Processing a BWSR Grant

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

Funding decisions are made by the BWSR Board, notifications to grantees occur as soon as possible after BWSR Board action.

The steps to process a grant agreement are:

1. Notification of a grant award is sent from the eLINK system and/or an email from DocuSign to the Day-to-Day Contact identified by the organization. This notification includes instructions for further processing of the grant agreement and may also contain grant-specific information such as requirements for completing work plans, disbursement terms, or additional required documentation for processing the grant. Read these instructions carefully as requirements can vary by grant and fiscal year. Delay in completing these additional requirements will delay processing of the grant.
    
2. Grantee completes and signs the grant agreement.  The Official Signatory must be an elected or appointed official of the grantee or a person authorized by the board of the grantee to sign fiscal documents. This authorization must be documented in the grantee’s records either by board meeting minutes or resolution, or by some other official action. Once the grant agreement has been completed and signed by the grantee, the signed document is returned to BWSR for processing via DocuSign.
   • Guidance: For purposes of separation of powers, and checks and balances, it is recommended that the Official Signatory of the grant agreement is not the grantee’s Authorized Representative. If your organization’s Day-to-Day Contact in eLINK is not the Official Signatory, the DocuSign agreement may be forwarded to the appropriate individual for signature.
      
3. When all grant specific requirements have been completed, BWSR will execute the grant agreement. Grant agreements are considered to be executed when they have been signed by the grantee and BWSR. Electronic copies of executed agreements are uploaded by BWSR and available in eLINK. At this time, the grantee will be notified the agreement has been executed, generally through an auto-generated message from eLINK. 
    
4. Funds are generally released through electronic fund transfer to the grantee’s identified fiscal agent. Note that preferences to receive payment by check must be established through the MN Department of Administration, Materials Management Division (www.mmd.admin.state.mn.us/). Also note that the grantee may need to request additional details regarding individual electronic transfers from their own bank. Grant funds may be withheld if the grantee is non-compliant with BWSR requirements.
    
5. The grantee must not begin work under the grant agreement and no grant or match costs may be incurred or funds expended until the agreement is fully executed. The grantee is liable for any commitments incurred outside the grant period. See also the Allowable Costs section of this Grants Administration Manual.
    
6. Periodic and final reporting on activities accomplished with grant funds is required per the grant agreement. Grant recipients must be prepared for monitoring and review of grant activities throughout and after the grant period. Contract documents, receipts, and landowner obligation records must be made available upon request per the grant agreement. See also the Reporting Requirements for BWSR Grants and Grant Closeout Process sections of this Grants Administration Manual.  

7. Funds unspent at the end of the grant period must be returned to BWSR within the timeframe specified in the executed grant agreement. 

Questions regarding processing of grant agreements should be directed to your Grant Manager. Issues of noncompliance with the terms of the grant agreement will be addressed through the Grant Manager in accordance with the Grant Noncompliance Policy.