The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization recently sent out their March 2021 newsletter. Click here to read it! Items to note include upcoming grant application deadlines, an Adopt-a-Drain competition, and some early spring yard care tips.

Upcoming Grant Application Deadlines

• Community Grants – Friday, April 2nd by 4:30 pm
• Capital Project Grants – Friday, April 23rd by 4:30 pm

The Community Grant deadline is in one week! Community Grants (formerly known as Mini Grants) are one of three types of Stewardship Fund Grants offered by the MWMO. These grants provide an opportunity for local organizations and businesses to help the environment, engage individuals and communities, and build partnerships to improve water quality and habitat.

Community Grants are designed for short-term or small-scale water quality projects. The grant amount may not exceed $5,000. No matching funds are required. Click here for more information.

Adopt-a-Drain Competition

Also of interest for Anoka County residents, cities, and other partners, is a short article about the MWMO cities of Columbia Heights and Fridley joining Andover and Blaine in a friendly competition to see who can get the most sign-ups through the Adopt-a-Drain program. Through the Adopt-a-Drain program, residents sign up to keep their local stormdrains clean and document their results.

Early Spring Yard Care Dos and Don’ts

One more item to highlight is the list of Early Spring Yard Care Dos and Don’ts, which include: don’t clean up your garden yet, do clean your gutters, do start planning your landscaping projects, and do adopt a stormdrain. Be sure to read the newsletter for more on these tips! The MWMO will also host another Mini Maintenance Workshop, this time on “Moving Toward Spring”, on Thursday, April 1st, from 6:00 to 6:45 pm. While it is free, registration for the workshop is required. Click here for more information and to register.

Below are all of the topics included in the March 2021 MWMO Newsletter:

• First Phase of Construction at North Columbia Golf Course and Park Complete
• MWMO Awards Funding for Four New Action Grant Projects
• New Videos Show Stormwater Monitoring in Action
• Early Spring Yard Care Dos and Don’ts
  • Mini Maintenance Workshop: Moving Toward Spring
• Adopt-a-Drain Competition Heats Up in Columbia Heights and Fridley
• Upcoming Professional Trainings
• MWMO in the News
• Featured Project: Eastside Maintenance Facility