Environmental Financial Assistance Programs
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Prevention and Assistance Division
520 Lafayette Road, 2nd Floor
St. Paul, MN 55155-4100
The Prevention and Assistance division of the MPCA offers environmental assistance grants and loans that could help existing businesses move toward environmentally sustainable projects or practices. Projects must focus on pollution and waste prevention, recycling market development, environmental education, sustainable community development and/or resource recovery.
Eligible Projects and Costs
Projects that lead to source reduction, reuse or recycling of waste materials, develop markets for recyclables or compost, or result in better processing of waste materials are eligible for environmental assistance loans and grants. Also eligible are projects or practices that prevent or reduce toxic pollutants or hazardous substances, or that implement resource conservation or environmental education.
Funding is available for the development and/or implementation of specific project activities not already underway within organizations. In general, the costs of researching, developing, or implementing eligible projects qualify for environmental assistance grants. State agencies are not eligible to apply for these grants. Costs incurred before the execution of a grant agreement and the costs of purchasing real property are not eligible for funding. Start up businesses are not eligible for the loan program.
Priority projects or targets for funding may be accentuated in individual funding “rounds.” Priority projects will be identified in a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued at the onset of each competitive funding cycle and published in the State Register. The RFP may also identify additional restrictions on eligible costs or applicants that relate to specific funding priorities. Contact the MPCA for additional information at the address and telephone number listed in the Resource Directory section of this Guide.