This FAQ section is intended to assist applicants in understanding the key elements of the Clean Water Legacy Partners Request for Proposal (RFP) and contains common questions that have been asked by previous grant applicants.  BWSR staff will update the list weekly as new questions are received.  You may submit questions at cwfquestions@state.mn.us.

Last updated 5/02/2025

#1. Q: What are the character limits for application questions?

A: 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 a space is considered a character in eLINK.

#2. Q:  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?

A: You must save the information to the application before submitting. 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; this will need to be replaced prior to submitting the application.

#3. Q: Can financial documents be submitted on eLink?

A: No. Nonprofit financial documents cannot be attached using eLINK. They must be sent via email to BWSR.grants@state.mn.us. 

#4. Q: Can multiple photos be submitted for an application?

A: Only one optional image file may be submitted per application using either jpg, jpeg, gif, tiff, or png; file extension should be lower case. The optional image file will be automatically scaled to fit on one page of the final application document.  The composition of the optional image is up to the applicant. Images are added through the “Default Optional Image” button on the Funding Request page in eLink.

#5. Q:  When is an additional attachment allowed?

A:  Only one .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .tiff, or .png file types are allowed. All other file types, including .pdf are not accepted by eLINK.

#6. Q: Help! I lost some of the narrative portion of my application after I saved the information!

A: Each of the narrative questions within the application has a 2,000-character limit. The user interface will not allow you to enter more than 2,000 characters, and it will trim any pasted content to 2,000 characters. If you plan to develop narrative responses to the application questions in Word as a backup, 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.

#7. Q:   Can I make changes to a submitted application during the RFP open period? 

A: Yes. You will need to click Withdraw Request, make your updates and then “Submit” the funding request. The status change triggers generating the report, which is added to the Attachments tab and seen by reviewers. 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.

#8. Q:  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).

#9. Q:  I have entered proposed indicators within the Application Activities. Why do I also need to provide a narrative summary of “Proposed Measurable Outcomes”?

A:  BWSR is required to report proposed and actual outcomes on the Legislative Coordinating Commission’s Legacy website. While grantees report proposed and actual outcomes in eLINK at the activity detail level, the LCC requires this data to be bundled into a 250-character summary for the entire grant.

#10. Q:  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?

A: 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.

#11. Q: We are a 501(c)3 non-profit, private university in Minnesota and are interested in applying for a grant under the Clean Water Legacy Partners Program.  Are we eligible to apply as an nonprofit?

A: Yes, as defined in the program policy, a 501c3 is eligible to apply.  Non-governmental/nonprofit organizations and tribal governments are eligible for this funding.

#12. Q: Can organizations submit more than one application?

A: Yes

#13. Q: Can organizations submit more than one application for the maximum amount?

A: Yes

#14. Q: Do tribal governments have to submit any financial information to BWSR?

A: Tribal government will not need to provide financial information to BWSR. They will need to become a vendor of the state through the state’s financial system, SWIFT, if they are not one already. For more information on SWIFT and related requirements, please visit: https://mn.gov/mmb/accounting/swift/ 

#15. Q: The RFP stipulates that nonprofits are eligible. Does this apply to 501c4 organizations or only 501c3 organizations?

A: Nonprofits are one of the eligible applicant types for this grant. A 501c4 is a type of NGO, so are eligible to apply.  Non-governmental/nonprofit organizations and tribal governments are eligible for this funding.

#16. Q: When is the Pre-Award Financial Capacity Review form required to be submitted by Non-profit applicants?

A: Completed Pre-Award Nonprofit Forms and related documentation must be submitted to BWSR.grants@state.mn.us prior to the application deadline of August 5, 2025.  Pre-Award Nonprofit Forms and financial documents cannot be submitted using eLink.

#17. Q: Can an nonprofit apply for a grant and have a LGU be the fiscal agent?

A: Yes, we suggest that a subcontract/sub-agreement be used, and the ultimate fiscal responsibility lies with the grantee.

#18. Q: If a Nonprofit is new and their annual income is between $50,000-$750,000, do they need to submit both their reviewed financial statement and an IRS Form 990?

A: To comply with Policy 08-06, applicants must submit the following:

  • A completed “Pre-Award Nonprofit Form” available on the Apply for BWSR Grants webpage and posted with this RFP.

  • Required documentation is detailed by the form and includes but is not limited to:

    • Most recent Form 990 or 990-EZ filed with the Internal Revenue Service

    • Most recent Certified Financial Audit (if applicable per MN Section 309.53 Subd. 3).

#19. Q: Our HOA is not a 501c3 enterprise. That is a federal designation for tax-exempt non-profits. Our HOA is organized as a non-profit corporation under the Minnesota Non-Profit Corporation Act, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 317. Do we qualify as a non-profit entity for consideration for a BWSR grant?

A: Yes, designation under Chapter 317 as a non-profit would qualify your HOA as an NGO and therefore eligible for the Clean Water Legacy Partners grant dollars.

#20. Q: Are Lake Improvement Districts (LIDs) eligible to apply for the Clean Water Legacy Partners grant program?

A: A LID is a local government unit (see MN Statute 103B.501 and MN Rule 6115.0900-9080), therefore they are not eligible to be the applicant for the Clean Water Legacy Partners grant program. A Lake Association may be eligible for this grant. 

#21. Q: Can a Lake Improvement District, on the same lake as the Lake Association applying for grant funds, provide the required match to the Property Owners Association for the grant?

A: Yes, a Lake Improvement District would be able to provide local match for a grant that was held by the Property Owners Association, since they are a 501c3 entity.

#22. Q: Can a Non-profit that receives a grant add LGU staff as team members in eLINK to edit the work plan?

A: Yes, though ultimate responsibility that this is done correctly is on the grantee.

#23. Q: Can match dollars be applied against expenses that are not eligible for grant funds?

A: Match can only be considered for grant eligible expenses.

#24. Q: Is citizen-based testing of residential drinking water for lead an eligible activity with these grant dollars?

A: No. Per the RFP, water quality monitoring is not an eligible grant activity.

#25. Q: The RFP states that prevailing wages apply. What are the grant applicant’s responsibilities for compliance?

A: Prevailing wage requirements apply to all state funds used for “projects” that meet the definition identified in M.S 177.42-177.44.  As the RFP states, your first source of information for questions about the application of prevailing wage rates should be directed to the Department of Labor and Industry at 651-284-5091, or http://www.dli.mn.gov/prevailing-wage. However, the following information may help you better understand these requirements.

The responsibilities of a grant recipient are to: (1) be aware of prevailing wage and ensure their project’s cost proposals address this requirement; (2) include prevailing wage information in their bid and contract documents; and (3) receive and maintain the payroll reports that contractors will furnish every two weeks. Prevailing wage does not apply to administrative activities of the grantee or construction activities directly conducted by the grantee, i.e. if a grantee uses its own staff to plant trees, prevailing wage would not apply, but if they contracted with Joe’s Planting Service it would. For additional information refer to the BWSR website:  http://bwsr.state.mn.us/prevailing-wage.

#26. Q: What can be used for in-kind cash value as match?

A: 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 component 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.

#27. Q: Can loan or grant funds from other state programs be used as match?

A: 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.   

#28. Q: Does BWSR have any preferences for feasibility studies that are submitted for in-lake management practices?

A:  Yes, BWSR prefers that feasibility studies that are assembled from multiple studies/reports include a Table of Contents that clearly indicates on what page numbers required information can be found.

#29. Q: Who will be doing the practice certifications for grant activities? Are Non-profits going to have to get JAA or would SWCD/NRCS be collaborating to get that work done?

A: While the applicant themselves doesn’t need to have the technical expertise, or JAA (Job Approval Authority), the grantee will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate technical expertise, skills and training are assigned to the practices being applied for.

  • More on Technical Assistance Provider: Grantees must identify the technical assistance provider(s) for the practice or project and their credentials for providing this assistance.  The technical assistance provider(s) must have appropriate credentials for practice investigation, design, and construction. Credentials can include conservation partnership Job Approval Authority (JAA), also known as technical approval authority; applicable professional licensure; reputable vendor with applicable expertise and liability coverage; or other applicable credentials, training, and/or experience.  
  • More on JAA: The Conservation Partnership of NRCS, SWCDs, and BWSR use the NRCS Job Approval Authority (JAA) credentialing system for planning, design and installation of standard conservation practices.

#30. Q: Is the replacement of an asphalt parking lot to permeable pavers eligible?

A: Yes

#31. Q: Is installing a cistern to collect rainwater eligible?

A: Yes

#32. Q: Can the funds be used to pay incentives on acres that have already received (or are currently receiving) funding for cover crops beyond the 3-year contract typical of other BWSR funds for this practice?

A: There is nothing in the CWLP RFP stating that you could not do what you are proposing, so the answer is yes, funds could be used that way. Per the RFP, incentive payments should be reasonable and justifiable, consistent with prevailing local conditions, and based on established standards.

#33. Q: Can grant funds be used to reimburse volunteers for their time? If so, what hourly rate should be used?

A: Grant funds can pay for a volunteer’s time, and BWSR’s billing rate doesn’t apply. There isn’t a set hourly rate for volunteers. If it is reasonable and justifiable, that rate is left to the grantee to be determined.

#34. Q: If a shoreline restoration project is in a non-public place, i.e., a private residential shoreline, is the landowner required to display a sign with the Clean Water Legacy logo at the project site?

A: BWSR asks that a legacy sign be displayed if practicable but is not required. For example, if you had multiple shoreline restorations on one lake, perhaps displaying a sign on one to two sites would be adequate.

#35. Q: There is a non-profit organization lake association interested in applying to the Clean Water Legacy Partners Grant Program. One of the lake association members owns their own LLC consulting business. This individual would be the main liaison for grant reporting and project development/outreach. Can this individual bill their time to the grant through their consulting business?

A: Yes, they could bill their time through the consulting business. Having an agreement set up between the lake association (or whomever the applicant/grantee is in this case) and that business, and then having itemized bills documenting what that business’ time was spent on, would help.

#36. Q: Is there a budget template in the RFP?

A: No, a budget template is not included in the RFP. However, budget information will be collected when the user is completing an application in the eLINK system.

#37. Q: Can funds be used to hire SWCD staff to do Practice Certifications?

A: Staff time could be covered to do data collection, compiling and reporting as long as it is associated with grant activities, i.e. the data being collected is from farms that are a part of other grant activities such as cover crop contracts. 

#38. Q: How can I determine pollution reductions and the calculators to use?

A: BWSR has a “Choosing the Best Estimator” webpage under the eLINK guidance: https://bwsr.state.mn.us/elink-guidance-choosing-best-estimator.

#39. Q: Should a stand-alone PDF file of a feasibility study for in-lake management activities be submitted via email before the RFP closes?

A: The feasibility study for in-lake management activities is a specifically required attachment when proposing to use grant dollars for those purposes. A stand-alone sent via email to BWSR.grants@state.mn.us before the RFP closes is the correct procedure.

#40. Q: Is it true in this case, then, that the expense of bi-weekly water quality testing (April-September 2023) cannot be included in the requested grant budget?

A: It is correct that monitoring surface water quality to assure the project’s total phosphorus goal is achieved is not an eligible grant expense. Other sources of funding should be used to conduct your monitoring.

#41. Q. Is the use of nanobubble technology or lanthanum eligible? 

A: No, the use of nanobubble technology or lanthanum are not eligible activities because the long-term benefits, expected water quality outcomes, ecological impacts, and effective life of these practices are currently unknown. 

#42. Q:  I have entered proposed indicators within the Application Activities.  Why do I also need to provide a narrative summary of “Proposed Measurable Outcomes”?               

A:  BWSR is required to report proposed and actual outcomes on the Legislative Coordinating Commission’s Legacy website. While grantees report proposed and actual outcomes in eLINK at the activity detail level, the LCC requires this data to be bundled into a 250-character summary for the entire grant.

Contact

To submit questions please email us at cwfquestions@state.mn.us. 

For Further Information Contact BWSR NGO/Tribal Grants Specialists 

Melissa Sjolund at melissa.sjolund@state.mn.us or Ara Gallo at ara.gallo@state.mn.us