Inside this Issue:
Important upcoming dates
Information for grantees!
Amendments for grants expiring 12/31/24
FYI: Grants Quarterly newsletter
Tip of the quarter
FY25 Updates to the Grants Administration Manual
FY25 Clean Water Fund competitive RFP now open
Board awards grants for FY24 Water Quality and Storage Pilot programs
Important upcoming dates
July 26: Water Quality and Storage work plan submittal deadline
Aug. 22: Deadline to apply for FY25 Clean Water Fund competitive grants
Sept. 30: Pollinator Pathways work plan submittal deadline
Oct. 15: HELP work plan submittal deadline
Oct. 29-31: BWSR Academy
Information for grantees!
Who will be receiving my grant agreement?
The singular designated Day-to-Day Contact (D2DC) for your organization in eLINK will receive the grant agreement. Learn more by visiting the eLINK Guidance page on Accessing Your Grant Agreement or Amendment.
How do I update the Day-to-Day Contact for my organization?
If you need to update the D2DC, or aren't sure who your D2DC is, send an email to elinksupport@state.mn.us. Please provide the name of your organization, the name of the person to be removed as the D2DC, and the name of the new D2DC. Please make sure to notify BWSR when the D2DC — or any staff with an eLINK account — leave the organization so that we can ensure permissions are up to date and that critical grant communications reach your organization.
How do I verify my organization's current address in eLINK?
To update your address in eLINK, log in to eLINK and go to Contacts > Organizations. Find your organization and click on the adjacent Edit (pencil) icon. Update any address details as needed.
How will my organization receive our grant agreements?
The grant agreement will be routed to the D2DC for signature via an email from DocuSign. Watch for an email from "Kari Keating via DocuSign." You may assign your grant agreement to another individual (e.g. a board member) for signature as needed, but BWSR is not able to route the document to multiple individuals simultaneously.
Grant agreements must be signed via DocuSign. We will no longer accept them in a .pdf format.
If you receive the grant agreement from DocuSign, but are not the person who needs to sign it, please follow these steps:
- Open the document
- Find and click the button “Other Actions”
- Select the option “Assign to Someone Else”
- When the window pops up, add the name and email address of the person who will be signing the grant agreement
- Hit send, and an email will be sent to that person prompting them for signature
For signing issues, please visit DocuSign Support.
How do I verify my organization's current address in SWIFT?
To update your address in SWIFT:
- Log in to the Supplier Portal by going to http://mn.gov/supplier and go to the Sign In tile. Log in with your User ID (not an email address) and Password.
*If you need help logging in, please reach out to the EFT Helpline at 651-201-8106 or efthelpline.mmb@state.mn.us.
- Once logged in, navigate to “Manage Profile” > “Initiate Supplier Change”. Then click the “Addresses” tab and EDIT (pencil icon) the address that you wish to change. Please provide a brief reason in the Comments field (i.e. change of address, moved, etc.). Then, go to the “Submit” tab to submit this request for approval. You will be prompted to confirm your Federal Tax ID (enter with no dashes).
- Please find additional instruction at the following link to make an address change: Update Supplier Profile and Information (mn.gov).
- If you get prompted with an error to answer the Company Profile questions upon submitting, you will need to answer the questions under the Company Profile tab. When answering, please don’t type anything into the field. Leave the field completely blank/empty. Instead, click on the “select” or magnifying glass icon to choose your response. Once all questions have been answered, proceed to the submit page to submit this request.
Grantees can also contact the EFT helpline at 651-201-8106 (M-F, 9-3) or efthelpline.mmb@state.mn.us. We will need your Federal Tax ID (EIN or SSN) to locate your SWIFT Supplier account. Additional resources can be found here: SWIFT Vendor Resources
Amendments for grants expiring 12/31/24
Are you on track to complete projects and close out grants that will expire at the end of this year? Summer is a good time to assess progress on any grants expiring at the end of 2024, and begin the conversation within your organization and with your Board Conservationist about whether an amendment — including an extension — may be needed.
The Grant Agreement Amendments and Work Plan Revisions chapter of the BWSR Grants Administration Manual establishes the procedures for requesting an amendment, which should begin 3-6 months before the grant agreement expiration date.
FYI: Grants Quarterly newsletter
Current and archived issues of the Grants Quarterly can be found here: Grants Quarterly
Tip of the quarter
Q. How can a grantee value the time volunteers contribute as match to a grant?
A. Rates for volunteer services should be established through local policy. Rates for volunteer time used on projects should correspond to published or established rates applicable to the area. Applicable rates for volunteer time depend on the activity; not the volunteer’s profession. For example, an organization may have a lawyer or engineer helping install plants as part of a raingarden and could only charge a rate for the volunteer work performed as a landscaping and grounds keeping worker, not the customary hourly rate associated with their professions as a lawyer or engineer. For help valuing the time volunteers contribute as match to a grant, see the rates published for Minnesota at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_mn.htm. For a generic value of volunteer time in Minnesota, see Independent Sector, at http://independentsector.org/volunteer_time.
FY25 Updates to the Grants Administration Manual
The Grants Administration Manual (GAM) establishes the administrative and programmatic framework for grants administered by BWSR. Updates summarized below are in effect as of July 1, 2024 for Fiscal Year 2025. For detail, please visit the link to the updated chapters below.
Chapter name | Summary of changes |
|---|---|
| Grants Monitoring and Financial Reconciliations | Replaced the rescinded BWSR Grants Monitoring, Reconciliation and Verification Policy which is now archived with the FY24 GAM. |
| Allowable and Unallowable Costs | Updated language for equipment disposal and updated mileage rates. |
| Determining a Billing Rate | Option #1 billing rate calculation of facilities and administration increased to 15%. |
| Frequently Asked Questions | Added FAQ regarding advertising/sponsorship costs and clarified FAQ on what is covered by 15% when using option #1 billing rate calculation. Updated 10% to 15% when using option #1 billing rate calculation. |
| Implementing Contracts with Land Occupiers | Updated language on receipts/invoices to align with Records, Program and Project Files chapter. Updated language on amendments to align with Contract Amendment Form |
| Records, Program and Project Files | Clarified language when grantees are working in partnership. |
| Updates have been made to Optional and example forms | Conservation Contract Workbook Option #1: How to Calculate Billing Rates using MBR +15 Percent |
FY25 Clean Water Fund competitive RFP now open
The FY25 CWF RFP is now open, and will close at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22. The RFP, FAQs, and other supporting documents will be posted on the Apply for Grants page. Applicants should familiarize themselves with the RFP and supporting documents to avoid issues of eligibility.
Applications must be submitted via eLINK, BWSR’s grant management system. Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the application process early so that they can request help if they need it. Eligible applicants without a current eLINK user account must submit an account request no later than seven days prior to the application deadline.
FY25 Clean Water Fund timeline:
- June 28, 2024: Application period opens
- Aug. 22, 2024: Application deadline is 4:30 p.m. (late applications will not be accepted)
- Dec. 19, 2024: BWSR Board authorizes grant awards (proposed)
- Feb. 2025: BWSR grant agreements sent to recipients (proposed)
- March 20, 2025: Work plan submittal deadline
- April 17, 2025: Grant execution deadline
- Dec. 31, 2027: Grant expiration date
FY25 Competitive Clean Water Fund grant programs:
Program name | Description | Match requirement | |
| Accelerated Implementation Grant | This grant program invests in building capacity for local governments to accelerate on-the-ground projects that improve or protect water quality and perform above and beyond existing state standards for protecting and restoring water quality. | 10% | |
| BWSR Projects and Practices | Funds are to be used to protect, enhance and restore water quality in lakes, rivers and streams and to protect groundwater and drinking water. Eligible activities include structural and vegetative practices to reduce runoff and retain water on the land, livestock water quality projects, Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) abatement grants for low-income individuals, and stream bank, stream channel and shoreline protection projects. | 10% | |
| Projects and Practices - Drinking Water subprogram | This grant invests in land treatment projects and practices that will protect or improve drinking water sources. Surface water (streams, rivers, and lakes) and groundwater (aquifers) can both serve as sources of drinking water. | 10% | |
| MDA AgBMP Loans1 | MN Department of Agriculture offers low- interest loans to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses to support agricultural Best Management Practices that prevent or reduce runoff from feedlots, farm fields and other pollution problems identified by the county in local water plans. Any LGU may apply, but awards will be coordinated through existing contract holders. | Not required | |
| MPCA Clean Water Partnership Loans1 | MN Pollution Control Agency’s Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program offers zero-interest loans to local units of government for addressing nonpoint-source pollution to improve water quality. | Not required | |
1Indicate interest in loan dollars as part of a Projects and Practices or Projects and Practices Drinking Water application.
Board awards grants for FY24 Water Quality and Storage pilot programs
The Board has approved the allocation of funds for ten applications through the Water Quality and Storage Grant Program at its May 22 board meeting.
Applications for final design and construction work: Blue Earth County SWCD: $596,075 Faribault County SWCD: $332,500 Le Sueur County SWCD: $424,499 Area II: $555,770 Area II: $867,550 | Applications for modeling and conceptual design work: Lyon County SWCD: $12,000 Nobles County: $24,000 Renville County SWCD: $82,250 City of Apple Valley: $60,000 Jackson County: $35,000 |
This competitive grant program is intended to control water volume and rates to protect infrastructure, improve water quality and related public benefits, and mitigate climate change impacts.
