x22 amy.carolan@mnwcd.org

Cost-share assistance is available for residential projects in areas of concern. Grants cover 100% of the design work and 75% of the materials and labor costs.
Potential projects include shoreline and streambank stabilization, raingardens and erosion control projects.
CMWD covers Stillwater Twp., most of May Twp., Marine on St. Croix, and southern and eastern Scandia

Carver County Soil and Water Conservation District

http://www.co.carver.mn.us/Divisions/LandWaterServices/SWCD or contact (952) 466-5230

Cost-share assistance may be available for residents of Carver County.

City of Apple Valley

Contact Jane Byron at 952-953-2462 jbyron@ci.apple-valley.mn.us

Competitive cost-share program for residential, multi-family, and institutionally zoned lots that install water quality improvement or stormwater reduction projects.
Typical projects funded include but are not limited to raingardens, native plant shoreline stabilizations, and stormwater volume reduction projects.

City of Woodbury

Contact (651) 714-3533 or visit the Community Development Department at City Hall

$500 plant grants are available for residential projects in Woodbury, including native gardens, raingardens and shoreline plantings.

Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District

Contact Mikael Isensee at 651-480-7781 or mike.isensee@co.dakota.mn.us

Since 1944, the Dakota County SWCD has been working directly with landowners, connecting them with the financial and technical resources they need to put conservation practices on the land. In response to population growth, urbanization and changing environmental regulations, the SWCD has developed several Urban Programs designed to assist residents, municipal and county organizations with a variety of complex natural resource management issues.
For more information on the community cost share program, please visit our web site: http://www.dakotaswcd.org/ucs_fs.htm

Great River Greening (St. Croix Healthy Waters Initiative)

Contact 651-665-9500

Funding from multiple sources is available for projects in the St. Croix Valley. Potential projects include raingardens, shoreline and streambank stabilization, native plantings and restoration projects.

Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization

Contact Amy Carolan at (651) 275-1136 x.22 amy.carolan@mnwcd.org

Cost-share grants available for projects that improve water quality - raingardens, shoreline and bluff stabilization and erosion control.
The Middle St. Croix Watershed covers eastern Stillwater, Oak Park Heights, Baytown Twp., West Lakeland Twp., and St. Mary’s Point and all of Bayport, Lakeland, Lakeland Shores and Lake St. Croix Beach.

Metro/Minneapolis Blooms

Contact Becky or Noelle at 651-699-2426 or nhechtman@metroblooms.org

Metro/Minneapolis Blooms Native Plant and Installation Grants are for Hennepin County residents and Minnehaha Creek Watershed Residents.

Native plants are a key to planting a successful rain garden, Metro Blooms and its funding partner, Hennepin County Environmental Services encourages homeowners who install a rain garden by offering the financial incentive of a grant to reimburse gardeners for their purchase of native plants.
Grants are available to all Raingarden Workshop participants on a first-come, first-served basis with the submission of an application, and documentation of costs. Blooms will reimburse up to a $65 maximum amount, or 75% of the costs of native plants and other rain garden materials costs purchased by rain gardeners, (whichever is least) for rain garden installation only.
Native plants purchased with grant funds must 1) be planted in a raingarden, or 2) used to stabilize or restore an eroded area, and/or 3) reduce storm water runoff on your lot. Delivery fees for plants or other installation materials are not reimbursable.

Minnehaha Creek Watershed District

Contact Julie Westerlund at 952-471-0590 x 209, jwesterlund@minnehahacreek.org

Cynthia Krieg Watershed Stewardship Program: neighborhood associations, lake and stream associations, schools, cities, businesses and other qualifying groups may apply for funds to do projects with an environmental benefit and that have an educational or innovative component. Learn more
Shoreline homeowners and concerned citizens who form a lake associations or other citizen based stewardship groups may be eligible for funding through the MCWD's Watershed Association Initiative
MCWD covers all or part of 29 cities in Hennepin and Carver Counties. Click this link see a list of cities and for a link to a detailed map of the watershed

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

Contact Nancy Dilts, (651) 287-0948 x.208, ndilts@mwmo.org

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization’s (MWMO) Stewardship Fund Program funds projects that achieve the following goals: 1) Improve water quality or improve water and natural resource management 2) Build community understanding, knowledge, and initiative related to water and natural resource issues and solutions
The Stewardship Fund Program offers three types of grants: Mini Grants up to $2,000 each (quarterly cycle); Planning Grants up to $10,000 each (annual cycle); Action Grants up to $50,000 each (annual cycle)
Nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups, schools, local units of government, and business and professional associations are eligible to apply.
Projects should educate and engage people who live, learn, or work in or near the MWMO watershed. The MWMO contains portions of the cities of Lauderdale, Minneapolis, St. Anthony, and St. Paul. If physical improvements are planned as part of the project, the improvements must take place within the boundaries of the MWMO watershed (see www.mwmo.org/map.pdf for the MWMO Watershed boundaries).

Nine Mile Creek Watershed District

Contact Kevin Bigalke at (952) 835-2078, kbigalke@ninemilecreek.org

The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District (NMCWD) Grant/Cost-Share Program offers financial assistance for efforts that protect and improve water and natural resources within the Nine Mile Creek Watershed.
Grant/Cost Share funds may be used by public or private landowners implementing projects that support one or more of the following:
Improve water quality or increases the capacity of the watershed to store water
Preserve, protect, and restore native plant and wildlife communities, with emphasis on lakes, rivers, and wetlands
Protect and preserve groundwater quality and quantity For more information on our Grant/Cost Share Program please visit our website atwww.ninemilecreek.org.

Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District

Contact (952) 447-4166

The Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District (PLSLWD) covers about 42 square miles in Scott County, Minnesota, mainly in the City of Prior Lake and Spring Lake Township. The District also covers portions of Sand Creek Township and the cities of Shakopee and Savage. For a map of the district visit www.plslwd.org.

Ramsey Conservation District

Contact Ryan Johnson at (651) 266-7275, ryan.johnson@co.ramsey.mn.us

NATURE Program: The Ramsey Conservation District (RCD), in partnership with the Capitol Region Watershed District and the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, will provide free technical assistance and is offering to pay up to 50% of eligible materials cost (from $100.00 up to $1000.00) for implementing restoration projects that create habitat and protect lakes, streams, and wetlands. Those interested in receiving cost share will go through an application process. Due to limited funding, not all applicants will receive financial assistance. Successful applicants will sign a cost share contract, agreeing to maintain the restoration for a minimum of five years.
Eligible projects include native plantings, boulevard plantings, raingardens, lakeshore plantings, habitat restorations and streambank restorations.
The NATURE program is available to residents of Ramsey County.

Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District

Contact Julie Vigness-Pint at (651) 792-7959,julie.vigness-pint@rwmwd.org

Grants of up to $2000 are available for residential projects including native plantings, raingardens and shoreline and streambank stabilization.
Cost-share assistance covers 50% of the costs for materials and 25% of the cost for consulting firms.
RWMWD covers all or part of 10 cities in Ramsey and Washington Counties, including St. Paul, Woodbury, Oakdale, Landfall, North St. Paul, Maplewood, Little Canada, White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights and Gem Lake. For a map of the district visit www.rwmwd.org.

Rice Creek Watershed District

Cost-share grants are available for residential and municipal projects that improve water quality. Eligible projects include raingardens and shoreline plantings.
The Rice Creek Watershed District encompasses approximately 201 square miles of Anoka, Ramsey and Washington counties in Minnesota. Portions of the district can be found in Arden Hills, Birchwood Village, Blaine, Centerville, Circle Pines, Columbia Heights, Columbus Township, Dellwood, Falcon Heights, Forest Lake, Fridley, Grant Township, Hugo, Lauderdale, Lexington, Lino Lakes, Mahtomedi, May Township, Mounds View, New Brighton, New Scandia Township, Roseville, Shoreview, Spring Lake Park, Saint Anthony, White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Willernie. Click here for a map of the RCWD
The county conservation districts run the RCWD grant program, so please contact the county you live in.
Anoka - contact Nate Zwonitzer 763-434-2030 ext. 11
Ramsey - contact Ryan Johnson ryan.johnson@co.ramsey.mn.us or 651-266-7270
Washington - contact Rusty Schmidt rschmidt@mnwcd.org or 651-275-1136 ext. 36

Scott Watershed Management Organization

Contact Melissa Bokman at (952) 496-8887

Cost-share assistance may be available for residents of Scott County.

South Washington Watershed District

Contact Matt Moore at (651) 714-3729, mmoore@ci.woodbury.mn.us

Cost-share grants available for projects that benefit water quality - rain barrels, raingardens, shoreline plantings and porous pavement. Grants are available for residential, community or commercial.
South Washington Watershed covers Newport, St. Paul Park and Grey Cloud Twp., western Cottage Grove, central Woodbury and a tiny corner in southwestern Afton. To see a map of the district visit www.swwd.org.

Valley Branch Watershed District

Contact Rusty Schmidt at (651) 275-1136 x.36 or rusty.schmidt@mnwcd.org

A grant program is available to help residents improve local water quality. Plant grants of $500 for habitat improvement and cost-share grants for raingardens, shoreline plantings, erosion control and porous pavement.
Valley Branch Watershed covers Pine Springs, southern Grant and Mahtomedi, a tiny portion of North St. Paul, northeastern Oakdale, most of Lake Elmo, western Baytown Twp. and West Lakeland Twp., northern Afton, and a small portion of Woodbury and Oak Park Heights. To see a map of the district visit www.vbwd.org.

Washington Conservation District

Contact Pete Young at (651) 275-1136 x. 21 or pete.young@mnwcd.org

State cost-share and NRCS grants are available for rural projects that decrease erosion and improve water quality. Funds are limited to residential projects. The conservation district can also provide free technical assistance, including site visits, to help landowners manage erosion and drainage issues and to design and install planting projects.
Assistance available for agricultural projects and rural lands projects.
Technical assistance and grants are available for residents of Washignton County.