Project types eligible for the Stewardship Grant Program

The District offers Stewardship Grants for seven types of projects. The scoring sheets detail the requirements for each project type (except Stormwater BMP) and how to maximize cost share percentage.

• Native Plant - Add native plants or seeds to existing landscape or to enhance a natural landscape.

• Habitat Restoration - Restore developed space into native habitat or restore a highly degraded natural area.

• Lake Shoreline Restoration - Restore a shoreline with native plants or other bioengineering techniques.

• Waterbody Buffer - Add a strip of native vegetation to help protect a waterbody such as a lake, pond, or creek.

• Alternative Lawn - Convert a standard resource-intense lawn into a meadow lawn or bee lawn.

• Stormwater BMP - Build a rain garden, tree trench, vegetated swale, or other feature that manages stormwater.

• Rain Barrel (homeowners only) - Add a rain barrel to capture roof runoff.

Scroll down for descriptions and requirements for each project type.

Project Maximum Award

Project requirements, approved uses of funds, and maximum awards per project type are detailed below. For most projects, cost share percentages (grant awards) range from 25% to 75% of qualifying project cost up to a set maximum per project type per applicant per year. Review the project scoring sheets to see how you can maximize your cost share award.

Yearly Maximum per applicant

An individual or organization may apply for more than one Stewardship Grant per calendar year. However, in addition to a project type maximum, there is a yearly maximum that an individual or organization may be awarded in a calendar year, regardless of the number of projects or project categories they apply for.

• A homeowner will not be awarded more than $5,000 in cost share funds per year.
• A non-profit will not be awarded more than $20,000 in cost share funds per year.
• A municipality, school, or business will not be awarded more than $50,000 in cost share funds per year.

Project Types

This project category offers cost-share funding for the purchase of live plants or seeds. Example projects include small, simple projects such as a butterfly garden or pocket prairie.

Why Native Plants?

Native plants play a significant role in ecosystem health including water resources. Native plants provide habitat for wildlife and the base of the food web. As they grow, plants pull carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the form of new roots, leaves and stems.

Native plants are soil engineers with extensive roots that create structure and nurture a healthy soil ecosystem with microorganisms. Healthy soils have air pockets and rich, dark humus that allows rainwater and snowmelt to soak into the ground where the water is stored and used in time of drought. Native plants also protect soil by shielding it from erosion and shading it to reduce water loss.

Approved Uses of Funds

The purchase of native seeds and/or live native plants are the ONLY costs eligible for this type of project. Plants must be installed in the ground and not in containers. Plants/seeds may be used to establish a new planting or to enhance an existing native planting.

Eligibility for In-Kind Credit or Professional Maintenance Funds

No. This project type is not eligible for in-kind labor/materials or professional maintenance support. Only the cost of native live plants or seeds qualify for the Native Plants project type.

Native Plant Requirements

Below is as summary. For more detail including examples and a template, see Native Plant Requirements.

1. Only native plants in their natural form. No cultivars allowed.
2. Native plants must be purchased from an approved vendor.
3. Plant selection must be appropriate for site conditions.
4. Plant selection must include at least 9 different species with 3 species that bloom in spring, 3 species that bloom in summer, and 3 species that bloom in fall.
5. Plant selection must include at least one keystone species (can be one of the blooming species above - we're happy to help you select a keystone species).
6. Must practice ecologically friendly maintenance.

Detailed Plant List Required

To apply, you need to submit a detailed native plant list that includes scientific name, common name, bloom time, size of plant to be purchased, price for each, quantity of each, and total cost. See an example native plant list. Download a native plant list spreadsheet that you can populate with your plant selections (open in Excel, Google Sheets, or other spreadsheet application).

Who May Apply

Homeowners, non-profit organizations, businesses, schools, and municipal governments located in RPBCWD may apply.

Maximum Grant Award for Native Planting

See project requirements and how to maximize your cost share percentage!

Review the scoring sheet to see how you can maximize the cost share percentage for a grant for a Native Planting.

Native Planting Scoring Sheet

Apply for a Native Planting grant

Click below to apply.

Apply for a grant

Why Habitat Restoration?

Restoring a developed area into a natural habitat has many benefits. In addition to bringing back wildlife habitat, a habitat restoration provides many ecological services including regulating climate, protecting drinking water, flood control, supporting pollinators, nutrient cycling, and supporting human physical and mental health.

Approved Uses of Funds

The purchase of materials or services needed for habitat restoration are allowable costs. This includes design fee, site preparation, erosion control, seeding, and planting. Landscaping edging may be eligible if it supports project maintenance needs, but eligible cost for edging will not exceed $2/per linear foot. Projects may also be offered additional funds to support the first three years of maintenance if it’s done by a professional; talk to the grant coordinator if this applies to you.

Aesthetic elements such as stepping stones and bird baths are not eligible. If the project you have in mind is a highly designed space with non-natural design elements, it is likely not a habitat restoration. The "Native Plants" project type may be a better fit for you.

Eligibility for In-Kind Credit or Professional Maintenance Funds

This project type may be eligible for in-kind labor/materials and/or professional maintenance support for homeowner and non-profit applicants. In-kind credit must be planned for during the application process. If the grant coordinator feels that professional maintenance would be appropriate for this project type, then the applicant can submit an estimate for 3 years of professional maintenance for additional funding.

Native Plant Requirements

Below is as summary. For more detail including examples and a template, see Native Plant Requirements.

1. Only native plants in their natural form. No cultivars allowed.
2. Native plants must be purchased from an approved vendor.
3. Plant selection must be appropriate for site conditions.
4. Plant selection must include at least 9 different species with 3 species that bloom in spring, 3 species that bloom in summer, and 3 species that bloom in fall.
5. Plant selection must include at least one keystone species (can be one of the blooming species above).
6. Must practice ecologically friendly maintenance.

Other Requirements

• Project size must be at least 250 square feet of developed or disturbed land. Developed means that the area is impermeable or of low permeability and creates significant stormwater runoff. Examples of developed land includes lawn, turfgrass, parking lot, paved patio, or other hard or soil compacted surface. A severely eroded or otherwise highly degraded natural site of high value may also be considered for a grant. NOTE: Areas infested with Buckthorn or Reed Canary Grass will usually not meet the requirement of impermeability or low-permeability for Stewardship Grant habitat restoration projects.

• Location is not adjacent or near a waterbody: If so, project may be reclassified as a shoreline restoration or waterbody buffer of native vegetation and must meet requirements for those projects.

• You must have a native vegetation establishment and maintenance plan. You may develop these yourself or hire a professional. Plan materials must include a map showing the location of the project on the property, a planting plan, an estimated timeline of project installation tasks, site photos, detailed cost estimate, and a long-term maintenance plan.

Who May Apply

Homeowners, non-profit organizations, businesses, schools, and municipal governments located in RPBCWD may apply.

Maximum Grant Award for Habitat Restoration

See project requirements and how to maximize your cost share percentage!

Review the scoring sheet to see how you can maximize the cost share percentage for a grant for a Habitat Restoration.

Habitat Restoration Scoring Sheet

Apply for a Habitat Restoration grant

Click below to apply.

Apply for a grant

Why Shoreline Restoration?

Natural shorelines are best for lake health. When designed correctly, a restored shoreline will greatly reduce erosion from wave action, erosion from stormwater runoff, and pollution from stormwater runoff. Native plants will support ecological services including providing shoreland habitat for fish, turtles, songbirds, dragonflies, and butterflies.

Learn more on our Natural Shorelines page.

Approved Uses of Funds

The purchase of services or bioengineering materials needed for lake shoreline restoration are allowable costs. This includes design fee, site preparation, bioengineering components, erosion control, seeding, and planting. Landscaping edging may be eligible if it supports project maintenance needs, but eligible cost for edging will not exceed $2/per linear foot. Projects may also be offered additional funds to support the first three years of maintenance if it’s done by a professional; talk to the grant coordinator if this applies to you.

Aesthetic or recreational elements such as stepping stones, boulders, beaches, and docks are not reimbursable.

Eligibility for In-Kind Credit or Professional Maintenance Funds

This project type may be eligible for in-kind labor/materials and/or professional maintenance support for homeowner and non-profit applicants. In-kind credit must be planned for during the application process. If the grant coordinator feels that professional maintenance would be appropriate for this project type, then the applicant can submit an estimate for 3 years of professional maintenance for additional funding.

Native Plant Requirements

Below is as summary. For more detail including examples and a template, see Native Plant Requirements.

1. Only native plants in their natural form. No cultivars allowed.
2. Native plants must be purchased from an approved vendor.
3. Plant selection must be appropriate for site conditions.
4. Plant selection must include at least three species that bloom in spring, three species that bloom in summer, and three species that bloom in fall.
5. Plant selection must include at least one keystone species (can be one of the blooming species above).
6. Must practice ecologically friendly maintenance.

Other Requirements

• Project must occur on a shoreline of one of the primary lakes in the watershed district. This includes Ann, Duck, Hyland, Lotus, Lucy, Mitchell, Red Rock, Rice Marsh, Riley, Round, Silver, Staring, and Susan.

• Project size must be at least 25 feet of shoreline or 25% of shoreline, whichever is greater, with a minimum average natural area width of 10 feet with at least 5 of those feet extending above the high water line.

• You must have a shoreline restoration plan and a maintenance plan. In most situations you’ll need to hire a professional. Plan materials must include a map showing the location of the project on the property, a planting plan, an estimated timeline of project installation tasks, site photos, detailed cost estimate, and a long-term maintenance plan.

• The project design must show the ordinary high water line (OHWL) of the lake. An engineer or landscape architect will likely need to be involved.

• Any shoreline work below the OHWL will require a permit from RPBCWD. Permit staff will assist you through this process.

Who May Apply

Homeowners, non-profit organizations, businesses, schools, and municipal governments located in RPBCWD may apply.

Maximum Grant Award for Lake Shoreline Restoration

See project requirements and how to maximize your cost share percentage!

Review the scoring sheet to see how you can maximize the cost share percentage for a grant for a Shoreline Restoration.

Shoreline Restoration Scoring Sheet

Apply for a Shoreline Restoration grant

Click below to apply.

Apply for a grant

Why a Native Vegetation Buffer?

A buffer of native vegetation helps protect lakes, ponds, streams and other waterbodies from stormwater erosion and pollution. A waterbody buffer differs from a shoreline restoration in that no work is done below the ordinary high water line (OHWL).

Approved Uses of Funds

The purchase of materials or services needed to install a native vegetation buffer are allowable costs. This includes design fee, site preparation, erosion control, seeding, and planting. Landscaping edging may be eligible if it supports project maintenance needs, but eligible cost for edging will not exceed $2/per linear foot. Projects may also be offered additional funds to support the first three years of maintenance if it’s done by a professional.

Aesthetic or recreational elements such as stepping stones, bird baths, and landscaping edging are not eligible.

Eligibility for In-Kind Credit or Professional Maintenance Funds

This project type may be eligible for in-kind labor/materials and/or professional maintenance support for homeowner and non-profit applicants. In-kind credit must be planned for during the application process. If the grant coordinator feels that professional maintenance would be appropriate for this project type, then the applicant can submit an estimate for 3 years of professional maintenance for additional funding.

Native Plant Requirements

Below is as summary. For more detail including examples and a template, see Native Plant Requirements.

1. Only native plants in their natural form. No cultivars allowed.
2. Native plants must be purchased from an approved vendor.
3. Plant selection must be appropriate for site conditions.
4. Plant selection must include at least three species that bloom in spring, three species that bloom in summer, and three species that bloom in fall.
5. Plant selection must include at least one keystone species (can be one of the blooming species above).
6. Must practice ecologically friendly maintenance.

Other Requirements

• Project must extend at least 25 feet along (parallel to) shoreline with at least an average width of 10 feet. This includes the shoreline of any waterbody including lakes, ponds, wetlands and creeks.

• Existing condition of the site must create significant runoff such as a developed or compacted area. Examples include lawn/yard, turfgrass, parking lot, pavement or other hard or compacted surface. A severely eroded or otherwise highly degraded natural site of high value may also be considered for a grant. NOTE: Areas infested with Buckthorn or Reed Canary Grass will usually not meet the requirement of impermeability or low-permeability for Stewardship Grant vegetation buffer projects.

• The project must be located outside the shoreland zone (above the ordinary high water line or OHWL).

• You must have a native vegetation establishment plan and maintenance plan. You may need to hire a professional to do this. Plan materials must include a map showing the location of the project on the property, a planting plan, an estimated timeline of project installation tasks, site photos, detailed cost estimate, and a long-term maintenance plan.

Who May Apply

Homeowners, non-profit organizations, businesses, schools, and municipal governments located in RPBCWD may apply.

Maximum Grant Award for Waterbody Vegetation Buffer

See project requirements and how to maximize your cost share percentage!

Review the scoring sheet to see how you can maximize the cost share percentage for a grant for a Waterbody Buffer.

Waterbody Buffer Scoring Sheet

Apply for a Waterbody Buffer grant

Click below to apply.

Apply for a grant

Why convert your standard lawn to an alternative lawn?

An alternative lawn such as a bee lawn or meadow lawn can provide many benefits. These include providing foraging and nesting spaces for insects, reducing the need for maintenance (watering, fertilizing, mowing), and a greater resiliency to flooding and drought.

Check out these alternative lawns resources:

• Lawns to Legumes: Your Yard Can BEE the Change from the Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources
• Bee lawn information can be found on the University of Minnesota Bee Lab website
• Environmentally friendly lawn care tips from the City of Bloomington
• What is a Bee Lawn? from the Minnesota State Horticultural Society

Approved Uses of Funds

The purchase of materials or services needed to convert a standard non-native turfgrass lawn into an alternative lawn with increased ecological and water resource protection benefits such as a bee lawn or meadow lawn. This includes design fee, site preparation, erosion control, equipment rental, seeding, and planting. Projects may also be offered additional funds to support the first three years of maintenance if it’s done by a professional and if deemed appropriate by the grant manager. Aesthetic and recreational elements such as stepping stones, bird baths, and landscaping edging are not eligible.

Eligibility for In-Kind Credit or Professional Maintenance Funds

An Alternative Lawn may qualify for in-kind credit if it's planned for during the application process and approved by the grant coordinator. Only homeowners and non-profit groups qualify for in-kind credit.

An alternative lawns (clover, fine fescue, etc.) by itself is unlikely to qualify for professional maintenance support; an exception may be made if, in addition to the alternative lawn (e.g. bee lawn), there's a 250-square-foot or larger native plant vegetation planting included as part of the overall project. Only homeowners and non-profit groups qualify for professional maintenance support.

Requirements

• Project must adhere to standards for selected alternative lawn that provides a increased benefit to water quality from a traditional (Kentucky Bluegrass or similar) lawn. In your application, please provide details about your proposed alternative lawn including plant species (live or seeds) and planting approach.

• Size minimum is 100 square feet.

• Practice ecologically friendly maintenance. This means limiting chemicals and leaving plant material in place. See “Ecologically Friendly Maintenance” for details.

• Applicant plans to adjust mowing frequency and timing as follows: Wait until lawns are at least 4 ½ inches tall before mowing and raise mowing height to 3 inches or higher. Flowering dandelions and clover are especially important in early spring as they boost the limited supply of pollinator food sources.​​​​​

Who May Apply

Homeowners, non-profit organizations, businesses, schools, and municipal governments located in RPBCWD may apply.

Maximum Grant Award for Alternative Lawn

See project requirements and how to maximize your cost share percentage!

Review the scoring sheet to see how you can maximize the cost share percentage for a grant for an Alternative Lawn.

Alternative Lawn Scoring Sheet

Apply for an Alternative Lawn grant

Click below to apply.

Apply for a grant

What Is It?

Examples of stormwater BMPs include:

• Rain garden
• Tree trench
• Stormwater sand filter
• Bioretention basin
• Infiltration basin
• Vegetated swale
• Infiltration trench
• Permeable pavement
• Green roof

Visit the Minnesota Stormwater Manual for more information. Where applicable, native plants may be required.

Approved Uses of Funds

Funds may be used for approved stormwater BMPs such as a rain garden, tree trench, and more.

If you are doing work that is required as part of a permit from the watershed district, you cannot use any grant funds (from the District or other organization) for this work. However, you may use grant funds for a stormwater BMP or components thereof that go above and beyond basic permit requirements. The other exception is bioengineering components of a shoreline stabilization, even if a permit is required.

Eligibility for In-Kind Credit or Professional Maintenance Funds

A Stormwater BMP may qualify for in-kind credit if it's planned for during the application process and approved by the grant coordinator. Only homeowners and non-profit groups qualify for in-kind credit.

If a Stormwater BMP includes a 250-square-foot or larger native vegetation planting (habitat restoration), then that portion of the project may qualify for professional maintenance support. Only homeowners and non-profit groups qualify for professional maintenance support.

Requirements

• Project must not be a BMP required by a permit. A BMP that goes above and beyond permit requirements or the cost difference of an BMP upgrade is eligible for grant funds.


• A civil design plan or technical drawing must be submitted. This typically requires involvement of an engineer, landscape architect, or knowledgeable advisor.


• A site visit during construction is required. This is in addition to any initial site visit and project close-out site visit.

Who May Apply

Homeowners, non-profit organizations, businesses, schools, and municipal governments located in RPBCWD may apply.

Maximum Grant Award for Stormwater BMP

See project requirements for a rain garden and how to maximize your cost share percentage!

Review the scoring sheet to see how you can maximize the cost share percentage for a grant for a Rain Garden. Due to a high level of variability, we evaluate other Stormwater BMP applications independently.

Rain Garden Scoring Sheet

Apply for a stormwater BMP grant

Click below to apply.

Apply for a grant

Why a Rain Barrel?

A rain barrel is a simple way to reduce runoff from your roof and most effective when emptied regularly. Reuse the collected water for irrigation of lawn or native plantings.

Approved Uses of Funds

The purchase of materials or services needed to install a rain barrel. More than one rain barrel may be purchased with the limit up to the discretion of RPBCWD staff.

Eligibility for In-Kind Credit or Professional Maintenance Funds

No. This project type is not eligible for in-kind labor/materials or professional maintenance support.

Requirements

• Rain barrel must be installed properly to collect runoff.


• Grantee must commit to emptying rain barrel on a regular basis in a way that allows water to infiltrate into the ground.

Who May Apply

Homeowners residing in RPBCWD may apply.

Maximum Grant Award for Rain Barrel

* SVI area: Community with high Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) per the MPCA environmental justice areas of concern map. In RPBCWD, the high SVI area is generally within Eden Prairie north of Anderson Lakes Parkway and east of County Road 61.

Maximize your cost share percentage!

Review the scoring sheet to see how you can maximize the cost share percentage for a grant for a Rain Barrel.

Rain Barrel Scoring Sheet

Apply for a rain barrel grant

Click below to apply.

Apply for a grant