PROGRAM PURPOSE: The Soil Health Practices Grant is enabled via Minnesota Statutes (M.S.) §103F.06 to provide a financial and technical support program to produce soil health practices that achieve water quality, soil productivity, climate change resiliency, or carbon sequestration benefits. This Soil Health Practice Grants are also enabled through the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (Partnership Agreement #3053). The intent of this grant opportunity is to enhance the adoption of cover crops and other soil health practices.
$25,000,000 Federal RCPP
$5,000,000 Clean Water Fund
Total = $30,000,000
AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL GRANTS:
$17,760,000
(As of 07/01/2025)
REQUESTING ADDITIONAL GRANTS:
Soil and Water Conservation District grantees are eligible to request additional grants of $120,000 on a monthly basis. Additional grants will be processed by BWSR on the last workday of every month. Additional grants are available to those that have obligated (in-contract) 80% of prior federal RCPP funds and is compliant with program guidelines. The additional grants will consist of $100,000 for Financial Assistance (Federal RCPP Funds) and $20,000 for Technical Assistance/Engineering or Financial Assistance (Clean Water Funds). Requests are limited to one grant per grantee per month. Additional grant requests submitted from April-June may not be processed until after July 1st, in accordance with BWSR financial procedures around the new state fiscal year. There is no limit to the number of additional grants a grantee can receive. These additional grant periods will continue until all program funds have been disbursed.
To request additional grant funds, please submit an eLINK Interim Report within your most recent Soil Health Practices Grant. Eligible requests must demonstrate, through eLINK budgeting, 80% obligation (contracts in-place) of federal RCPP funding allocations of prior Soil Health Practices Grants and adherence to program guidelines. Eligible requests will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis on the last business day of the month, until all funds are expended.
Each executed grant will be distributed in one advanced payment (100%) to the grantee.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
Program requirements can be found in the Exhibit A on the grants program page: LINK