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.
Guidance is supporting information or recommended action: Guidance consists of recommended best practices; helpful context; and/or tools, resources and examples.
Effective Date: 7/1/2025
I. Procedure
Grant reporting
Grant reporting is a means to illustrate achievements and progress made towards program goals and to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of State funds. In general, reports are to contain updates on activities and expenditures that occurred since the previous report and are to be completed by February 1 of each year and within 30 days of the completion of a grant. Grants over $500,000 may include an additional report to be completed by June 30 of each year.
Content and frequency of reports varies by grant program and fiscal year; therefore, grant recipients should carefully read all grant agreements, reporting announcements and guidance.
Reporting reminders and announcements are generally sent via email to grant recipients. See the BWSR Grant Reporting webpage for a list of active grant expiration dates, program specific requirements, and current reporting deadlines. Be sure to check this page prior to each reporting deadline for the most updated guidance.
For grants with a reimbursable component, see the Requesting a Reimbursement or Payment section of the manual for the processes and expectations.
Posting of additional website information may also be required by individual grant programs.
Some grants may have requirements in addition to those noted here that may influence grant eligibility. For example, BWSR may act as the fiscal agent on behalf of other State agencies, such as MPCA SSTS Program and DNR Shoreland Program. These agencies may have requirements beyond information BWSR has requested.
Minnesota Statute §103B.3369, Subdivision 9 allows BWSR to consider additional performance-based criteria for grant programs and the Office of Grants Management’s Policy on Evaluating Grantee Performance (08-13) requires BWSR to consider a grant applicant’s past performance when awarding grants. BWSR may consider withholding grant payments if the grantee is not in compliance with all Board reporting requirements.
If you have questions or are unable to complete a required report by a given deadline, contact your Grant Manager.
Website grant reporting
See your grant agreement to determine if website reporting is required.
For website reporting of Clean Water Land and Legacy funded projects, the grantee is required to display the legacy logo on their website’s home page accompanied by the phrase "Click here for more information." When a person clicks on the legacy logo image, the website must direct the person to a page that includes both the contact information that a person may use to obtain additional information, as well as a link to the Legacy website: http://www.legacy.leg.mn/.
When additional website reporting is required, the content of the website reports for a grant should reflect the activities, expenditures, and achievements associated with the grant funds. If a grant recipient does not have a website, a partner organization website may be used. Posting of eLINK progress reports is often sufficient to meet these requirements; however, grantees are encouraged to develop or use more public-friendly alternatives or information pages with pictures and maps.
Technical Service Area (TSA). TSAs must post their annual financial statement on the host SWCD website, unless the joint powers board has its own website.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) SWCD websites must include the information:
Annual report While a Conservation Delivery Grant Progress Report (pdf) from eLINK will fulfill the requirement, grantees are encouraged to post a more public-friendly summary of expenditures and outcomes instead.
Most recent audit
Annual budget
Meeting notices
Description of revisions | Date |
|---|---|
| Previously titled Reporting Requirements. No significant changes, updated format and language, addition of links to the Legacy site. | 7/1/2017 |
Updated to reflect process changes in eLINK. Clarified TSA annual financial statement requirement. | 7/1/2023 |
| Updated to reflect new chapter structure. | 7/1/2025 |