New AIS grants now available from Minnesota DNR for multiple groups

St. Paul — The Minnesota DNR has up to $1,060,000 available to local entities such as lake associations, watershed districts, cities, and counties, as well as tribal governments, for the management of curlyleaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, flowering rush, and/or starry stonewort.

Funding comes from Minnesota’s invasive species account, which is largely funded by the invasive species surcharge on watercraft registrations and on nonresident fishing licenses.

MORE COVERAGE FROM MINNESOTA OUTDOOR NEWS:

USFWS halts ongoing national wolf recovery plan; what’s it mean for potential delisting?

Minnesota’s firearms deer opener ’25: a bit better than a year ago?

Whitefish and the old ways: Maintaining a North Country tradition in Minnesota

The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8. Unofficial award notices will be issued in January 2026, and funded awards will begin as soon as March 2026.

Application materials and details about the grant program are available on the DNR website.

Invasive aquatic plants are non-native plants that can potentially reduce native plant diversity and create recreational nuisances in lakes. The DNR’s invasive plant management goal is to minimize harmful effects caused by invasive aquatic plants while also protecting lake habitats and their use.

Questions may be directed to DNR Aquatic Invasive Species Research and Grants Coordinator Angelique Dahlberg, angelique.dahlberg@state.mn.us, or to DNR regional invasive species specialists.