1. Home
  2. MIRL FAQs

Q&A: Managing Invasives for a Resilient Landscape (MIRL) Grant Program RFP 

This Q&A section is intended to assist applicants in understanding the key elements of the Managing Invasives for Resilient Landscapes Request for Proposal (RFP) and contains questions that have been asked by previous grant applicants. BWSR staff will update the list as new questions are received. You may submit questions to Erin.Loeffler@state.mn.us.

Last updated: 4/06/2026

  1. Who is eligible for funding?

Local Government Units, Municipalities, Townships, and Tribal Governments and Commissions or Consortiums representing Tribal Governments are eligible for funding.

  1.  What is the purpose of the MIRL program?

The purpose of this program is to support the restoration of native plant communities in areas impacted by terrestrial invasive or noxious weeds. Administered by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), the program provides funding to support collaborative efforts that manage terrestrial invasive plant species and reestablish resilient native vegetation.

  1. Where can I find resources on how to submit the RFP?

Guidance on submitting a funding request can be found by watching the video eLINK Guidance: Creating and Submitting a Funding Request in eLINK. Guidance about Activities can be found on the eLINK Guidance: Managing Activities page. 

  1. How much are grant requests?

Grant requests can be between $15,000 and $30,000.

  1. When does the RFP open and close?

The RFP period is from April 23 until June 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on June 30, 2026 to be considered for funding.

  1. Is there a Match requirement?

A ten percent match is required.

  1. What is the payment schedule for the grant?

All grant funds will be distributed in one installment promptly after the execution of the Grant Agreement.

  1. Are there reporting requirements for MRIL grants?

All grant recipients are required to report on the outcomes, activities, and accomplishments of the grant. Additional information regarding BWSR grant reporting and administration can be found in the Grants Administration Manual (https://bwsr.state.mn.us/grants/manual/).

  1. What Activities can the grant funds be used for?

Eligible Activities include-

  • Project support to advance project implementation such as administrative, technical and engineering expenses, design and cost estimates, site investigations and assessments, construction or installation supervision, and inspections. The BWSR website includes a list of most, but not all, practices available for users to select within eLINK (see https://bwsr.state.mn.us/elink-guidance-practices). 

  • Targeted public participation, engagement, outreach and education directly necessary for project success and longevity.

  • Grant administration, management, and reporting activities that are directly related to and necessary for implementing the project(s) or activity(s) associated with the grant.

  1. Which Activity Categories in eLINK should I use for developing my application?

Eligible Activity Categories for projects are:

  • Administration /Coordination

  • Agricultural Practices 

  • Technical and Engineering Assistance 

  • Education/Information

  • Forestry Practices

  • Non-structural Management Practices

  • Planning and Assessment

  • Project Development 

  • Supplies/Equipment

  • Urban Stormwater Practices 

  • Special Project 

  1. Can grant funds be used for herbicide applications in road right of ways?

As the purpose of this program is to support the restoration of native plant communities, projects that focus on broadcast herbicide application in road right of ways are strongly discouraged and unlikely to be funded.

  1. What are the character limits for application questions?

Most of the questions within the application have a 2,000-character limit (approximately 300 words), including spaces. If you choose to develop your responses outside of eLINK, e.g. in Word, note that programs may count the characters differently due to differences in how the characters are encoded. Note that space is considered a character in eLINK.

  1. Why did I get an error message saying one of the application fields was empty after I entered the required data and then tried to submit the application?

You must save the information on the application before submitting it. It may be necessary to scroll to the top or bottom of the page to bring the “Save” button into view. If you save while one of narrative questions is blank, the placeholder text “Not Entered” will be inserted.

  1. Help! I lost some of the narrative portions of my application after I saved the information!

Each of the narrative questions within the application has a 2,000-character limit. If you plan to develop responses to the application questions in Word, be aware the character count in eLINK may be different, and your narrative may be automatically trimmed to fit the eLINK character limit. The application must be submitted through eLINK.

  1. Can I make changes to a submitted application during the RFP open period? 

Yes. You will need to click Withdraw Request, make your updates and then “Submit” the funding request. Please note that failure to change the status back to “Submitted” will not capture any changes for review team, and applications not in “Submitted” status at the time the RFP closes will not be considered for funding.

  1. Can I access my earlier grant applications even if they were not funded?      

A: Yes, you can access them by logging into eLINK and navigating to "Request Funds" in the left menu, then clicking on "Funding Requests". You will need to check the “Include closed request” box to search for your previous application(s).

  1. When attempting to submit my application, I get a message stating, “For each activity, you must either check the box verifying that there are no pollution reduction estimates associated with the Activity or enter proposed indicators.” What do I need to do?

Within the Application Budget tab, you will either need to ensure that the “Check here if this activity does not include proposed pollution reduction estimates” is checked on the Add New Proposed Activity screen or within the Edit Proposed Activity” screen (pencil icon) or enter proposed indicators within the “Edit Indicators” screen (blue diamond icon). If your project will include on the ground practices resulting in pollution reductions, indicators must be entered. Within the Application Budget tab, you will either need to ensure that the “Check here if this activity does not include proposed pollution reduction estimates” is checked on the Add New Proposed Activity screen or within the Edit Proposed Activity” screen (pencil icon) or enter proposed indicators within the “Edit Indicators” screen (blue diamond icon).

  1. What can be used for in-kind cash value as match?

Match includes the services, materials, or cash contributed to the accomplishment of grant objectives. In-kind cash value must be directly attributed to the project or activity accomplishments and account for the same as items charged directly to the grant. Activities listed as ineligible activities in the RFP may not be counted towards match. Use the following guidance when considering in-kind cash value:

  • Local staff and administrative costs in excess of the reporting and grant management, project development, or technical and engineering components of the grant funds received are ineligible.

  • You can’t charge more to the grant for a conservation project than what it costs to do the work. This includes the cost of materials, design, technical assistance, and installation. Even if you're using matching funds from another source, the total amount covered can't go over the real cost of the project.

  • If you're using the value of land as part of your match, that’s only allowed in specific situations. The land must be used for a conservation project that includes actual construction or installation (like a pond, wetland, or filter strip). Plus, the land use must be changed, for example, from farming to conservation, with protecting water as the main goal for how the land will be used from now on.

  1. Can loan or grant funds from other state programs be used as match?

Loan funds from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) Clean Water Partnership (CWP) Program, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s AgBMP Program and Public Facilities Authority’s water programs may be used as match. Any state grant funds may not be used as match.