Mini Grants — Awarded Projects

Mini Grants of up to $2,000 are awarded for short-term or small water quality projects such as:

• Community events, such as clean-ups, festivals, invasive plant removal/restoration
• Leadership programs for young people or underserved communities
• Educational and technical training (including workshops) for all ages
• Art or media projects depicting water and natural resource issues
• Installation of small Best Management Practices demonstrations (e.g., rainbarrels, raingardens, pervious pavers)
• Processes to identify water and natural resource issues of concern to a community
• Educational signs or brochures to explain water quality improvement projects

2008
Community Design Center - River Stories Website
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater - Spanish Translation of Touring Show, Are You Thirsty?
Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association - Educational Signage for 6th Avenue Greenway
Preventing Harm Minnesota - Green Schools Initiative
Seward Redesign - Stormwater Infiltration Garden
Southeast Como Improvement Association - Resident Matching Grants for Minnesota Native Raingarden Plants
Youth Farm and Market Project - Raingarden

2009
Alliance for Sustainability - Blue Thumb Neighborhood/Block Party Kit
Bottineau Neighborhood Association - Commercial and Residential Demonstration Raingardens
Ce Tempoxcalli - Bilingual Water Resource Guide
Close Associates, Inc./Seward Neighborhood Group - Above-Grade Cistern and Raingarden
Do It Green! Minnesota -Do it Green! Magazine: The Water Issue
Highpoint Center for Printmaking - Raingarden Native Plantings
KMOJ Radio Center for Communication and Development - Water Quality Public Service Announcements and Guest Appearances
Lake Country School - Raingarden
Longfellow Community Council - Water Quality and Stormwater Management Education with Faith-based Organizations
Minnesota Erosion Control Association - Erosion and Sediment Control Workshops
Patrick Henry High School - Water Quality-focused BioBlitz!
Pratt Community School - Raingarden
Sagrado Corazon de Jesus - Raingarden
West Broadway Business and Area Coalition - West Broadway Safe Zone Project Water Quality Education Event

2010
Alliance for Sustainability - YEA!MN Watershed Stewardship Projects
Audubon Neighborhood Association - Neighborhood of Raingardens
Aveda Institute - Raingarden
City of Lakes Waldorf School - Outdoor Classroom Water Exploration Station
City of St. Anthony Village - Core Aerator
KMOJ Radio Center for Communication and Development - Water Quality Public Service Announcements
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board - Teen Teamworks Water Quality Education
Orange Properties/Longfellow Business Association - Raingarden and Pervious Pavers
Minnesota Green Roofs Council - Green Infrastructure Professional Development Workshop
River of Life Lutheran Church - Raingarden
University Lutheran Church of Hope - Raingarden Plantings and Rainbarrels
University of Minnesota Department of Landscape Architecture - Urban Designs Studio Results Publication
West Broadway Business and Area Coalition - Water Quality Education Event with West Broadway Businesses and Patrons

2011
Alliance for Sustainability - Engaging Congregations as Watershed Stewards
Bethlehem Child Care Center - Raingarden
Do It Green! Minnesota - Spanish Water Checklist Project
Edison High School - Community Clean-up for Water Quality Event with Ninth Grade Science Classes
Dowling Urban Environmental Elementary School - Stormwater BMP Design for School Parking Lot
Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota - Together Renewing Our Urban Peoples' Environment in Minneapolis Northside (TROUPEmn) Project
Longfellow Community Council - Irrigation-free Landscaping Demonstration Garden
Minnesota Erosion Control Association - Erosion Control in Community Gardens
Mississippi River Fund - Restoration Event at Mill Ruins Park
St. Anthony Park Community Council - Kasota Ponds Habitat Restoration
St. Anthony West Neighborhood Organization - Water Quality Education Activities at Dickman Park Summer Daycamp
Simpson Housing Services - Raingarden

Mini Grant Project Descriptions

2008
Community Design Center - River Stories Website
Visual artist Anna Metcalfe, in partnership with the Community Design Center, will create a website that serves as an interactive interface for gathering and sharing river stories and fosters awareness in young people of the Mississippi River watershed and water quality issues, using visual art as a vehicle. River Stories Website

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre - Spanish Translation of Touring Show, Are You Thirsty?
A Spanish language version of the touring show, Are You Thirsty?, will be created and presented at the Mercado Central Anniversary festival on August 1, 2009. Are You Thirsty? looks at how everyday life impacts the quality and abundance of water resources and ways that individuals can protect the Mississippi Watershed, and a Spanish language version will expand its reach to Latino residents of Minneapolis.

Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association - Educational Signage for 6th Avenue Greenway
Educational signs will be installed along the 6th Avenue Greenway and brochures will be created to educate residents, workers, and visitors in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood about stormwater runoff, its impact on the Mississippi River, and how native plantings and urban green space positively impact water quality. Photo and Brochure

Preventing Harm Minnesota - Green Schools Initiative
The Green Schools Initiative is a pilot program in which staff of Preventing Harm Minnesota and members of the St. Paul organization Ecopaulitans will train principals, teachers, staff, and parents at St. Paul Public Schools on the impacts of pesticides and toxic cleaners on water quality and human health and the benefits of pesticide reduction and non-toxic cleaners.

Seward Redesign - Stormwater Infiltration Garden
A ~ 540 square foot strip of asphalt in the rear surface parking lot of the Franky 27th building (2611-2627 East Franklin Avenue) will be replaced with a stormwater infiltration garden that captures stormwater runoff from the roof. This project will demonstrate a strategy for maximizing stormwater retention and infiltration on an existing commercial site through minimum changes to existing infrastructure.

Southeast Como Improvement Association - Resident Matching Grants for Minnesota Native Raingarden Plants
This project will provide education and incentives to Southeast Minneapolis residents to install native plant rain gardens in the Como neighborhood of Minneapolis to protect the health of the Mississippi River. Photos

Youth Farm and Market Project - Raingarden
A 200 square foot raingarden will be installed at 3110/3112 Pillsbury Avenue South in Minneapolis, adjacent to the alley, to divert water away from a nearby storm drain. Young people participating in the Youth Farm and Market program will engage in water quality education and learn how to properly install a raingarden. Photos

Bottineau Neighborhood Association - Commercial and Residential Demonstration Raingardens
Two raingardens will be installed in the Bottineau neighborhood in Minneapolis, one in a commercial setting and one in a residential setting. The raingardens will serve as demonstrations of a stormwater best management practice (BMP) for the neighborhood and include interpretive signs at each site.

Ce Tempoxcalli - Bilingual Water Resource Guide
Ce Tempoxcalli will create a bilingual (Spanish and English) water resource guide and evaluation materials to be distributed at the Chalchiutlique Environmental Justice Summit to be held on May 29-31, 2009. The resource guide will contain a summary of culturally relevant water quality education topics covered at the Summit as well as information about how residents can adopt new behaviors that help to protect and improve the water quality of the Mississippi River. Bilingual Water Resources Guide

Close Associates, Inc./Seward Neighborhood Group - Above-Grade Cistern and Raingarden
Close Associates will install a 2,500 gallon above grade cistern and raingarden that will capture 100% of the stormwater runoff from their building's 1,200 square foot roof. Interpretive signage will be installed, and the project will be featured at the 2009 King's Fair.

Do It Green! Minnesota -Do it Green! Magazine: The Water Issue
A water edition of the Do It Green! Magazine will be created and distributed to households purchasing rainbarrels through Recycling Association of Minnesota and to other constituents. A Home Water Checklist containing tips for proper installation and maintenance of rainbarrels and water conservation in and around the home will also be developed.

Highpoint Center for Printmaking - Raingarden Native Plantings
An artist designed raingarden that captures stormwater from the Center's 10,000 square foot roof will be installed and then celebrated at a community planting and water quality education event. Photos

KMOJ Radio Center for Communication and Development - Water Quality Public Service Announcements and Guest Appearances
KMOJ Radio will produce water quality themed public service announcements (PSAs) to be aired 2-3 times per day from July 2009- January 2010 to raise awareness about water quality issues, particularly in the Mississippi River and the MWMO Watershed, among the station's target audience, the Twin Cities Black community. KMOJ Radio will also have guest appearances by water quality experts on three community affairs programs and one morning show. Radio Show, Public Service Announcements and Photo

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Lake Country School - Raingarden
A ~650 square foot raingarden will be installed on the school grounds and will capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff from a combination of roof surfaces totaling 475 square feet. An interpretive sign will be installed, and students at the school will engage in water quality education at the raingarden site. Photos

Longfellow Community Council - Water Quality and Stormwater Management Education with Faith-based Organizations
LCC will conduct a survey of the over two dozen faith-based organizations in Longfellow to collect information regarding their knowledge of water quality issues and stormwater best management practices (BMPs) and implement a workshop for neighborhood faith-based organizations to educate their staff and property committee members about water quality issues and stormwater BMPs.

Minnesota Erosion Control Association - Erosion and Sediment Control Workshops
MECA will lead two sessions of a workshop to educate city staff, park departments, street departments, environmental staff, watershed management organizations, private companies, and resource and construction professionals about the impacts of soil erosion and sediment loading on water quality and about best management practices for erosion and sediment control.

Patrick Henry High School - Water Quality-focused BioBlitz!
Working in partnership with the University of Minnesota's Bell Museum, science students will participate in a water quality-focused BioBlitz program. The program will include studying biotic and abiotic factors that impact water quality and investigating the effects of tree loss due to Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation on a river system and how to mitigate the loss of shoreline habitat.

Pratt Community School - Raingarden
A portion of bituminous surface parking lot at Pratt Community School with will be replaced with a ~6750 square foot raingarden as part of a new play area. The raingarden will capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff from the parking lot. Students at the school will engage in water quality education at the raingarden site, and the project will serve as a demonstration of a stormwater best management practice (BMP) for the school neighborhood.

Sagrado Corazon de Jesus - Raingarden
A raingarden will be installed on the church grounds that will capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff. Educational materials related to raingardens and rainbarrels will be developed in Spanish and distributed to community organizations. Photos

West Broadway Business and Area Coalition - West Broadway Safe Zone Project Water Quality Education Event
A water quality "Educate and Clean" event will be held in summer 2009, as part of the West Broadway Safe Zone project. The event will include clean-up activities as well as water quality and watershed education activities, including raising participant awareness about how changing daily behaviors can help to protect and improve the water quality of the Mississippi River. Photos

Audubon Neighborhood Association - Neighborhood of Raingardens
Audubon Neighborhood Association will partner with Metro Blooms to implement the Neighborhood of Raingardens project. They will conduct water quality and urban stormwater runoff education activities and work with up to fifteen Audubon neighborhood residents to install raingardens with Minnesota native plantings on their properties.

Aveda Institute - Raingarden
Two raingardens with Minnesota native plantings as well as educational signage will be installed at the site. The raingardens will capture stormwater runoff from the Institute's 4th Street parking lot.

City of Lakes Waldorf School - Outdoor Classroom Water Exploration Station
A hands-on water, watershed, and stormwater runoff exploration area made up of pervious and impervious materials will be installed in the CLWS early childhood outdoor classroom. Early childhood students at the school will participate in experiential watershed education activities in the outdoor classroom and in the school neighborhood to understand watersheds and urban stormwater runoff.

City of St. Anthony Village - Core Aerator
The City of St. Anthony Village Department of Public Works will purchase a core aerator for the city's Park Department to utilize on all city-owned mowed turf areas to increase stormwater absorption and to reduce erosion. This practice complies with stormwater best management practices for turf maintenance. Public Works will also announce the purchase of the aerator and explain the benefits of aeration for water quality in an article in the City of St. Anthony Village's newsletter, Village Notes.

KMOJ Radio Center for Communication and Development - Water Quality Public Service Announcements
Public service announcements (PSAs) focused on connecting the station's target audience - the Twin Cities Black community - to local environmental issues, particularly water quality in the Mississippi River and the MWMO Watershed, will be aired on KMOJ Radio 2-3 times per day over a six-month period. KMOJ will also host guest appearances by water quality experts on three community affairs programs and one morning show and work with the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition (WBBAC) to promote the WBBAC's Fall 2010 water quality education and clean-up event.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board - Teen Teamworks Water Quality Education
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will provide water quality education to the supervisors and the ~275 participants in the Teen Teamworks summer work program. Training topics will include: watersheds, stormwater runoff, stormdrains, and best management practices and be provided through hands-on activities.

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Minnesota Green Roofs Council - Green Infrastructure Professional Development Workshop
Partnering with the Green Infrastructure Foundation, the Minnesota Green Roofs Council will conduct a green infrastructure workshop for a target audience of community-based groups, underserved populations, and key policy leaders in the Twin Cities. The workshop will cover the general principals and benefits of green infrastructure, including stormwater best management practices (BMPs), and review barriers to implementation and how to overcome them.

Orange Properties/Longfellow Business Association - Raingarden and Pervious Pavers
Longfellow Business Association will partner with Orange Properties to install a raingarden with Minnesota native plantings and pervious pavers in the courtyard of 3258 Minnehaha Avenue, a multi-tenant commercial building in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis. The raingarden will replace ~730 square feet (sf) of impervious surface and will capture stormwater runoff from ~5500 sf of the building roof.

River of Life Lutheran Church - Raingarden
River of Life Lutheran Church will install a raingarden with Minnesota native plantings on the church grounds, conduct a water quality education activity at National Night Out in August 2010, conduct raingarden tours for the constituents of the church, and install educational signage at the raingarden site.

University Lutheran Church of Hope - Raingarden Plantings and Rainbarrels
Using Minnesota native plantings, University Lutheran Church of Hope will install two raingardens on the church grounds and install rainbarrels to capture stormwater runoff from portions of the church roof.

University of Minnesota Department of Landscape Architecture - Urban Designs Studio Results Publication
Professor Cynthia Lapp will work with students in the class, LA 8206 Urban Options Studio: The Park Reconfigured, to publish the results of class work on creating design options for a new greenspace system for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. The metrics generated will quantify the benefits of approaches that treat and infiltrate stormwater, various managed vegetation regimes, and how public health will benefit from them.

West Broadway Business and Area Coalition - Water Quality Education Event with West Broadway Businesses and Patrons
In an effort to raise awareness of the connections between our daily behaviors on our streets and water quality in the Mississippi River, WBBAC will conduct a water quality education and street clean-up event in Fall 2010 with businesses and patrons along West Broadway Avenue.

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