Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program Phase IX: Statewide and Metro Habitat
The Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program will be managed by the Department of Natural Resources to provide competitive matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national non-profit organizations and government entities. In it's first 7 years of funding, the CPL program has provided 410 grants totaling $37 million to 133 different grantee organizations, positively affecting over 220,000 acres of habitat. Demand for CPL grants has continued to grow each year as new grantees hear about the program and successful grantees return.
The CPL program fulfills MS 97a.056 Subd. 3a, directing LSOHC to establish a conservation partner’s grant program
encouraging/supporting local conservation efforts. $8,660,000 was available for grants. Of this amount, up to
$2,660,000 was used for projects in the 7-county metro area and in cities with a population of 50,000 people or
greater. This is a stand-alone program, but depends on support/technical advice from public land managers and
habitat and acquisition specialists.
Grant activities included enhancement, restoration and protection of forests, wetlands, prairies, and habitat for
fish, game, or wildlife in Minnesota. A 10% match from non-state sources is required for all grants, and may be in-
kind or cash. Applicants described the project, location, activity, habitat, benefit, etc. For acquisition projects,
applicants described the parcel selection process. CPL Staff developed an RFP incorporating LSOHC priorities. Staff
worked with applicants to submit applications, oversaw grant selection, prepared/executed grant documents,
reviewed expenditures, approved payments/reports, monitored work, and assisted recipients with close-out. Staff
complies with Office of Grants Management policies.
The CPL program has 3 annual grant cycles- Traditional, Metro, and Expedited Conservation Projects (ECP). The
Traditional and Metro cycles had one grant round beginning August 2017. Projects under $25,000 will have a
simplified application. The ECP grant cycle had two rounds of funding.
CPL staff reviewed applications for completeness. Technical Review Committees, comprised of habitat experts
across the state and approved by the DNR Commissioner, reviewed and scored Traditional and Metro applications
based on evaluation criteria (see attached). The DNR Directors of Fish and Wildlife, Eco Waters, and Forestry
reviewed the committee’s recommendations and provide a final ranking to the Commissioner. Funding decisions
were made by the Commissioner’s office. ECP grants are reviewed by CPL staff and DNR habitat experts using
established criteria. The Director of Fish and Wildlife made final funding decisions for ECP.
Grantees were required to submit annual and final accomplishment reports. Grantees were paid on a
reimbursement or “for services rendered” basis, meaning payment is made to the grantee after work has been
performed. Proof that the vendor was paid must be submitted to staff before additional payments are made. Funds
were advanced for acquisitions to accommodate cash flow needs.
CPL Administration Budget:
Administration costs of $101,300 include salary/fringe, direct support services, travel, supplies, outreach, ongoing
application system/database maintenance, and other professional services.
$9,294,000 in the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for a program to provide competitive, matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national organizations for enhancing, restoring, or protecting forests, wetlands, prairies, or habitat for fish, game, or wildlife in Minnesota. Of this amount, up to $2,660,000 is for grants in the seven-county metropolitan area and cities with a population of 50,000 or greater. Grants shall not be made for activities required to fulfill the duties of owners of lands subject to conservation easements. Grants shall not be made from the appropriation in this paragraph for projects that have a total project cost exceeding $575,000. Of the total appropriation, $634,000 may be spent for personnel costs and other direct and necessary administrative costs. Grantees may acquire land or interests in land. Easements must be permanent. Grants may not be used to establish easement stewardship accounts. Land acquired in fee must be open to hunting and fishing during the open season unless otherwise provided by law. The program shall require a match of at least ten percent from non-state sources for all grants. The match may be cash or in-kind resources. For grant applications of $25,000 or less, the commissioner shall provide a separate, simplified application process. Subject to Minnesota Statutes, the commissioner of natural resources shall, when evaluating projects of equal value, give priority to organizations that have a history of receiving or charter to receive private contributions for local conservation or habitat projects. If acquiring land in fee or a conservation easement, priority shall be given to projects associated with or within one mile of existing wildlife management areas under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05, subdivision 8; scientific and natural areas under Minnesota Statutes, sections 84.033 and 86A.05, subdivision 5; or aquatic management areas under Minnesota Statutes, sections 86A.05, subdivision 14, and 97C.02. All restoration or enhancement projects must be on land permanently protected by a permanent covenant ensuring perpetual maintenance and protection of restored and enhanced habitat, by a conservation easement, or by public ownership or in public waters as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.005, subdivision 15. Priority shall be given to restoration and enhancement projects on public lands. Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 13, applies to grants awarded under this paragraph. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2021. No less than five percent of the amount of each grant must be held back from reimbursement until the grant recipient has completed a grant accomplishment report by the deadline and in the form prescribed by and satisfactory to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. The commissioner shall provide notice of the grant program in the game and fish law summary prepared under Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.051, subdivision 2.
1,379 Wetland acres, 942 Prairie acres, 1,758 Forest acres, 268 Habitat acres (for a total of 4,347 acres) Restored.
185 Prairie acres, 175 Forest acres, 317 Habitat acres (for a total of 677 acres) Protected in Fee with State PILT Liability.
181 Forest acres and 23 Habitat acres (for a total of 204 acres) Protected in Fee without State PILT Liability.
603 Wetland acres, 13,179 Prairie acres, 18,148 Forest acres, 3,034 Habitat acres (for a total of 34,964 acres) Enhanced.
grantees and partners