This list is organized into Federal, State, and Local programs. If you are interested in applying for a program, please contact us before doing any of the project work.
In addition to government agencies, nonprofit organizations and local sportsman's clubs such as Pheasants Forever, MN Waterfowl, Trout Unlimited, the Isaak Walton League and the Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) may provide grants or cost-share. For referrals call Rice County SWCD, CRWP or the DNR. Click here for a link to their contact information.
Perpetual Programs [RIM,Permanent Wetlands,WRP, Wetland Easement, Minnesota Land Trust]
Multi-Year Contracts [WRP, Wetland Development, CRP, CCRP]
Cost-Share and Low Interest Loan Programs [EQIP, State Cost Share, AgBMP, WHIP,PHIP, Forest Stewardship, FIP, SIP, MFA/SWA]
_____________________________________________
-Perpetual Easements-
Permanently protects land from development
_______________________________________________________
Re-Invest In Minnesota (RIM) Wetland Restoration Program
A state program that enrolls previously drained or restorable wetlands. Enrollment can include up to one acre of non-cropped upland or four acres of cropped upland per acre or wetland. The landowner maintains ownership, controls access, and pays taxes, usually at a lower rate.
Payment Rate:Based on 90% of the township average land value
Other Provisions:No haying or grazing of upland or wetland
100% cost-share available for wetland restoration and cover establishment.
Landowner must maintain practices
Landowner must have owned land for at least one year.
Other phases of the RIM Reserve program include marginal agriculture land, riparian pastured hillsides, sensitive ground water areas and riparian lands.
Payment Schedule: One lump sum or up to four equal annual payments
Contact Information:
Rice County SWCD
Phone: 507-332-5408
_______________________________________________
Permanent Wetland Reserve Program
Set up by the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act of 1991, this state program enrolls existing wetlands of types 1, 2, and 3 with up to four acres adjacent upland for every wetland acre. The landowner maintains ownership, controls access, and pays taxes at a wetland rate.
Payment Rate: 50% of township average market value of tillable land for the wetlands, 90% for adjacent cropped lands and 60% for adjacent non-cropped lands.
Other Provisions: The landowner cannot drain or crop the area.
Payment Schedule:One lump sum or 10 annual payments
Contact Information:
Rice County SWCD
Phone: 507-332-5408
Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
A federal program that enrolls restorable farmed or prior converted wetlands. The land must have been farmed for at least one year during the last five years.
Adjacent land with a 100 foot buffer may also be enrolled. The landowner maintains owner-ship and hunting rights, controls access, pays taxes, and maintains
practices. (photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Payment Rate: Based on land appraisal
Other Provisions: Some (CRP) lands are eligible for Wetland Reserve Program
NCRS will cost-share 100% of restoration cost
Payment Schedule: Payment may be lump sum or up to 30 annual payments
Contact Information:
National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
Phone: 507-334-1887
______________________________________________
Wetland Easement 
A federal program that enrolls naturally occurring wetlands restored under the Wetland Development Agreement. Only wetlands are covered under this program and adjacent upland is not eligible. The landowner maintains ownership and hunting rights, controls access, and pay taxes.
Payment Rate:Based on fair market value, payment may equal 50-60% of fair market value for existing wetlands and may be higher for a restored wetland.
Property values determined by Fish and Wildlife Service appraiser
Landowner continues to receive CRP, waterbank, or farm program payments if wetland is enrolled in one of these programs.
Other Provisions: Land owner agrees not to drain, burn, fill or level wetland.
Landowner retains right to graze, hay and farm wetland.
Other farm programs may have restrictions on those activities
Payment Schedule:One lump payment, paid at beginning of easement period
Sign-up Period: continuous
Contact Information:
U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service
Phone: 320-693-2849
______________________________________________
Minnesota Land Trust
The Minnesota Land Trust is a non profit organization that seeks to conserve and protect land. This program enrolls open space with conservation value, including farmland, woodland, bluffland, wetland, or other type of land. The landowner maintains ownership, farming rights and hunting rights, controls access and pays taxes.
Payment Rate:Landowner receives no payment. Donation of easement counts as a charitable deduction on income taxes. Estate taxes and property taxes may also be reduced.
Other Provisions:Conservation easements prohibit development or mining. Other provisions are flexible
Land Trust staff monitor the land annually to ensure compliance with easement provisions.
Sign-Up Period: continuous
Contact Information:
Minnesota Land Trust
Phone:651-647-9590
________________________________
-Multi-Year Contracts-
Ten to thirty year agreements to protect land from soil erosion, develop wildlife habitat, or improve water quality.
______________________________________________
Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
This program is similar to the perpetual easement WRP, but provides a thirty-year contract. Payment and percent type is less under a 30-year agreement. (photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
_______________________________________________
Wetland Development Agreement
A federal program that enrolls areas where the Fish and Wildlife Service can construct a small earthen dam or remove 50 to 100 feet of tile from drainage system to restore a drained wetland. The length of the agreement extends 10 years or the length of a remaining CRP or Waterbank contract. Land owner controls access.
Payment Rate:Landowner continues to receive CRP or farm program payments if land is enrolled in one of these programs.
Other Provisions:Wetland Development Agreement does not restrict haying or grazing if wetland dries form natural causes.
CRP or other farm programs may have restrictions on these activities
Dam constructed or tile removed to restore wetland can be removed or repaired at end of contract period returning area to condition prior to restoration
Contact Information:
Rice County SWCD
Phone: 507-332-5408
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Phone:320-693-2849
______________________________________________
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 
A federal programs that enrolls highly erodible or environmentally sensitive cropland that has been farmed 2 of the last 5 years. The landowner controls access and must have owned acreage for at least one year. The landowner also agrees to plant and maintain permanent areas of vegetation to improve water quality or provide food and habitat for wildlife.
Payment Rate: Annual rental payment program based on bids submitted by the landowner. 50% cost-share available for cover establishment.
Other Provisions:Operators must have leased the acreage for at least one year.
Sign-up Period: Sign-ups are held regularly at the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture. There is also a continuous sign-up for the following practices: filter strips, riparian buffers, shelter belts, grass waterways, and shallow areas for wildlife, field windbreaks, and contour buffers.
Payment Schedule: Annual payments are received in the fall of the year for the previous 12 months.
Contact Information:
Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Phone: 507-332-7418
National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Phone: 507-334-1887
______________________________________________
The Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP)
The Continuous Conservation Reserve Program is a program similar to the popular Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Both have the same goals of protecting soil and water resources while paying landowners a very competitive wage for implementing CRP practices on their land.
The CRP is only available for short times every few years, whereas CCRP is always available to landowners: sign up is continuous.
Practices in CCRP such as grassed waterways, filter strips, riparian buffers (wildlife habitat plantings), and wetland restorations help protect soil and water resources through reducing erosion, stream sedimentation, pollution, improving water quality and providing wildlife habitat and cover.
Payment Rate: All practices pay a competitive soil rental rate each year. 50% cost-share and 40% practice incentive, paying for 90% of the cost of implementation, a 20% bonus above the maximum soil rental rate.
Length of Agreement: 10-15-year contracts
Contact Information:
Rice County SWCD for more information or to set up an appointment.
Phone:
507-332-5408
_______________________________
-Cost Share and Low Interest Programs-
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) 
A federal programs that provides cost-share funds to pay up to 50% of the cost to implement conservation practices such as erosion control structures and improved animal waste storage structures. Incentive payments are also available to producers for implementing improved land management practices like nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, and wildlife management. The maximum payment for EQIP is $450,000 over the life of the contract.
Length of Agreement: 5-10 year contracts
Sign-up Period: continuous
Contact Information:
National Resource Conservation Service
Phone: 507-334-1887
____________________________________________
State Cost Share Program
A state program that provides a grant from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. It provides 65% to 75% cost share assistance for the following practices: sediment basins, grass waterways, erosion control structures, grazing management, waste management systems, contour and strip cropping, diversions and stream bank stabilizations. The project requires approval of Soil and Water Conservation Board.
Sign-up Period: continuous
Contact Information:
Rice County SWCD
Phone: 507-332-5408
_______________________________________________
Agriculture Best Management Practices Loan (AgBMP) 
A state program that provides low interest financing for water quality improvement. It provides financing to farmers, agriculture supply businesses and rural landowners to encourage the best agricultural management practices that prevent or reduce nonpoint source pollution identified in local water plans.
Terms of Loans: Loan amounts are limited to $50,000 to any one individual or project.
Loan length depends on improvement, from 2 to 10 years.
The maximum interest rate is 3%, plus a one time (1/2) % origination fee.
The local lender that services the loan may set additional terms and requirements as long as they are consistent with the terms and requirements of the program.
These loans are meant to encourage water quality protection and may only be used for existing water quality problems.
Eligible Activities: Improvements to animals waste control facilities, lagoons and runoff controls.
Terraces, grass waterways, stream bank protection and other practices that prevent erosion
Conservation Tillage equipment
Abandoned well sealing
Contact Information:
Rice County SWCD
Phone: 507-332-5408
____________________________________________
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
A federal program that allows landowners to work with a NRCS technician to prepare and implement a wildlife habitat development plan on their private land. WHIP provides cost share assistance up to 75%. Land already in a federal program like CRP is not eligible.
Length of Agreement: 5-10- year contracts
Sign-up Period: continuous
Contact Information:
National Resource Conservation Service
Phone: 507-334-1887
_____________________________________________
Pheasant Habitat Improvement Program (PHIP)
A state program that seeks to improve pheasant habitat on public and private lands by providing cost-sharing for the implementation of management practices. Eligible activities include the development, restoration, and maintenance of suitable habitat for ring-necked pheasants. This includes the establishment of food plots (primary corn or sorghum), nesting cover, woody cover and wetland restorations.
Length of Agreement: various
Sign-up Period : continuous
Payment Rate:Up to 75% of total eligible costs.
Contact Information:
DNR-Area Wildlife Office
Phone: 507-455-5841
___________________________________________
Forest Stewardship Program 
A federal program that provides funding to the Department of Natural Resources and private consultants to design Forest Stewardship Plans for private land owners. After a plan is written, land owners become eligible for the Forest Incentives Program (FIP), Stewardship Incentives Program (SIP), and Minnesota Forest Association/Sustainable Woodlands Program (MFA/SWP) cost-share programs.
Sign-up Period: continuous
Contact Information:
DNR Forestry
Phone: 507-333-2012
or 507-333-2011