High interest in latest round of Conservation Partners Legacy grants 

Seventy-one applications totaling more than $8.9 million were received for the first round of the Conservation Partners Legacy (CPL) grant program, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Compared to last year’s Round 1 application cycle, this is nearly twice the amount requested and twice the number of applications received.

The grant program provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $400,000 to conservation nonprofit organizations and governmental units to help fund projects to restore, enhance, or protect fish and wildlife habitat in Minnesota. Up to $8 million was designated for this year’s program; it is funded through the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.

Round 1 included the traditional grant cycle, the new metro grant cycle, and the expedited grant cycle. The expedited cycle is open continuously and will have up to five rounds depending on available funds. More information on these grant cycles can be found at www.mndnr.gov/cpl.

Applications for the traditional and metro grant cycles will now be scored and ranked by a technical review committee of habitat experts from around the state. DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr will determine final funding. Awarded projects will be announced by Monday, Nov. 24. If funding remains, the second round of applications will open Monday, Dec. 15.

In its first five years of funding, more than $21 million in conservation projects has been awarded through the CPL grant program.