DNR Surface Water Grant Deadline Approaching

MADISON, Wis. – The final grant application deadline is approaching for eligible sponsors who submitted a pre-application to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's Surface Water Grant Program. Because the grant deadline falls on a Sunday this year, applicants will have until the end of Nov. 2 to submit their final application to DNRSurfaceWaterGrants@Wisconsin.gov.

For this funding cycle, approximately $5 million is available to support lake and river protection, restoration and aquatic invasive species (AIS) control. Early estimates indicate that grant requests are likely to exceed available funding. Around $8.4 million has been requested by over 200 prospective applications.

“It is encouraging to see so many excellent projects submitted this year,” said Alison Mikulyuk, DNR lakes and rivers team leader. “The projects that receive support are likely to leverage a substantial amount of external funding to benefit surface water quality and habitat. Good news for Wisconsin’s valuable waterbodies.”

This year’s program will mark the first cycle under the consolidated Surface Water Grant Program after a recent revision of the program’s administrative code. The revision united grant-supported lakes, rivers and AIS work under a consistent set of procedures and policies while continuing to support a lot of the same excellent work customers have come to expect. The Surface Water Grant Program continues to be a prime example of the DNR and community working together to improve and protect natural resources.

Eligible organizations that haven’t begun the application process yet should target next year’s grant cycle. Pre-applications for the 2022 cycle will be due next year on Sept. 2. More information can be found online on the Department’s Surface Water Grant website.