The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) offers an environmental assessment grant program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support brownfield redevelopment across Minnesota. Brownfields are properties involving former gas stations, dry cleaners, or industrial sites, for example, where redevelopment is compromised or at risk for potentially hazardous contamination. The program is part of MPCA’s Brownfield Program and focuses on revitalizing these sites for community benefit while ensuring environmental safety.
The grants fund environmental site assessments, sampling and analysis plans, cleanup and response action plans, and community engagement for reuse planning. All technical work is conducted by MPCA-approved contractors at no cost to grant recipients. Typical awards range from $10,000 to $50,000, but applications requesting other amounts are considered if they meet eligibility criteria. Two funding streams support this program: approximately $90,000 annually from longstanding EPA support and a $2 million grant awarded for the 2025–2030 period.
To be eligible, sites must be located in Minnesota and may be either publicly or privately owned, but applicants cannot have contributed to the site’s contamination. Strong preference is given to projects in disadvantaged or environmentally burdened communities, particularly those that avoid gentrification and provide community benefit. This includes initiatives offering affordable housing, social services, youth programs, green space, and support for local business development. Eligible applicants include community organizations, nonprofits, local governments, Tribal Nations, small business owners, and emerging developers with fewer than five completed projects.
Ineligible activities include cleanup actions, hazardous material abatement, radon or mold remediation, renovations of single-family homes, and projects involving active federal or state Superfund sites or closed landfills. The application process is straightforward: applicants complete the MPCA’s Brownfield Assessment Grant application form and submit it via email. There is no fixed deadline—applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and decisions are made quarterly or as needed, depending on site urgency.
Contact is available through the Brownfields Community Outreach Team by phone or email. Detailed guidelines and forms are hosted on MPCA’s website, including information about broader brownfield redevelopment strategies. While there are no explicit requirements for cost sharing or matching funds, projects with strong community alignment and limited financial resources are prioritized.
Prioritize demonstrating community support, equitable redevelopment, and benefits like affordable housing or small business promotion. Avoid projects leading to displacement.
