Good Steward Grants support the planning and installation of conservation practices with one or more of the following primary purposes: Reduce erosion and sedimentation; Improve water quality; Protect groundwater quality or reduce groundwater use; or Preserve, restore, or establish critical habitat These include, but are not limited to, new installations of: Stormwater management projects such as rain gardens, stormwater ponds and benches, stormwater reuse systems, infiltration or filtration basins, permeable pavement, grass swales, or water and sediment control basins. Habitat restoration projects such as woodland and prairie restorations or riverbank or lake shoreline restorations Water quality improvement projects like lake alum treatments This list is provided for example purposes. Please contact Hennepin County staff if your project is not on this list but meets any of the primary purposes listed above. In addition, the grant may only fund conservation practices which meet the following criteria: All practices must be designed and maintained for a specified time period. The minimum effective life will vary with practice type but will be no less than 10 years from the final payment. Grant funds cannot be used for practices designed only to increase land productivity. All practices must be installed within the county’s geographic boundary and must be consistent with industry design standards (e.g. Natural Resource Conservation Service Field Office Technical Guide or the MN Stormwater Manual). Novel and emerging conservation practices are welcomed, but the application should clearly explain why that practice choice is most appropriate for the project. If a project meets each of these criteria, funding is available to share the costs of project implementation with eligible participants. The grant amount provided shall not exceed 75% of the total eligible project cost. The landowner/participant is responsible for contributing the remaining 25% of the cost of the project installation. Landowner/participant costs must be in cash and/or in-kind contributions. Grant amount will be based on the work plan and budget submitted by the applicant. The total grant request may not exceed $25,000. Typical grant awards range from $10,000-$20,000.
