MWMO Awards Six New Planning Grants

Grant Funding will Support Clean Water and Habitat Project Planning

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) is pleased to announce that it has awarded six new Planning Grants to support community-led efforts to protect water quality and habitat.

Planning Grants help organizations plan, design, and prepare for future stormwater and habitat projects. They are part of the MWMO’s Stewardship Fund Grant program, which supports public efforts to manage stormwater, control pollution, and improve water quality and habitat.

“It’s inspiring to see so many community groups taking the initiative to be good stewards of the watershed,” said MWMO Executive Director Kevin Reich. “The MWMO is pleased to provide grant funding to help move these projects through the planning phase.”

The six projects are described below. Grant funding is awarded through a competitive process. More information is available at mwmo.org.

Cardinal Housing Cooperative

MWMO Funding: $20,000
Grantee: Windom Park Citizens In Action

The Cardinal Housing Cooperative is developing plans for a six-unit multifamily residential building, utilizing the support of their neighborhood organization, the Windom Park Citizens In Action (WPCIA). They plan to use MWMO grant funding to incorporate green stormwater infrastructure on the property. They are interested in exploring options around rainwater capture, storage, permeable pavers, and planting areas of native vegetation. This grant will partially fund concept plans, engineering and architecture consulting work.

Partners: Cardinal Housing Cooperative

Dar Al-Qalam Cultural Center

MWMO Funding: $20,000
Grantee: Dar Al-Qalam Cultural Center

The Dar Al-Qalam mosque wants to create a recreation and learning center adjacent to their existing building. Their potential building site currently has flooding issues that impact the mosque and its parking lot. The project would explore opportunities to turn these lands into a programable outdoor space and living laboratory, with areas of native vegetation and conversion to habitat, as well as features to capture and treat stormwater. The grant funds will aid in the exploration of stormwater management and habitat options for the site, as well as soil testing.

Partners: TBD

Father Hennepin Bluff Park

MWMO Funding: $19,990
Grantee: Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association

The project will develop a Natural Resources Management Plan for 6.09 acres of riverfront natural area in the St. Anthony Main area of Minneapolis. The landscape is currently dominated by invasive species and susceptible to erosion, which is a barrier to human recreation. The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (MHNA) will collaborate with Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) to develop the plan. Additionally, MHNA will engage Indigenous community members to ensure that the plan is developed in a way that honors the significance of the site and incorporates Indigenous restoration practices and understanding.

Partner: Friends of the Mississippi River

Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church

MWMO Funding: $8,000
Grantee: Gustavus Adolphus Church

Gustavus Adolphus Church has a large parking lot that needs repair. The church will use its Planning Grant funds to explore possibilities for eco-friendly stormwater management options, including permeable pavers, stormwater capture systems, the addition of green space. The church seeks to inspire and encourage water stewardship in the community, and they have an opportunity to showcase what is possible for eco-friendly development at a busy, visible intersection in the heart of the Audubon Neighborhood.

Partners: Rani Engineering

Midway Contemporary Art

MWMO Funding: $20,000
Grantee: Midway Contemporary Art

Local nonprofit Midway Contemporary Art will explore opportunities for incorporating eco-friendly stormwater management at their new, soon-to-be redesigned building in Northeast Minneapolis. Specifically, they plan to use green stormwater infrastructure to manage runoff from the building’s roof and parking lot. Two green roofs are also planned. The close proximity to the river and the public visibility offer an excellent opportunity to educate visitors about water quality and environmental stewardship.

Partners: Aloha Landscaping; b+; Meyer Borgman Johnson; Pierce Pini + Associates; Snow Kreilich

St. Boniface Church

MWMO Funding: $20,000
Grantee: St. Boniface Catholic Church

St. Boniface Catholic Church will create a stormwater management plan to address drainage issues in its parking lot. The plan will focus on increasing the amount of community green spaces and native plants. The project will also include a public education campaign that can reach their large community. The church hosts the weekly Northeast Farmers Market during the summer months and intends to design a more inviting space for market vendors and shoppers, and to educate visitors about water, the environment, and urban stormwater management.

Partners: Sorden Design; NE Farmers Market

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Media Contact

Nick Busse, Communications Principal
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization
Direct: 612-746-4974
nbusse@mwmo.org

About the MWMO

The MWMO is a public organization that partners to protect and improve water and habitat in our urban watershed. We invest in people and infrastructure to support clean water, and provide knowledge, scientific data and expertise to help manage our vital water resources. mwmo.org