The Natural Resources Block Grant (NRBG) is a composite of grants available to Minnesota Counties to implement programs designed to protect and improve water resources.
Current NRBG Programs
The three core programs of the NRBG - LWM, WCA, and Shoreland – are funded through the state’s general fund in an annual appropriation to BWSR. The SSTS portion of the NRBG is funded through an interagency agreement between the MPCA and BWSR and may include one or more SSTS programs in a given year.
Implementation
- Reporting Profiles
Natural Resources Block Grants (NRBG):
Reporting Profile: DNR Shoreland
Reporting Profile: Local Water Management (LWM)
Reporting Profile: Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS)
Reporting Profile: Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems Upgrade
Reporting Profile: Wetland Conservation Act (WCA)
Visit the Clean Water Fund Programs or Watershed-Based Implementation Funding Program pages for additional opportunities.
- Grant Agreements
The appropriation language allows BWSR to use a biennial grant agreement to reduce processing and speed payment in the second year of the state biennium. BWSR intends to continue with biennial grant agreements as long as appropriation language allows.
- Flexible Spending
NRBG grant agreements allow grantees to have the flexibility to determine the amount of grant to allocate for program administration of the Local Water Management, Wetland Conservation Act, and Shoreland programs. The flexible spending option does not apply to the SSTS grant programs. See the Exhibit A of your grant agreement for more details.
- Annual Grant Reporting
All BWSR grants include an annual reporting requirement. The purpose of annual reporting to ensure public funds are used for their program intent and legislative purpose. For NRBG programs, grant reporting includes an update in eLINK (BWSR’s Grant Management System) to grant expenditures, and actual results/summary of activities completed. In addition to grant reporting, the Shoreland, SSTS, and WCA programs have required program reports.
Shoreland: A program report is required to be submitted annually to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This program report covers local implementation of the state’s Shoreland Management Program more broadly than the NRBG grant report. The program report no longer needs to be attached in eLINK. Questions about this report should be directed to Kathy Metzker at DNR (kathleen.metzker@state.mn.us).
SSTS: SSTS grants may also have additional reporting requirements depending on a given year. Questions about SSTS reporting can be directed to Aaron Patrick at MPCA (aaron.patrick@state.mn.us ). Grantees should always read program communications carefully and talk to your BWSR Board Conservationist with questions.
WCA: Much the same as Shoreland, a separate WCA program report is required to be submitted outside eLINK that does not need to be attached in the eLINK report. Questions about this report should be directed to your BWSR Wetland Specialist.
Annual NRBG Allocations, WCA Transfer, and Local Levy AmountsFY 2026 SSTS Allocations (pdf) (posted September 24, 2025)
FY 2026 & 2027 NRBG Allocations (pdf) (posted September 16, 2025)
FY 2026 & 2027 WCA Transfer Amounts (pdf) (posted September 16, 2025)
FY 2024 & 2025 NRBG Allocations & WCA Transfer(pdf) (posted January 7, 2025)
FY 2022 & 2023 NRBG Allocations (pdf) (posted October 27, 2021)
FY 2022 & 2023 LWM Grant Required Local Levy or Cash (pdf) (posted December 7, 2021)
FY 2022 & 2023 WCA Transfer Amounts (posted December 15, 2021)
If you have questions, please email bwsr.grants@state.mn.us