Brownfield Green Space and Public Facilities Grants

NEW! Applications for Green Space and Public Facilities Grants are now available. Applications will be accepted starting January 25, 2008. The application period will remain open until February 6, 2009, or until all available funds have been awarded, whichever comes first. DNR's goal is to award half of the funds for the biennium by June 30, 2008 to qualified projects that are clearly ready to proceed with cleanup.

Delavan before picture Delavan before picture

The City of Delavan received a $200,000 grant to cleanup the former Borg Instruments facility in the Ann Street Railroad Corridor. After extensive demolition and remediation, the property has been transformed into a storm water retention area with walkways and meadow landscaping.



Program Basics & Eligible Applicants

Green Space and Public Facilities Grants help local governments and tribes clean up brownfield sites for long-term public benefits, such as parks, recreational areas, libraries and municipal garages. Eligible applicants include tribes, cities, villages, towns, counties, redevelopment authorities, community development authorities and housing authorities. To date, DNR has awarded 19 grants in two rounds of applications. The Legislature designated $1 million for these grants in the 2005-07 biennium and the same amount is included in the Governor’s proposed budget for 2007-09.

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Grant Criteria & Categories

  • Eligible costs include remedial actions and/or costs to develop a remedial action plan.
  • Site access and completed Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments are required to receive a grant.
  • The site investigation (not an eligible cost) must be approved before reimbursement begins.
  • The remedial action plan (eligible) must be approved before reimbursement begins.
  • Non-profit organizations can be partners with local governments.
  • The property must remain in public use for at least 20 years.

Please see the application form below for additional criteria.

Grant Categories
Grant Size Grant Amount Local Match
Small Up to $50,000 at least 20%
Medium $50,001 - $100,000 at least 35%
Large $100,001 - $200,000 at least 50%

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Grant Timeline

New! Applications will be reviewed and funded on a continuous basis from January 25, 2008 until February 6, 2009, or until all available funds have been awarded. Incomplete applications will not be funded. DNR is seeking applications that are “ready to go”, i.e. all parties are in agreement on the grant activities, the applicant is ready to start the cleanup and local funding is secured. New applications will not be accepted after February 6, 2009 so that all grant funds may be awarded prior to the end of the biennium on June 30, 2009.

October, 2007 Round 3 Grant applications available
January 25, 2008 Round 3 applications may be submitted
February 6, 2009 Last date to submit Round 3 grants applications*
May, 2009 All Round 3 grants must be awarded

* Applications will be accepted until all available funds are awarded, which may be earlier then February 6, 2009.

Looking for cleanup funding? Try our Ready for Reuse Loan & Grant Program

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Contacts

If you have questions about this program or the administrative rule, please contact Michael Prager (608) 261-4927.

If you have questions about specific sites, please contact the regional land recycling staff person in your area:
view region map

Northern Region
John Sager
715.365.8959
 South Central Region
Linda Hanefeld
608.275.3310
Northeast Region
Annette Weissbach
920.662.5165
  Southeast Region
Margaret Brunette
414.263.8557
  West Central Region
Loren Brumberg
715.839.3770
 

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Application & Instructions

The Round 3 application and instructions are now available.

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Reimbursement Materials

In order to be reimbursed, grantees must complete and submit the following documents to the DNR grant manager:

  • Brownfield Green Space and Public Facilities Grant Program - Grant Procedures
  • Brownfield Green Space and Public Facilities Grant Program - Reimbursement Claim (Form 4400-234)
  • Brownfield Green Space and Public Facilities Grant Program - Reimbursement Claim Worksheet (Form 4400-235)
  • Brownfield Green Space and Public Facilities Grant Program - Final Report (Form 4400-236)

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Complete List of Grants

Press Releases

Pictures of Grants being Awarded

Fond du Lac officials receive a grant
Fond du Lac Officials receive their Green Space grant check from Governor Doyle.

Picture of Govenor Awarding Oshkosh Green Space Grant
Oshkosh officials recieve their Green Space grant check from Governor Doyle. (From left to right: Kristi Bales and Richard Wollangk, Oshkosh,Governor Doyle, Mayor Stephen Hintz and Jackson Kinney, Oshkosh)

Milwaukee Greenspace Grant
Milwaukee officials receive their Green Space grant checks from Governor Doyle. Left to right: DNR Regional Director Gloria McCutcheon, Governor Jim Doyle, Milwaukee Alderman Michael Murphy, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Photo by Melissa Cook, DNR.

For more information on this page contact:

Laurie Egre

Last Revised: Monday January 14 2008