Reach out to the grant coordinator, Eleanor Mahon.

All projects must occur within the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District. Check to see if your property is located in the District.

In most cases, the applicant must be the property owner and not a hired consultant or contractor.

Eligible applicant categories include:

• Residents
• Non-profits (including home, townhome and lake associations)
• Businesses
• Schools
• Local units of government ​​​(e.g. cities)

If you are a residential property owner, no. You must submit the application and be the primary contact.

Cities, businesses, schools, and non-profits may choose to have a representative such as staff, property manager, or board member to submit an application.

A grant award will depend up on the type of project and applicant category. The grant review committee evaluates grant applications for their level of benefit to water resources. The typical award percent for eligible projects ranges between 25% and 75% with a not-to-exceed dollar amount. When submitting an application, the estimated project amount should be as accurate as possible as this determined the not-to-exceed value.

YES, but only for some project types and applicant categories.

Important: If you're eligible for in-kind labor credit, you MUST include in-kind labor hours as a line item in your project cost estimate when you apply for a grant. RPBCWD will not add in-kind labor credit after a grant agreement has been signed.

In-kind labor credit can help offset your out-of-pocket cost for the project. For example, if you're awarded a 75% cost share grant, the watershed district will reimburse you for up to 75% of project cost not-to-exceed a set dollar amount. The other 25% of project cost is not reimbursed to you, but you may qualify to offset your final out-of-pocket cost through in-kind labor.

What project types may be eligible for an in-kind labor credit?

• Habitat Restoration Project
• Lake Shoreline Restoration Project
• Waterbody Buffer Project
• Stormwater BMP Project
• Shoreland Health Project

Who's eligible for an in-kind labor credit?

The applicant categories listed below may be eligible for in-kind labor credit if their project type also qualifies.

• Resident
• Non-profit
• School

Other applicant categories are NOT eligible for in-kind labor for any project type.

In most cases, no. A quote from a contractor that incorporates a lot of non-grant elements makes it difficult for staff to evaluate a potential grant project and eligible costs. Sorting out receipts at the close of the project is also challenging. Ask your contractor to provide a separate quote for the grant project.

Every cost share (grant) agreement comes with a percent cost share with a not-to-exceed amount. This not-to-exceed amount is the maximum that a grantee will be reimbursed, regardless of the project's final cost.

A grantee can choose to pay the extra themselves or talk to the grant coordinator about how project costs may be reduced and still achieve project goals (this may not always be possible). We strongly encourage applicants to have a thoroughly researched cost estimate in their application to reduce the risk of their project going over budget.

Only work in the project that goes above and beyond permit requirements is eligible for a Stewardship Grant. For example, if you're required to install a stormwater BMP but you elect to do an upgraded BMP, the cost difference may be eligible for a Stewardship Grant. You can also receive grant funds for ancillary work, performed under the same project, that is not subject to district rules.

Shoreline restoration projects are an exception to the above. Grant funds may be used for bioengineered components (native plants, bio-log, etc.) of a shoreline restoration even if installing the components requires a permit.

Learn more about District Permits.

Projects that involve establishing native vegetation (habitat restoration, natural shoreline restoration, waterbody buffer) may be awarded three years of professional maintenance support as part of the grant agreement. These funds are reimbursed once per year following the end of the maintenance season (typically end of the calendar year). 

To receive reimbursement, a grantee must submit a receipt and a description of work completed to the grant program coordinator. The description of work should be from the professional hired to do the work; they may provide this information on the invoice, through a separate note, or by email.

To get reimbursed, email your professional maintenance receipt(s) and description of work to the grant coordinator. Professional maintenance for the entire year is reimbursed once per year per grantee.

Residential projects must be maintained by the grantee for 5 years following installation of the project. If a grantee sells their home before the end of the 5-year maintenance period, the cost share (grant) agreement does not transfer to the new homeowner.

IMPORTANT: If you're thinking about applying for a Stewardship Grant and are also thinking about selling your home within a few years, reach out to the grant coordinator before you apply for a grant. Depending on the type of project, it may not be in the watershed district's best interest to offer cost share funds for a project if the maintenance requirement is voided because of a property sale.

In general, a buckthorn removal project does not qualify for a Stewardship Grant. However, you may use grant funds to purchase native plants or native seeds (Native Plant Project) to enhance a wooded area that is undergoing or has already undergone buckthorn removal.

Most buckthorn projects will not meet the existing condition requirement for a Habitat Restoration Project. To qualify, the project area must be a developed area (e.g. primarily impervious surfaces) or a degraded, high-value natural area. Examples of developed sites include lawn/turfgrass, hard surfaces such as pavement/asphalt (patios, driveways, parking lots, etc.), or other site that is impervious, has low-permeability, or produces signficant stormwater runoff. Some highly degraded natural areas (with or without buckthorn) with conditions such as severe erosion may qualify as habitat restoration.