Action Grants — Awarded Projects

Action Grants of up to $50,000 are available to complete a significant watershed stewardship project such as:

• Erosion control practices, planting native plant buffers around water bodies, and ecological restoration (e.g., removal of invasive species and establishment of native species), combined with public education and training of grassroots leaders
• Programs designed to change community attitudes and behavior over the long-term, such as programs that discourage wasting water and using polluting agents such as road salt and lawn chemicals, and encourage use of rainbarrels, rainwater cisterns, and raingardens
• Installation of grit chambers, filtration areas, and other practices to reduce pollution, combined with reporting on the effectiveness of new technologies and approaches
• Replacement of impervious surfaces with high-capacity pervious materials, combined with publicly-accessible demonstrations and high-quality community outreach efforts
• Projects that reach people who are not already engaged in water quality efforts and increase long-term community commitment to working on these issues

To apply for an Action Grant, view the guidelines and other important information on the Action Grants webpage.

2009
City of Lakes Waldorf School - Raingarden and Water Quality Education
Seward Co-op Grocery and Deli / Seward Redesign - Raingarden and Rainbarrel Raffle

2010
Bedlam Theatre - Cisterns, Raingarden, and Pervious Sidewalk
Common Ground Meditation Center - Raingardens and Stormwater Swales
Hillel: The Jewish Student Center at the University of Minnesota - Raingarden and Green Awnings
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Rainwater Discovery Courtyard Phase I
Preventing Harm Minnesota - Green and Healthy Schools Project
Sentyrz Supermarket/Metro Blooms - Raingardens and Native Plantings

2011
2615 Park Avenue Association/Phillips West Neighborhood Organization - Raingardens
Central Lutheran Church - Stormwater Infiltration System
Lyndale Neighborhood Association - Pervious Paver Community Courtyard with Raingardens and Rainbarrel System
Seward Child Care Center - Water Footprints: Living Wall and Cistern

View
Awarded Mini Grants
Awarded Planning Grants

Action Grant Project Descriptions

Seward Co-op Grocery and Deli / Seward Redesign - Raingarden and Rainbarrel Raffle
Minnesota native plants will be installed in a ~2,500 square foot raingarden and an adjacent swale at the Seward Co-op Grocery and Deli's new building site. Water quality education and a rainbarrel raffle sale at a reduced price for Co-op patrons and neighborhood residents will be held at the Grand Opening Ceremony in April 2009, and raingarden tours at the site will be conducted in summer and fall 2009. Photos

Common Ground Meditation Center - Raingardens and Stormwater Swales
Common Ground Meditation Center will reduce impervious surface on the center's property by 6,689 square feet and install several raingardens and swales that will capture all stormwater runoff from the building roof and from the parking lot. The design includes Minnesota native plant species in the raingardens and dry stream beds to convey water from the building to the raingardens. Common Ground will also install an educational interpretive sign at the site that explains water quality issues and stormwater best management practices (BMPs) and conduct water quality awareness-raising activities.

Hillel: The Jewish Student Center at the University of Minnesota - Raingarden and Green Awnings
A 720 square foot raingarden and four green awnings that will capture ~2,700 gallons of stormwater runoff from the student center roof in a one-inch rain event will be installed. Minnesota native plant species will be utilized in the raingarden and on the green awnings. Hillel will also install an educational interpretive sign at the raingarden site and conduct water quality education activities.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Rainwater Discovery Courtyard Phase I
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will install the first phase of a Rainwater Discovery Courtyard that includes a rainwater cascade and a series of three Minnesota native plant raingardens with a dry creek bed that can hold up to 2,108 cubic feet of stormwater runoff captured from the building roof. Holy Trinity will also install educational interpretive signage at the site that explains water quality issues and stormwater best management practices (BMPs) and conduct water quality awareness-raising activities to educate Holy Trinity constituents and the neighboring community about the MWMO watershed and stormwater runoff issues.

Preventing Harm Minnesota - Green and Healthy Schools Project
PHM will create the program, Green and Healthy Schools, in which PHM staff and members of partnering group, the Ecopaulitans, will conduct educational presentations for district staff, principals, teachers, school staff, and parents in the Minneapolis Public School District (MPS) to raise awareness at the district and school level regarding the impacts of pesticides on water quality and human health and the benefits - environmental, health, and economic - of pesticide reduction on school grounds. The goal of the program is to reduce, if not eliminate, the use of cosmetic pesticides on MPS school grounds and to foster the use of turf management best management practices, resulting in reduced levels of pesticides in stormwater runoff in the MWMO Watershed.

Sentyrz Supermarket/Metro Blooms - Raingardens and Native Plantings
Sentyrz Supermarket will partner with Metro Blooms to install a series of raingardens and native planting areas that will capture stormwater runoff from ~20,000 square feet of impervious surface on the roof and parking lot of the Sentyrz site. They will install Minnesota native plant species in the raingardens and other garden areas and also install educational interpretive signage at the site that explains water quality issues and stormwater best management practices (BMPs) and conduct water quality awareness-raising activities to educate the neighboring community about the MWMO watershed and stormwater runoff issues.

Central Lutheran Church - Stormwater Infiltration System
Central Lutheran Church will install a stormwater infiltration system on its property in downtown Minneapolis. The system will capture runoff from ~53,725 square feet of surface area that includes the church roof, parking areas, open space, and vacated street. Central will also implement a water quality education plan that includes interpretive signage; water-focused Sunday School programs, youth programs, and adult forums for parishioners; project related displays; featuring the project at the Neighborhood Sustainability Conference to be held at the church; and a culminating celebration.

Lyndale Neighborhood Association - Pervious Paver Community Courtyard with Raingardens and Rainbarrel System
Lyndale Neighborhood Association (LNA) will install a series of stormwater best management practices at the Lyndale Neighborhood Building, including raingardens, rainbarrels, and pervious pavers. The system will replace 880 square feet of impervious surface with pervious and capture stormwater runoff from ~2,000 square feet of surface area that includes the building roof and parking lot. LNA will also implement a water quality education plan that includes interpretive signage, Plexiglas panels to allow viewing of stormwater flowing through the site, and water quality education activities for the community.

Seward Child Care Center - Water Footprints: Living Wall and Cistern
Seward Child Care Center (SCCC) will install a series of stormwater best management practices at the site, including a living wall, cistern, pervious pavers, and green wall. The cistern will capture stormwater runoff from a 391 square foot (sf) roof and reuse the stormwater to irrigate the living wall. Pervious pavers will replace 250 sf of impervious surface on the south end of the building. SCCC will also implement a water quality education plan that includes interpretive signage, water quality education activities for the students and families who attend the center, demonstration activities for neighborhood and other similar organizations, and water-quality themed public art installations.

For questions or more information, please contact:
Erica Sniegowski, Education & Outreach Specialist, esniegowski@mwmo.org, (612) 465-8780, ext. 206.