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Grants

Lake Management Planning - Small Scale Lake

(s. 281.68, Wis. Stats., and ch. NR 190, Wis. Admin. Code)

Two types of Programs are available for small scale lake projects-Small Scale grants and Self-help Lake Trend Monitoring grants.

In order for nonprofit conservation organizations and lake associations to apply, they must be a qualified organization. Please check with your appropriate DNR Regional Environmental Grant Specialist to see if your group is currently eligible to apply, otherwise please review the qualification requirements.

Funding for this program comes from a portion of the gas tax on boating fuel.

Small Scale Grants

Counties, towns, cities, villages, tribes, qualified non-profit conservation organizations, qualified lake associations, school districts (partnered with another eligible party), and public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts, town sanitary districts, and other local governmental units as defined in Wis. Stats. Ch. 66.0301 (1) (a) that are established for the purpose of lake management, are eligible to apply for funding to collect and analyze information needed to protect and restore lakes and their watersheds. Grant awards may fund up to 75% of the cost of a lake planning project. Grant awards cannot exceed $3,000 per grant.

Eligible projects include:

  • Lake Monitoring projects: Water quality, aquatic plant or other monitoring activities that do not fit into a large scale planning project. Ideal for issue specific investigations or post project evaluation. Organizations interested in basic lake water quality (trophic state) monitoring should first contact their Regional Lake Coordinator about opportunities under Self-Help Citizen Lake Monitoring program.
  • Lake Education projects: Activities that will assist management units in collecting and disseminating existing information about lakes for the purpose of broadening the understanding of lake use, lake ecosystem conditions and lake management techniques.
  • Organization development projects: Activities that will assist management units in the formation of goals and objectives for the management of a lake or lakes.
  • Studies, assessments and other activities needed to develop management goals: Activities needed to implement or augment management goals or an existing plan for a lake or lakes; for expanded monitoring; or a combination of the activities listed above.

    Applications must be received in DNR regional offices and postmarked no later than February 1 (for the spring grant cycle) and August 1 (for the fall grant cycle).

Small Scale Lake Grants

Contacts:

For questions about project eligibility, contact appropriate DNR Regional Lake Coordinator.

For eligible project costs, contact appropriate DNR