Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program Grant

 
 

HELP Grant

The Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program (HELP) is a grant through the Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) that provides funding for long-term management on conservation-committed landscapes. The grant is focused on providing funding for the long-term management and enhancement of native habitat benefiting pollinators, insects, birds, and other wildlife.

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NRP is looking for landowners interested in submitting their land and projects in one or more grant applications for funding. NRP will write and sponsor grant applications, and provide technical assistance and implementation services for project work for landowners. Our goal is to help landowners improve and maintain the overall ecological health of their lands, and we aim to secure funding for landowners to use toward on-going management, and enhancement of degraded conservation lands.

Eligible Sites

To be eligible, lands must be enrolled in a long-term conservation program such as RIM, CREP, etc. Landowners willing to commit their land (through signed contract) to long-term conservation are also eligible.

Eligible Projects

  • Floral-rich plots/plantings

  • Native flowering trees and shrubs

  • Conversion of existing non-native cover to native vegetation

  • Enhancement of prairies, savannas, wetlands, woodland ephemerals, and shorelines

  • Enhancement of existing low value habitat to high value habitat for pollinators, insects, birds, and wildlife

Eligible Practices

  • Site preparation

  • Planting/seeding

  • Management:

    • Tilling

    • Burning

    • Erosion control

    • Plant install

    • Weed management

    • Conservation grazing

    • Conservation haying, etc.

Grant Funding

Grant amounts range from $50,000-$500,000. Multiple sites can be included on one grant application. A 10% match from non-state funds is required, and can be paid through in kind activities.

Interested in receiving grant funding for long-term ecological management of your land?

Contact us about joining our grant application. We can provide habitat management plans, services, and grant management for you.

Deadline to contact us: 5/15.

Grant application deadline: 6/27