MWMO Announces $2.1 Million in Grant Awards

New Green Infrastructure Projects Planned for Fridley and Minneapolis

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MINNEAPOLIS — A slate of new MWMO grant awards will fund a variety of green infrastructure projects, including regional stormwater treatment systems in Fridley and pollinator habitat in a Northeast Minneapolis park.

The MWMO awarded a total of 14 grants at its March 12 meeting, including nearly $1.9 million in large-scale capital projects and $240,000 in smaller, community-focused Stewardship Fund Grant projects.

“These latest grant awards showcase the diversity of projects across our watershed, ranging from large-scale stormwater treatment in city parks to resident-focused outreach and engagement projects,” said MWMO Executive Director Kevin Reich.

Summaries of the approved projects are below. You can learn more about the MWMO’s grant programs on our website.

Sylvan Hills Park Green Infrastructure

Grantee: City of Fridley
MWMO Funding: $1.5 million

A redesigned Sylvan Hills Park in Fridley will feature a variety of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the MWMO. The project is designed to mitigate stormwater runoff from a 77-acre drainage area, resulting in significant reductions in total phosphorus and sediment to the river as well as flood mitigation.

Plans include a combination of surface and underground features, such as an infiltration tank, basins, and bioswales alongside native pollinator habitats and a nature-focused play area. The design maximizes the amount of stormwater that can be captured through curb cuts, stormsewer pipe redirection, and an underground pipe diversion, all of which will bring off-site water into the neighborhood park. The plan will also expand habitat areas within the park.

Bottineau Field Park Green Infrastructure

Grantee: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
MWMO Funding: $284,222

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) plans to redesign Bottineau Field Park with new amenities such as a playground, splashpad, skatepark, walking paths, and a basketball court. The MWMO is funding a series of landscape improvements designed to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife and pollinator habitat at the park.

A $284,222 MWMO grant will pay for final design and implementation of 0.53 acres of native habitat restoration and a tree trench that will treat stormwater runoff from 1.36 acres within the park. The project aligns with the MPRB’s vision for connecting neighborhoods to riverfront parks and will include native pollinator plants and bee-friendly lawns.

Towerside Park Matching Grant

Grantee: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
MWMO Funding: $140,000

The MWMO will provide a $140,000 grant to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) to help purchase 1 acre of future parkland next to the United Crushers grain elevators in the Towerside Innovation District in Prospect Park. The MWMO grant will serve as a 25 percent match to a $420,000 grant (75 percent) provided by the Metropolitan Council.

The MWMO is working with the MPRB and other partners to design a Phase II Towerside District Stormwater System that will integrate stormwater into new public and private green spaces as redevelopment continues in the Towerside/Malcolm Yards area. You can learn about the completed Phase I Towerside project on the MWMO’s website.

Buchanan Street Hydrodynamic Separator

Grantee: City of Fridley
MWMO Funding: $64,000

The City of Fridley will install a hydrodynamic separator (HDS) at the junction of Buchanan Street NE, Lincoln Street NE, and 52nd Avenue NE, with the goal of mitigating the flow of pollutants into Sullivan Lake and subsequently the Mississippi River.

An HDS is a stormwater management device that uses gravitational and rotational forces to separate pollutants from water for later removal and disposal by a vacuum truck. A 2019 study identified installing an HDS at this location as a cost-effective option for reducing pollution in Sullivan Lake. Designed to service a 16.2-acre drainage area, the HDS is projected to remove 1 pound of total phosphorus and 366 pounds of total suspended solids annually.

Stewardship Fund Grants

Action Grants

Francis A. Gross National Golf Course Prairie Restoration — $43,950

Grantee: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

The project will reintroduce native vegetation at Francis A. Gross National Golf Course by converting 1.28 acres of turfgrass into a pollinator habitat near the Diagonal Trail and revamping the 3,000-square-foot entrance with native plants.

Talmadge Triangle Rain garden — $50,000

Grantee: South East Como Improvement Association

The project will transform an abandoned city street by removing asphalt and installing a rain garden, native perennials, trees, shrubs, and a community gathering space for neighbors.

Planning Grants

St. Clement Parking Lot — $10,650

Grantee: Church of the Holy Cross — St. Clements

This grant will fund a hydrology analysis and engineering plans to enhance stormwater management at the Church of the Holy Cross — St. Clements Campus by transforming green spaces within its large parking lot to significantly reduce stormwater runoff.

CLCLT and Metro Blooms Green Engagement — $19,900

Grantee: City of Lakes Community Land Trust

The City of Lakes Community Land Trust (CLCLT) and Metro Blooms will host focus groups and educational workshops for homeowners on environmental topics, aiming to understand and meet their green space needs and to facilitate commitments for improving habitat and water quality in residential yards.

Roof Depot Building Stormwater Usage Feasibility and Design — $20,000

Grantee: East Phillips Neighborhood Institute

The East Phillips Neighborhood Institute will engage the community on potential designs for an advanced stormwater management system at the Roof Depot site, including filtration, cisterns, and pumps for irrigation, with excess water managed through rain gardens and restoration plots.

Metro Blooms and Urban Homeworks Resident Education and Engagement — $19,950

Grantee: Metro Blooms

This project aims to collaborate with residents at Urban Homeworks rental units to revamp their outdoor spaces for improved water quality, stormwater management, and pollinator habitat, including offering training, employment, and leadership opportunities.

East River Flats Park Access and Restoration — $20,000

Grantee: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will develop plans to enhance East River Flats Park by controlling erosion and restoring habitat on the riverbank while adding a new public canoe and kayak launch to connect the park visually and physically to the Mississippi River.

Newgate School Green Infrastructure — $20,000

Grantee: Newgate School

Newgate School plans to enhance its unique East Hennepin Avenue greenspace by developing a plan for green infrastructure, focusing on water infiltration, native plant habitats for pollinators and wildlife, and incorporating educational opportunities for students and the community.

NRRC Demonstration Site Water Improvements — $19,400

Grantee: Northside Residents Redevelopment Council

The Northside Residents Redevelopment Council (NRRC) aims to explore the potential of its existing demonstration site, which will include considerations for its 750-gallon water cistern for irrigation, as well as assess the potential for the inclusion of permeable pavement, and the expansion of pollinator habitats to improve water quality.

Community-Led Restoration at Sheridan Memorial Park — $16,100.75

Grantee: Sheridan Neighborhood Organization

The Sheridan Neighborhood Organization will create a volunteer-driven Natural Resources Management Plan to rehabilitate 1.5 acres of invasive species-afflicted riverside land at Sheridan Memorial Park in Northeast Minneapolis.

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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