Grants awarded 2024
Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission
$13,680 to conduct a water milfoil eradication project on Sweeney Lake. Milfoil was identified for the first time in the Fall of 2023 on Sweeney Lake in Golden Valley. This project aims to survey and eradicate milfoil before it becomes an established population. Barr Engineering and a certified herbicide contractor will be utilized to oversee the survey, planning, and treatments. The Sweeney Lake Association will assist with homeowner education including a workshop and promotion of Lakepledge.com. Work categories include rapid response, early detection, and education
Bolton & Menk, Inc. (two projects)
$17,950 to conduct AIS survey training, technical assistance, and early prevention. The project will provide early detection and prevention by empowering lake groups and citizens to conduct their own lake surveys through training with a professional limnologist. This grant also assists with the county AIS newsletters and other technical requests throughout the season. New this year will be an opportunity for lake groups countywide to collect a bucket of plants, snails, or crayfish from their lake for identification by an AIS professional. Work categories include early detection, education, and research.
$18,348 for a project to educate youth about the risks related to releasing pets and plants. This project proposes to initiate an AIS awareness program targeting 4th and 5th grade students about the risk from pets and plants being released into our lakes. This is an often-under-addressed pathway for AIS. Working with Robbinsdale School of Engineering and Arts, a 10-minute video will be created and made available countywide. Work categories include education, early detection, and pathway analysis.
Fish Lake Area Residents Association
$7,000 to conduct AIS inspections and application. Fish Lake Area Residents Association will work with the Three Rivers Park District to provide watercraft inspections at the Fish Lake public access during periods when there is minimal coverage in May and September. This project will provide enough inspection hours to cover the majority of watercraft using this access in 2024. This project will also provide education about how to use a CD3 station to assist outgoing watercraft. Zebra mussels were identified in Fish Lake in 2022. Work categories include watercraft inspection and education.
Friends of the Mississippi River
$15,410 to educate youth about invasive carp and conduct public outreach. This project is part of the Friends of the Mississippi River Environmental Stewardship Institute, a youth development program that offers education and career exploration a diverse next generation of environmental leaders. Project participants will raise public awareness about the threat of invasive species and the importance of limiting the spread of invasive carp. Between 400 and 500 community members will be engaged and the primary work category is education.
Lake Minnetonka Association
$7,000 to conduct AIS surveys around water accesses on Lake Minnetonka. The Lake Minnetonka Association will contract with PLM Services to survey a two-acre or larger area around each of the 16 public and private water accesses on Lake Minnetonka, focusing on the identification of starry stonewort. Work categories include early detection and education.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
$15,000 to upgrade an AIS education kiosk and check station at Bde Maka Ska. This project will upgrade the AIS informational kiosk at Bde Maka Ska boat launch. Using lessons learned over a decade, the kiosk will be designed to enhance the engagement and education of AIS prevention. This is a popular lake for sailing, fishing, recreational boating, and pedestrian traffic expecting 2,500 inspections and engaging 5,500 patrons annually. Work categories include access redesign and education.
WaterGuards LLC
$23,400 to provide inspection services and conduct an AIS educational encouragement program. This is a watercraft inspection program spread throughout the county that also focuses on education and encouraging boaters to take the right actions to prevent the spread of AIS. These inspections will be conducted from fishing opener to Labor Day. Lakes, and inspection hours at those lakes, will be randomly scheduled at accesses without an inspection program or at times inspectors would typically not be present. Work categories include watercraft inspection and education.
Waterfront Restoration
$30,000 for an AIS Ambassador education program. This project will provide Watercraft Ambassadors at five public water accesses at high risk for the spread of AIS. The Ambassadors will educate and teach boaters with all interactions focusing on obtaining correct boater self-inspection. This is an expansion from the success observed the last two seasons, where violation rates dropped by 83% and boater’s self-inspections increased by 81%. Work categories include education and research.
Wildlife Forever
$11,000 to conduct targeted outreach and education about Clean Drain Dry. This project will join the nationwide Clean Drain Dry initiative and the Minnetonka Power Squadron on Lake Minnetonka. Signage, posters, graphics, and other materials will be distributed at the Power Squadron Headquarters and website along with local events including the Minneapolis Aquatennial, MN Wakesurf Championship, and Spirit of the Lakes fireworks and parade. Work category is education.
Grant information
Grants applications are not currently being accepted. Check back in November 2024 for the next round.
View a flyer about the grant program (PDF).
Eligible recipients
Eligible recipients include:
- Local government agencies, such as cities, watershed organizations and park districts
- Nonprofit organizations
- Public companies and institutions
- Private, for-profit companies
Eligible project activities
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
Funding available
Typical project awards will range from $5,000 to $25,000, with a maximum project award of $50,000. No match required.
Eligible expenses include consulting fees, staff time, materials, supplies, labor, printing and promotions.
Apply
Applications are not currently being accepted. Check back in November 2024 for the next round.
Contact
Staff is available to answer questions, offer resources and provide feedback on project ideas.
For more information, contact Tony Brough at tony.brough@hennepin.us or 612-348-4378.