Guidance for Watershed Based Implementation Funding Funding Requests and Work Plans

Revised August 2025

Purpose

This web page describes the procedure for requesting Watershed Based Implementation Funding (WBIF) and guidance for developing work plans.

WBIF funding requests and work plans must include proposed measurable outcomes, budgets, and activity descriptions. The information must be complete enough to allow BWSR to confirm that activities:

• Are eligible under WBIF program requirements,
• Are listed in the implementation section of an eligible plan; and
• Will make measurable progress toward the plan’s water quality goals. 

Read on for more information on elements of the funding request and work plan.

Process Steps for Funding Requests and Work Plans

The steps in the table below outline the process for receiving a WBIF grant.  As you set up your funding request and work plan, refer to existing BWSR guidance to ensure your work plan categorizes, groups, and reports grant funded activities correctly in eLINK:

• Activity categories (select the appropriate categories)
• Chart of practices by activity category (make sure planned conservation practices are included in the categories you select)
• Grouping and splitting activities (properly organize and report your work)

Who	What	Notes
BWSR	Allocate funding amounts	This takes place via a board order.
Partners	Decide on work plan activities and amounts	Detailed documentation can be attached in eLINK if desired
Grantee	Initiate the funding request in eLINK. See completing a funding request in eLINK	Someone from the organization that will sign the grant agreement MUST INITIATE the funding request. (The fiscal agent, if it’s a different organization, needs to be identified in the request consistent with the partnership agreement.)
Partners	Populate the funding request	The grantee may add partners as Team Members in eLINK. The submitted funding request will be migrated into the work plan.
BC	Review and approve the funding request	Grants are awarded in eLINK on a monthly batching period.
Partners	Migrate activities to the eLINK work plan.	The BC may ask for additional details and grant milestones at their discretion.  Attach supplemental materials in eLINK.
BC	Review and approve the work plan
Partners	Sign grant agreement	Submit via DocuSign
BWSR	Execute grant agreement	Work cannot begin until the grant agreement is executed.

Proposed Measurable Outcomes (Funding Request)

NEW in FY26-27: Grant-specific proposed outputs/outcomes will appear only in the activity descriptions of the work plan. Use the following generic language for the "Proposed Measurable Outcomes" field in the funding request.

"Make measurable progress toward water quality goals using eligible projects, practices, and programs as described in the {Plan Name}"

Some grants (e.g., Twin-Cities metro area) may implement activities from more than one plan. If so, list all relevant plans in the proposed measurable outcomes statement. A plan should be listed if it is referred to in the activity description (see below).

Budget (Work Plan)

Work plans must include budget amounts for each activity.   Add match funds to the appropriate activity rather than as a stand-alone activity.

Activity Description (Work Plan)

See below for example activity descriptions. 

NEW in FY26-27!  In the narrative description for each activity category*, include the following:

Activity Description Content	Plan Reference**	Notes
The primary plan goal (or goals) the activity will address and estimated measurable progress*** the activity will make toward the goal (expressed in outcomes or outputs).	Goal title and page #	Include measurable progress toward goals (outcomes or outputs) in the activity description. Ensure the narrative clearly states that proposed outcomes / outputs are estimated. Use rounded whole numbers or an acceptable range.
The implementation section of the plan where the activity is listed.	Table # or page #	If the activity appears in multiple implementation tables, list the most relevant one (you don’t need to list every place it appears in the plan).  See below for "implementation section" definition.
The location where the activity will occur (this should correspond with issue-specific prioritization, if applicable).	Figure #, table #, or page #	If the activity is generic (e.g., BMPs in yet-to-be determined locations), indicate how you will select projects to achieve outcomes in priority areas (e.g., scoring and ranking, targeting tool, etc.).  If a specific project (e.g., a capital improvement project), is in a known location, list the project and location in the work plan.

 

*Exceptions: The "Administration/Coordination" and "Technical and Engineering" activity categories may not have relevant plan connections and do not need to contain all elements in the table.  The "Project Development" activity category may refer to other activity categories that contain the plan references above.

 

**For plan types that do not require specific elements listed above (e.g., county groundwater plans do not require an implementation section), the grantee may offer an appropriate surrogate or note that the information is not contained in the plan. See the WBIF FAQs for more information.

 

***Documenting measurable progress toward plan goals:

• It should be clear how the output/outcome will make progress toward the goal.
• If outcomes and goals don’t have the same metrics, the description should describe how progress toward the goal will be determined.
• You may use outputs (e, g., number of best management practices, number of acres treated, number of wells sealed). Estimated pollution reduction outcomes (e.g., pounds P/yr, tons/yr sediment) are not required.
• Proposed indicators (e.g., pounds, tons, FCU) do not need to be entered unless they are directly applicable to the proposed outputs/outcomes in the activity description.

 

Do Not Include. BWSR recommends not including the following items in WBIF work plans. These items are outside the scope of the work plan purpose (and could pose a risk for noncompliance if actual outcomes do not match the description in the work plan):

• Financial assistance payment rates (include in local policies, not work plans)
• Details of how funding will be split among partners
• Names, positions, hourly rates, etc. of staff or contractors (estimated FTEs are still required for Clean Water Fund grants)
• Details about equipment or other items (say “office supplies” rather than “100 paper clips and 15 #2 yellow pencils”)

Other Information (Work Plan)

Work with your board conservationist to review the WBIF program requirements and the BWSR Grants Administration Manual (GAM) to ensure you are aware of all aspects of grants management.   The following information must be included in work plans (if applicable):

• New in FY 26-27: If flat rate financial assistance will be provided using grant funds: prior to work plan approval, grant recipient policy (and subrecipient policies, if applicable) need to be attached to the grant in eLINK. Updated policies need to be attached if flat rate financial assistance terms/rates are changed during the life of the grant.
• Technical expertise (you may simply note in the technical & engineering section of the WBIF work plan that credential information is available upon request from each partners’ offices – see example below)
• Design standards (you may include a statement that projects will follow NRCS standards, design criteria in the Minnesota Stormwater Manual, or other authoritative reference)
• Capital expenditures that exceed $10,000
• Other items may be required prior to work plan approval (e.g., in-lake feasibility studies and other items requiring additional approval), or
• Some items may be required on request (e.g., technical quality assurance, feedlot calculations, cost share policy and other items).

Work Plan Revisions

For each activity affected by a work plan revision, document appropriate changes to the items listed in the table in the "Activity Description" section above. Describe changes in the activity description: 

• Leave the original description.  
• Add a new “results since last report” entry. Include a note that the work plan was revised and what is changing with the activity (outputs/outcomes, goals, implementation table reference, location).

Example Activity Descriptions for Selected Activity Categories (Work Plan)

Agricultural Practices

Implement an estimated 80 agricultural best management practices (BMPs) for progress on Stormy Watershed Plan goal 3-2 (Erosion, page 32). The total number of practices may vary based on project type and specific location. 

The plan estimates that a total of 450 best management practices will be needed to meet the erosion goal of 6.6% reduction in sediment load.

BMPs are identified in Table 5-2 (p. 68) and may include cover crops, nutrient management, grassed waterways, water and sediment control basins, and alternative tile intakes. 

Projects will be selected using a local scoring and ranking system that includes priority sub-watersheds and practice types with multiple benefits. At least 70% of outcomes will be achieved in priority subwatersheds as shown in Figure 4-4. 

 All practices will follow NRCS design standards.

 $50,000 to Stormy SWCD and $200,000 to Windy SWCD.

Education/Information

Beautiful Lake Watershed Plan goals addressed: Soil Health (3-1, p. 27); Stormwater Management (3-5, p. 36); Groundwater (3-6, p. 38); and Shorelines (3-8, p. 40).

We will increase adoption of best management practices by conducting 3-5 field days and/or workshops on one or more of the following topics/audiences: soil health for farmers, chloride management for public works staff and healthy lake living for lake associations and realtors (Table 5-6). We will also host 2-3 private well testing clinics.

All events will be advertised on our website. We will mail invitations and target social media ads to members of our target audiences in priority subwatersheds {Figure 4-1 (agricultural practices); Table 4-6 (stormwater management) Table 4-7 (priority lakes); Figure 4-10 (groundwater quality)}.

We will send follow-up mailers to event attendees offering site visits, technical assistance, and funding support as applicable, and we will track the number of contacts and associated projects.

Primary staff involved:
50 hours @ $50.00 / hr: Jimmy Jones, education specialist, Carter County
$5,000 contract with Sally Sales, marketing consultant 

Planning and Assessment

Identify at least 30 total future project sites for the Gray Duck River Watershed Plan goals 3-5 (Stormwater Management, p. 36) and 3-8 (Shorelines, p. 40) by completing 2-4 subwatershed assessments as described in the implementation section 6.5, p. 68).  

Combined assessments will cover approximately 30,000 acres in stormwater priority areas (figure 4-10) and/or 3-6 lakes in the Center City Subwatershed and Central Lakes Region Subwatershed, respectively (figure 4-6). 

Project sites for each subwatershed will be selected based on metrics consistent with plan goals (sediment/phosphorus/nitrogen pollution reductions for Stormwater Management; shoreline health index for Shorelines).

Project Development

Provide assistance for high-priority projects described in the agricultural practices and streambank or shoreland protection activities in this work plan.  Activities include landowner consultations, site visits, preliminary designs, cost estimates, and permitting support. Focus will be on highest ranking projects using the Crooked Creek Watershed scoring spreadsheet. 

Outcomes: complete site assessments for an estimated 20 potential project locations; develop preliminary designs and secure landowner agreements for approximately 10 priority projects; prepare about 8 complete project applications for future funding, or an equivalent combination of the above.

Streambank or Shoreland Protection

Work towards the Paul Bunyan Watershed Plan goal 3-8 (healthy shorelines) by restoring and stabilizing a total of approximately 2,500 linear feet of eroding 1) streambanks as identified in Figure 4-8 (Paul Bunyan River Restoration feasibility study results) and 2) shorelines on priority lakes (Figure 4-9).  Practices may include bioengineering, native vegetation plantings, and root wad toe protection, (Table 5-2). Practices will follow Minnesota Restoration Evaluation Program recommendations and applicable standards. 

Supplies / Equipment

Support Crystal Watershed Plan goal 3-1 (soil health, p, 37) by purchasing one red 12 foot no-till drill from the ACME farm equipment company for use in the Crystal Watershed soil health program (Table 6-1, p 82). (Crystal SWCD, $20,000).

Technical and Engineering

Provide technical and engineering services to support technical site assessment, surveys, preliminary analysis and design, final design, construction supervision, installation, inspection, and completion of water quality projects identified in the targeted implementation schedule (Kingfisher Creek Watershed Plan Table 7-1). Credential information is available upon request from participating SWCD and WD offices. 

Definitions

Plan: one of the following plan types, state adopted and locally approved:

• A comprehensive watershed management plan developed under Minnesota Statutes §103B.801
• In the seven county Twin Cities Metropolitan Area:
  • A watershed management plan required under Minnesota Statutes §103B.231
  • A county groundwater plan authorized under Minnesota Statutes §103B.255
  • A soil and water conservation district comprehensive plan authorized under Minnesota Statutes Minnesota Statutes §103C.331 as revised in 2024 (the plan must be approved by the Board of Water and Soil Resources).

Work Plan: A grant work plan is a description of planned activities and associated outcomes and budget for a grant.  The grant agreement requires a work plan (although the work plan is not incorporated into the grant agreement). The purpose of the work plan is to: 1) create a shared understanding between BWSR and the grantee of the scope and the budget for the grant as well as the benefits the state will derive from the grant; and 2) To monitor progress on the grant.  The Office of Grants Management (OGM) requires BWSR to have a monitoring system in place.  The grant work plan, together with eLINK journal entries and reconciliations, is part of our grant monitoring procedure.

The work plan is for BWSR and the grantee. It is a critical grant management tool for BWSR to demonstrate to OGM that BWSR is appropriately overseeing the grant and that the grantee is successfully carrying out the grant according to the agreed upon activities and budget. 

Work plans are NOT for multi-jurisdictional partnerships to collaboratively track funding amounts to individual partners, spending or other details if the scope goes outside of BWSR’s business needs.

Implementation Section: The section or sections of the plan that lists planned actions that will achieve the plan goals. This section typically includes a table or list, with a brief description of each action, estimated cost, estimated time frame, responsible party, and other relevant information.  Plan sections describing planned programs that also support plan goals are also considered to be part of the implementation section.  For county groundwater plans in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area, activities must be related to the stated goals, objectives, scope, and priorities of groundwater protection in the county groundwater plan.

Reasonable and Justifiable: (Referred to in the WBIF Program Requirements)

• Reasonable - A financial assistance rate is reasonable if, in its nature and amount, it does not exceed that which a prudent person would pay under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to adopt the rate (Adapted from Code of Federal Regulations for Reasonable Cost). Consideration should be given to the following: 

  • Does the rate represent a typical expense needed for the activity or to complete the work correctly and efficiently? 

  • How do the requirements, rules, or other restraints impact the rates including federal, state, Tribal, and local laws and regulations, good business practice, fair and honest negotiation, and terms of the grant agreement? 

  • What are the local or regional conditions that impact the rates? i.e., limited contractors, high demand in the area, supply availability, local market rates, etc. 

  • Did the decision to adopt the rate seem prudent at the time it was made?

  • Does the rate conflict with other local policies in the area? 

• Justifiable - Able to be defended as reasonable (can the grantee show how and why they came up with the rate)?