
	Questions on the which Financial Assistance program is best for your situation? Contact the WCD staff to discuss available options.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Washington Conservation District (WCD) serves as a central distribution point for cost share, grant, and loan programs for conservation and water quality projects in Washington County. To learn more, contact the WCD to discuss available options or arrange a site visit with one of our natural resource management professionals.

State Cost-Share

The WCD manages the State Cost Share program, which provides technical, design, construction, and financial assistance to land owners to solve erosion and water quality problems. The program can provide up to 75% of the total project costs.

WCD Water Quality Cost-Share

WCD provides small grants to land owners wishing to improve surface water quality in Washington County. 50% match grants of up to $5,000 are available. Eligible practices include rainwater gardens, infiltration systems, and other innovative approaches to treat stormwater runoff at the source.

Survey and Engineering Assistance

Funds are available for surveying and engineering assistance to design conservation projects. This fund is called the Non-Point Engineering and Assistance Program (NPEAP). NPEAP can be used with other grant and cost-share funds to help pay for much of the overall project costs.

Watershed Best Management Practices

Certain watershed management organizations within Washington County run grant programs. These watershed-based grant programs fund shoreline restoration, habitat improvement, stormwater management, and many other projects. Contact the WCD staff or your local watershed management organization to learn what funds are available.

Annual Grant Programs

Annually, funds become available for special projects. These grants come from a variety of sources, including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service and require more complex applications and coordination.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) - Environmental and Conservation Partnerships, Shoreland Habitat Restoration, Cooperative Opportunities for Resource Enhancement, Roadsides for Wildlife, and Metro Greenways Grants
Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) - Local Water Management Challenge Grants
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) - 319 and Clean Water Partnership Grants
National Park Service (NPS) and United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Natural Resources Conservation Service - Federal Programs

The Natural Resources Conservation Service offers additional cost-share programs to protect water quality, improve wildlife habitat, and conserve soil resources. Contact the WCD staff or the local NRCS office for more information on these programs.

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) - Provides annual payments for converting highly erodible cropland and marginal pasture into conservation habitat areas (15 year easements).
Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) - Cost-share for all private lands for habitat restoration.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - Cost share for agricultural lands for conservation improvements.
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) - CREP combines the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with the State's Reinvest in Minnesota Reserve Program (RIM) to set aside environmentally sensitive land. Farmers receive an up-front "bonus" payment from RIM, plus 15 years of guaranteed annual payments from the federal CRP program.

Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve Program

The Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) Reserve Program strives to protect and improve water quality by encouraging landowners to retire environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production. The program reimburses landowners for enrolling their land in a permanent conservation easement, and then provides assistance to restore the area to grass, trees, or wetlands. Eligible Lands:

Sensitive Groundwater
Riparian Lands
Wetland Restoration Areas
Marginal Agricultural Cropland
Other Environmentally Sensitive Lands

AgBMP Loan Program

Provides low interest financing to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses to encourage agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that prevent or reduce runoff from feedlots and farm fields and other pollution problems. Provides loans for projects that reduce existing water quality problems caused by agricultural activities or failing septic systems. Eligible activities include:

Feedlot improvements
Improved manure handling, spreading and incorporation equipment
Terraces, waterways, streambank protection, sedimentation basins, wind breaks
Conservation tillage equipment
Repair of individual sewage treatment systems
Sealing abandoned wells