BWSR offers a variety of competitive and noncompetitive grant programs to its local government partners. These funds may be appropriated through the Clean Water Fund, Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, the general fund, or direct appropriations.
When funding opportunities are available through BWSR, opportunities to submit competitive or noncompetitive funding requests will be listed on this page.
Lawns to Legumes
Individual Support Grants
Lawns to Legumes offers a combination of workshops, coaching, planting guides and cost-share funding for installing pollinator-friendly native plantings in residential lawns. Minnesota residents can apply to be reimbursed for up to $350 in costs associated with establishing pollinator habitat in their yards. Funding decisions and all notifications will be emailed in March for Spring 2020 installations.
How to Apply: Apply online at Blue Thumb’s website
Demonstration Neighborhood Grants
Local governments, tribal governments and nonprofits can apply for grants through a Request for Proposals (RFP) to establish community projects intended to enhance pollinator habitat in key corridors, raise awareness for residential pollinator protection, and showcase best practices. Eligible applicants include soil and water conservation districts, watershed districts, watershed management organizations, cities, counties, non-profits and tribal governments. Applicants can request to be reimbursed for between $20,000 and $40,000 per demonstration neighborhood.
Organizations overseeing a demonstration neighborhood will work with local residents to install four types of beneficial planting practices: native pocket plantings, pollinator beneficial trees and shrubs, pollinators lawns and pollinator meadows. Interested organizations can apply on behalf of their organization or on behalf of a group of partners who plan to work together to establish a demonstration neighborhood.
How to Apply: Applications must be completed in eLINK, BWSR's grant management system.
Application deadline: January 10, 2020 at 4:30 pm