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
Cost-share assistance may be available for residents of Anoka County.
http://www.anokaswcd.org or contact (763) 434-2030
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
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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.
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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.
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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 Melissa Lewis at (651) 275-1136 x.22 mklewis@mnwcd.org
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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.
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Potential projects include shoreline and streambank stabilization, raingardens and erosion control projects.
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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) 442-5101
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Cost-share assistance may be available for residents of Carver County.
City of Woodbury
Contact (651) 714-3533 or visit the Community Development Department at City Hall
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$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 651-480-7781 mike.isensee@co.dakota.mn.us http://www.dakotacountyswcd.org/
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
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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 Melissa Lewis at (651) 275-1136 x.22 mklewis@mnwcd.org
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Limited funding is available for residential projects. The program is new as of 2007. Potential projects will be added to a waiting list.
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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 Kristen or Mike at (612) 673-3014, kristen@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 Rain Garden 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.
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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
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
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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.
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Eligible projects include native plantings, boulevard plantings, raingardens, lakeshore plantings, habitat restorations and streambank restorations.
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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
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Grants of up to $2000 are available for residential projects including native plantings, raingardens and shoreline and streambank stabilization.
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Cost-share assistance covers 50% of the costs for materials and 25% of the cost for consulting firms.
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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
Contact Dawn Pape (763) 398-3078, dpape@ricecreek.org
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Cost-share grants will be available in July of 2008 for residential and municipal projects that improve water quality. Eligible projects include raingardens and shoreline plantings. Call or email to be put on the waiting list while the program is being restructured.
- The Rice Creek Watershed District encompasses approximately 201 square miles of Anoka, Hennepin, 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
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
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No cost-share funds are available for residential projects in 2007, although technical assistance to plan and design planting projects is available through the Washington Conservation District. Cost-share assistance may be available in 2008.
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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 John Hanson at (651) 748-4230, jhanson@barr.com
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A cost-share program is available to help resident plant native gardens, raingardens and shoreline plantings to improve local water quality.
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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 (651) 275-1136
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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.
- Technical assistance and grants are available for residents of Washignton County.