BWSR, in partnership with Minnesota Management and Budget; Management Analysis and Development (MMB;MAD), has been working to streamline our delivery and structure of grant program requirements.
The need for this work arose due to the growth in the amount of funding for various grant programs coupled with increased opportunities to work with new types of grantees beyond our local government clientele and increased oversight responsibilities over state grants from the Minnesota Office of Grants Management (OGM).
As of July 1, 2025, several significant changes go into effect. These updates will:
- Eliminate the use of program policies.
- Where possible, reduce discrepancies in program requirements from one program to the next.
- Define requirements for grantees in board orders, the request for proposals (for competitive grants) and in the grant agreement itself.
- Better organize and communicate grant program requirements, the procedures in place to meet those requirements, and helpful guidance.
The Grants Administration Manual (GAM) is reformatted to move fundamental requirements to grant agreements and board orders, while procedures and guidance/recommended practices stay within the GAM. This is to ensure necessary requirements are part of the grant agreement and to better clarify procedure from guidance within the GAM.
BWSR recognizes these are significant changes to our granting operations, so we want to be clear about what is going where and what is new this July/state fiscal year. The following resources and trainings are available to any grantee staff that work with BWSR grants. Each training/webinar option covers the same training content.
- GAM Updates and Grants Streamlining Training (Pre-recorded training video, Updated July 1, 2025, 31 minutes, same content as webinars below)
- GAM Updates and Grants Streamlining Live Webinar Option 1 (of 2): Thurs. August 7, 2025, 9:30am – 11:00am Register here
- GAM Updates and Grants Streamlining Live Webinar Option 2 (of 2): Tues. September 9, 2025, 11:00am – 12:30pm Register here
- GAM Updates and Grants Streamlining In-person training: BWSR Academy, October 21 - 23, 2025 Information here
- Presentation slides only (PDF)
- Summary of all individual GAM chapter updates (PDF)
- Current GAM (July 1, 2025)
- Survey: Submit questions that might be helpful to include in FAQs about this repackaging.
- Frequently Asked Questions
Updated: July 1, 2025
This page will be updated periodically with additional questions and clarifications pertaining to these GAM updates and grants streamlining.With grant program policies eliminated, where are grant program requirements found?
Program requirements can now be found in the grant agreement, exhibit A; and the program’s grant reporting profile page on BWSR’s website.
Which GAM chapters have been combined into the new Assurances chapter?
The new Assurances chapter combines elements from Project and Practice Assurances, Technical Quality Assurance, and Operation, Maintenance, and Inspection of Practices chapters of the previous Grants Administration Manual.
GAM chapters are now formatted to follow which two primary sections?
GAM chapters are now formatted to follow; 1. Procedure first, followed by, 2. Guidance
Are procedures required to be followed?
Yes. Procedure is required action to be followed: Procedure is the established way of doing something; a series of actions conducted in a certain order; and/or steps necessary to meet the terms of a grant agreement.
Is guidance required to be followed?
No. Guidance is supporting information or recommended action: Guidance consists of recommended best practices; helpful context; and/or tools, resources and examples.
Implementing Contracts with Land Occupiers is now called what?
Providing Financial Assistance to Land Occupiers replaces the previously named Implementing Contracts with Land Occupiers
The new Grant Agreement Amendments and Work Plan Revisions Procedure applies to what grants?
The new Grant Agreement Amendments and Work Plan Revisions Procedure Applies to grants executed on and after July 1, 2025. See archived Grants Administration Manual for grants executed prior to July 1, 2025.
Where can the old Grant Agreement Amendments and Work Plan Revisions Procedure be found?
The old Grant Agreement Amendments and Work Plan Revisions procedure can be found in the archived versions of the GAM located here.
What version of the GAM do I use for my grant?
Grantees can always follow the current version of the GAM posted online*. Alternatively, grantees may follow appropriate archived versions of the GAM. Consult your Grant Manager to determine the appropriate archived version of the GAM you can follow for the grant and scenario in question.
*The exception to this rule is the Grant Agreement Amendments and Work Plan Revisions chapter. Grants executed prior to July 1, 2025 must follow their prior, archived version, not the currently posted chapter.
What examples that may constitute a non-landowner having equivalent rights as a landowner in terms of decisions for agreement signature?
One example would include SWCDs contracting with a drainage authority or city that has the authority to access, build, and maintain a project through easements or other means. Another example could be short-term contracts for management practices (1-year cover crop contract) where the land occupier can provide a copy of the lease showing they have control of the land to do the project.
The GAM update has removed the option to pay out a lump sum after year one of certification on a multi-year flat rate contract. Do I need to stop paying out a lump sum on my existing grants?
No. Grantees can follow the currently published GAM or an archived GAM version. Consult your Grant Manager to determine the appropriate archived version of the GAM you can follow.