MPCA Home > Financial Assistance Opportunities — Grants and Loans

Financial Assistance Opportunities — Grants and Loans

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has various opportunities available for receiving grants and other financial assistance for environmental projects in Minnesota. Listed below are the financial resources available.

Currently Open

Environmental Assistance Loan Program

The Environmental Assistance Loan Program is open to applications starting September 14, 2009 until June 30, 2011.  Under the Loan Program, the MPCA is offering two types of loans. The Participatory Loan (maximum loan of $100,000 at zero percent interest; applicant secures dollar for dollar matching funds from a financial institution) and Direct Loan (maximum loan of $50,000 at 4% interest rate or one-half the prime rate, whichever is greater; applicant provides 33% of total project cost in matching funds). For assistance or more information, contact Mary Baker at 651-757-2208 or 1-800-657-3864 or mary.baker@state.mn.us.

Environmental Assistance Open Grant Program

On September 14, 2009, with the publication of the Request for Proposals (RFP) Notice in the State Register, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has officially announced the opening of the Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) Environmental Assistance Grant Round for application.  The deadline for submittal of applications is November 3, 2009, by 3:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.

The Minnesota Legislature established this environmental assistance grant program to provide financial assistance in the development of environmentally sustainable practices in Minnesota through voluntary partnerships and goal-oriented, economically-driven approaches to pollution prevention and resource conservation. The FY10 EA Grant Round is a competitive, one-stage application process being used to identify and assist projects that will be most beneficial in furthering the Agency’s mission of working with Minnesotans to protect, conserve, and improve our environment and enhance our quality of life, particularly within the following FY10 Focus Areas:

1. Waste Prevention and Reduction:  focus on providing assistance in identified areas of need to those willing to implement efficient and economically sound practices to prevent and reduce waste at the source.
2. Source-Separated Composting:  focus on providing assistance to Minnesota political subdivisions to reduce the amount of organic wastes entering disposal facilities.
3. Stormwater Sources:  focus on providing assistance to Minnesota local government units for implementing measures to ensure that National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/State Disposal System (NPDES/SDS) permitted stormwater sources do not contribute to the impairment or degradation of state waters.

The FY10 EA RFP, application forms, and other relevant information are available from the Environmental Assistance Grant Program. The MPCA will consider other projects that further the Agency’s mission to protect, conserve, and improve the environment if deemed by the Agency to be “time-sensitive.” Prior to the FY10 application submittal deadline, potential applicants may request consideration of their project proposals as time-sensitive if the grant request is less than $10,000, and the applicant can demonstrate why they cannot reasonably abide by the FY10 EA Grant process and timelines. For more information on time-sensitive requests or program assistance, contact Mary Baker, 651-757-2208; toll free 1-800-657-3864. Summaries of previous funded grants, going back to Fiscal Year 1997, can be found on our Awarded Grants page.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Stimulus Funding Opportunities

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has provided stimulus funding to help with Minnesota's environment. See the Stimulus Funding Opportunities page for a complete listing.

Clean Water Partnership and Section 319 Programs: Financial Assistance for Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Projects

Financial and technical assistance to local government and other water resource managers to address nonpoint-source water pollution.

• Budgeting and Reporting

Surface Water Assessment Grants

The Surface Water Assessment Grants were established by the Minnesota State Legislature for the purpose of accelerating the assessment of lakes and streams in Minnesota. Grants are available to groups interesting in monitoring the water quality of lakes and/or streams and for groups interesting in providing statewide water quality training opportunities.

Water Quality Management Planning Grants

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fund Water Quality Management Planning (WQMP) activities in the state through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) otherwise known as the Recovery Act, and under the Clean Water Act Section 604(b). 

The MPCA is accepting grant proposals from Regional Public Comprehensive Organizations in the state of Minnesota and Interstate Planning Organizations that include the state of Minnesota as one of the partners.  The complete RFP and application can be requested via e-mail at contracts@pca.state.mn.us (Subject Line:  WQMP CR 2914)
 
Proposal Deadline:  October 30, 2009. 

Clean Up

Brownfields

MPCA offers financial assistance that can help parties with the upfront cost of investigating the presence and extent of contamination at brownfield sites. The assistance includes: 1) the MPCA’s Targeted Brownfield Assessment (TBA) grant program, and 2) site assessment assistance that is available specifically for old dumpsites. The MPCA gives preference to applications for financial assistance where the brownfield site will become a park, recreational area, nature preserve, or other type of green space.

Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS or Septic Tanks)

Information about various financial assistance programs available for both homeowners and municipalities.

Environmental Assistance

Capital Assistance Program (CAP) Grant

Funding for Solid Waste Processing Facilities. Cities, counties, solid waste management districts and sanitary districts are eligible to receive grants to help finance the capital costs of building solid waste resource recovery facilities.

Under the Solid Waste Processing Facilities Capital Assistance Program (CAP), more than 90 grants have been awarded for a variety of solid waste facilities since 1985.  Since 1980, the Minnesota Legislature has appropriated approximately $57 million in bond funding for solid waste processing facilities in the state.

The CAP Program is currently closed to applications. However, the MPCA is currently preparing its bonding request for the 2010 Legislative Bonding Session. If you are a local unit of government considering a solid waste resource recovery project, please contact Mary Baker at 651-757-2208, 1-800-657-3864.

Small Business

Small Business Environmental Loan Program

This program provides low-interest loans to small businesses to finance environmental projects such as capital equipment upgrades that meet or exceed environmental regulations, and costs associated with the investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites. These loans help small businesses help themselves with environmental projects. Through the program, small businesses are able to achieve successes with their environmental projects and goals, while at the same time helping to preserve Minnesota's air, land, lakes and quality of life. For assistance or more information, contact Mike Nelson, 651-757-2122 or 651-757-2121 or michael.nelson@pca.state.mn.us.

Sustainability

None at this time.

Technical Assistance

None at this time.

Waste Reduction

None at this time.

Water-related Financial Assistance

Minnesota Watershed Project Funding System

Provides funding for water protection and restoration projects around the state.

Clean Water Revolving Fund

Known as the Clean Water State Revolving Fund or simply SRF, the Fund is established under the Federal Clean Water Act and state law to make loans to for both point source (wastewater and stormwater) and nonpoint source water pollution control projects.

• Point Source Financial Assistance
• Non-Point Source Financial Assistance

Phosphorous Reduction Grants

Phosphorus Reduction Grants program to assist municipalities with the costs of wastewater treatment projects, or portion thereof, that will reduce the discharge of total phosphorus from the facility to one milligram per liter or less.

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Grants

TMDL grant program assist municipalities with the cost of publicly owned wastewater or stormwater projects needed to meet wasteload reductions under a TMDL study prepared and approved in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act. 

Wastewater and Stormwater

State loan and grant programs to help municipalities finance wastewater and stormwater construction projects.