Funding and assistance for natural resources projects

Good Steward Grants are primarily for smaller projects that improve water quality, enhance natural areas and promote environmental stewardship to the community. A typical grant amount is $10,000 to $20,000, with a maximum amount of $25,000.

Hennepin County also offers Opportunity Grants for larger projects seeking to leverage multiple funding sources with grant amounts ranging from $25,000-$50,000. Learn more about Opportunity Grants.

Eligible applicants

All landowners are eligible to apply, including:

• Individuals
• Nonprofit and non-governmental organizations
• Local government agencies
• Businesses

If you're a renter, we encourage you to still reach out to us. We'd be happy to work with you and the property's landowner to identify and refine any grant ideas you may have.

Funding guidelines

Funding may be used for environmental or engineering consulting fees, materials, supplies, labor and inspection fees.

• Ideal for smaller, community-based or single applicant projects. Typical projects include constructing rain gardens, stabilizing stream banks, restoring native vegetation, installing vegetated filter strips or implementing other best management projects.
• Typical funding amount of $10,000 to $20,000; maximum funding amount of $25,000
• Grant funding can cover up to 75 percent of the total eligible project cost. Landowners must contribute the remaining 25 percent of project costs, which can be cash or in-kind.

Applying for Good Steward Grants

Applications for Good Steward Grants are being accepted November 5, 2024 through January 23, 2025.

If you're interested in learning more about grant eligibility and application requirements, please review the application, guidelines, and sample contract documents linked below.

• Good Steward Grant application 2025 (DOCX) 
• Good Steward Grant application guidelines 2025 (DOCX)
• Sample grant contract (PDF)

If you have any questions on the grant program or other funding opportunities, please contact Ellen Sones, ellen.sones@hennepin.us or 612-596-1173.

Good Steward Grants awarded in 2024

Hennepin County awarded eight Good Steward Grants totaling $146,969 in 2024.

Upstream MN

$14,550 to work with seven neighborhood organizations around Minneapolis’ Chain of Lakes to launch a muti-neighborhood Adopt-a-Drain initiative and reach 25% storm drain adoption in the Bde Maka Ska-Lake of the Isles communities.

Corcoran Pollinator Project

$16,219 to install four boulevard/yard bioswales, establish a native plant propagation operation, and work with residents to establish more native plantings in the community to increase neighborhood biodiversity, improve water quality, and educate residents about the benefits of stormwater infrastructure and native plants.

Aaron and Angelica Evens

$25,000 to address streambank erosion along the Crow River by restoring 78 linear feet of highly eroded streambank that has contributed approximately 150,000 cubic feet of sediment to the Crow River.

Great River Greening

$25,000 to enhance green space connected to the Division of Indian Works building on Lake Street. The project includes installation of a rainwater and ceremonial garden, removal of invasive species, and installation of stormwater swales and a retaining wall.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

$15,000 to create a 3,000 square foot entrance garden at Francis A. Gross Golf Course.  The garden will contain a variety of native pollinator plants and will serve as a public demonstration site.

Northside Residents Redevelopment Council

$20,000 to convert existing concrete walkways to permeable pavement and work with volunteers to establish native prairie habitat around the walkways at their Demonstration Site for Healthy Urban Living.

Wado

$25,000 to install a rain garden, rainwater capture cistern, work with a native artist to create a mural, and select culturally relevant plants to educate community members.  This project area is located adjacent to George Floyd Square.

Xcel

$6,200 to convert four acres of turf grass into native prairie habitat under electric transmission lines, building upon 19 acres of restored prairie already installed in this transmission corridor in 2017

Opportunity Grant applications are closed for 2024. Please check back in 2025 for applications.

Opportunity Grants are ideal for larger projects seeking to leverage multiple funding sources. These grants are intended to help partners take advantage of opportunities to implement large projects that improve water quality or preserve, establish or restore natural areas. Applicants are encouraged to use these funds as required match for other funding sources. A typical grant amount is $25,000, with a maximum amount of $50,000.

Hennepin County also offers Good Steward Grants which are meant for smaller projects with typical grant amounts ranging from $10,000-$25,000. Learn more about Good Steward Grants.

Eligible applicants

All landowners are eligible to apply, including:

• Individuals
• Nonprofit and non-governmental organizations
• Local government agencies
• Businesses

If you're a renter, we encourage you to still reach out to us. We'd be happy to work with you and the property's landowner to identify and refine any grant ideas you may have.

Funding guidelines

Funding may be used for environmental or engineering consulting fees, materials, supplies, labor, and inspection fees.

• Ideal for larger projects seeking to leverage multiple funding sources from more than one partner
• Ideal for projects identified as priorities in the applicant's management plans (such as a comprehensive plan or watershed management plan)
• Typical funding amount of $25,000 to $50,000; maximum funding amount of $50,000
• No match required. Funds are often used for required match for other funding sources.

Applying for Opportunity Grants

Opportunity Grants are currently closed. Check back for future updates.

If you're interested in learning more about grant eligibility and application requirements, please review the application, guidelines, and sample contract documents linked below.

• Opportunity Grant application 2024 (DOCX)
• Opportunity Grant application guidelines (DOCX)
• Sample grant contract (PDF)

If you have any questions on the grant program or other funding opportunities, please contact Ellen Sones, ellen.sones@hennepin.us or 612-596-1173.

Opportunity Grants awarded in 2023

Hennepin County awarded six Opportunity Grants totaling $245,034 in 2023.

Three Rivers Park District– Whaletail Lake South Basin Alum Treatment (Minnetrista)

$25,000 to facilitate the second phase of alum treatment projected to reduce internal excessive nutrients loading within Whaletail Lake South Basin by 381 lbs per year. Three Rivers Park District applied their first half-dose alum treatment in May 2023.

Metro Blooms– Urban Homeworks Partnership for Clean Water (Minneapolis)

$50,000 for Metro Blooms to engage residents in North Minneapolis to install practices that filter and infiltrate stormwater runoff, reduce localized flooding, create native habitat, and beautify the neighborhood. Best management practices and native plantings will be installed on properties and is projected to capture sediment, nutrients, and reduce runoff.

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization– East Phillips Neighborhood Subwatershed Water Quality Improvements and Habitat Enhancement Feasibility Study (Minneapolis)

$50,000 to conduct a feasibility study in the East Phillips Neighborhood resulting in the identification and evaluation of options that enhance habitat, water quality, and stormwater management. The study will coincide with other proposed projects in the area initiated by city since the East Phillips Neighborhood is the intended site for several upcoming city, county transportation and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board projects.

Lower Minnesota River Watershed District– Area 3 Minnesota Riverbank Stabilization Project (Eden Prairie)

$50,000 to address significant bluff erosion along the Minnesota River, thereby reducing erosion and sediment discharge to the river through installation of bluff protection measures. Installed practices will reduce an estimated 5,000 tons of sediment from discharging each year. Additional work will decommission a stormwater pond and install storm sewer outlet protection.

City of Crystal– Assessment and Phased Habitat Restoration of Crystal’s Natural Areas to Improve Water Quality (Crystal)

$25,000 to restore several natural areas and implement storm water quality improvements. Project phases will include the development and implementation of habitat management plans for several natural areas adjacent to public waters resulting in high-quality habitat through volunteer assistance.

City of Deephaven– Deephaven Stormwater Improvement Projects – Montgomerie Ave and Calvary Church (Deephaven)

$45,034 to install an underground infiltration system to support goals of stormwater rate and volume control, and water quality improvements at Calvary Church and properties downstream. This installation is projected to remove 8.3 lbs of total phosphorus and 1,516 lbs of sediment annually from entering nearby Lake Louise and eventually Lake Minnetonka.

About the grants

Grants are available to help local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, public companies and institutions and private, for-profit companies implement projects that prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Eligible projects

Eligible project activities include:

• Early detection
• Pathway analysis
• Education
• Decontamination
• Water access re-design
• Research
• Management
• Other ideas that prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS

Learn more and apply

Applications are accepted once per year, typically in January. Learn more about aquatic invasive species prevention grants.

About the grants

Grants are available to cities, affordable housing properties, schools, and non-profit organizations to enhance the county’s tree canopy.

The goals of the program are to combat threats to trees from invasive insects and disease by funding tree planting, educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees, and increase the diversity and resiliency of the tree canopy.

Eligible project activities

Eligible project activities include:

• Collecting data with tree inventories and developing tree management plans
• Holding tree planting events and maintaining newly planted trees
• Removing and replacing ash trees
• Conducting tree-related education
• Hosting Arbor Day celebrations

Learn more and apply

Applications are accepted once per year. Learn more about the healthy tree canopy grants.

About the funding

Hennepin County supports the redevelopment of contaminated properties known as brownfields. A variety of funding is available to support the investigation and environmental assessment phase as well as managing known contamination.

Eligible recipients

Eligible recipients include for-profit businesses, developers, governmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations.

Learn more and apply

Learn more about funding available to clean up brownfields.

Funding availability

Guidelines for the well sealing cost-share program are currently being updated. Updated guidelines and a new application will be available at the end of January 2025. 

How it works

Property owners can recover a portion of the cost they pay to seal wells that are no longer in use through the well sealing cost share program. Property owners can receive reimbursement of up to 75 percent of the well sealing cost, not to exceed $2,000 per well. See the Well Sealing Grants flyer (PDF) to learn more about the cost-sharing program.

Funding for this program is limited, so the county awards grants to the highest priority wells. The selection process factors in characteristics such as well depth, well diameter, proximity to municipal wellhead protection areas, and other environmental factors that may increase the potential for contamination of municipal groundwater resources.

After receiving and reviewing a completed application, the county will notify the applicant regarding their eligibility for a grant. To be eligible for reimbursement, you must receive grant approval before any well sealing work is done. The county will develop a contract with the property owner outlining the details for reimbursement.

If your well sealing project is eligible for grant funding, you must have a state-licensed well sealing contractor perform all required work. Work must be done in accordance with the Minnesota Well Code, including the filing of a sealed well record with the Minnesota Department of Health.

To receive reimbursement, grantees must submit the documentation specified in the grant contract after the well sealing work has been completed.

Habitat conservation

Hennepin County has funding to acquire conservation easements on the best remaining natural areas in the county and conduct habitat restoration on protected properties. Funding is also available to agricultural landowners to permanently remove certain environmentally sensitive lands from production in order to protect surface water and groundwater.

Learn more about funding available for habitat conservation.

Hennepin County cost-share grants

As part of our role as the Soil and Water Conservation District for Hennepin County, natural resources staff work directly with residents to improve water quality and prevent soil erosion.

Funding available to residents throughout the county

A small amount of funding is available each year to residents throughout the county for projects that improve water quality or reduce soil erosion.

Financial assistance of up to 75% of the cost of a project is available. All practices must be approved prior to construction. Landowners are reimbursed upon completion. Participating landowners receive technical assistance in planning and completing their project.

Funding available in priority areas

In some areas, the county and partners have secured grant funding to make financial assistance more widely available for residents completing projects to improve water quality. These priority areas are defined by subwatershed boundaries. In these areas, studies have identified projects that would be cost-effective and have significant impact on reducing pollution to downstream water bodies.

Learn more about subwatershed assessments and priority areas for management and restoration.

Current priorities for cost-share funding

Hennepin County is encouraging the use of practices that improve soil health, including planting cover crops and reducing tillage. Agricultural landowners or operators can receive funding and support to try effective practices that stabilize soil and make yields more consistent and sustainable over time.

Agricultural best management practices loans

Farmers, rural landowners and agricultural supply businesses can apply for low-interest loans through Hennepin County to make improvements or implement practices that will reduce or prevent nonpoint source pollution. The county works with local banks to provide these loans.

Eligible projects include:

• Animal waste control systems, such as runoff control structures and agricultural waste systems or pits
• Practices that reduce erosion from runoff, such as grass waterways, erosion and sediment control basins, and terraces
• Purchase of conservation tillage equipment, such as chisel plows, no-till drills, and no-till planters
• Upgrades and improvements to existing individual sewage treatment systems in rural areas

Participants are required to complete the Agricultural BMP (Best Management Practice) Loan Program application as well as complete a loan application with a bank of their choice.

Learn more about the agricultural best management practices loan.