Douglas County Water Quality Legacy Fund
Our Lakes-Our Future
This Fund will help to protect and improve surface water and groundwater quality and quantity in Douglas County, Minnesota. It will work to ensure bountiful, clean water for drinking and other uses, habitat, and recreational activities for generations to come.
Background: A local water quality committee with a broad membership was formed to determine how best to develop a legacy fund to provide matching money for water quality grants. Here are the members of this initial committee:
• Danielle Anderson, Water Planner, Douglas County Soil & Water Conservation
• Dean Beck, Area Fisheries Supervisor, MN DNR at Glenwood
• Jan Beliveau, President, Douglas County Lakes Association
• Leah Hall, Headwaters Project Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy
• Jerry Haggenmiller, District Manager, Douglas County Soil & Water Conservation
• Steve Henry, Water Quality Committee Chair, Douglas County Lakes Association
• Linda McFann, Secretary, Douglas County Lakes Association
• Tara Ostendorf, Board Conservationist, Central Region, MN Board of Water & Soil Resources
• Gene Rose, Vice President, Douglas County Lakes Association
• Dave Rush, Director, Land and Resources Management for Douglas County
• Jim Stratton, Douglas County Board of Commissioners
Objective: Develop a legacy fund to provide matching money for water quality grants
Conclusion: We formed a West Central Initiative (WCI) Component Fund to accept private and public funds
- Provides 501(c)(3) status
- Manages funds (bookkeeping, IRS, investing, etc.)
- Provides help with fund raising and marketing
Douglas County Water Quality Legacy Fund Committees
Two committees evaluate potential projects to be supported by the Douglas County Water Quality Fund:
1. An Advisory Committee formed by the Douglas County Lakes Association that will select projects to
support from those recommended by the Technical Committee
2. A Technical Committee formed by the Advisory Committee that will evaluate project proposals for
feasibility and their match of funding priorities
Advisory Committee Representatives
• Greg Bowen, Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
• Mike Cleary, Douglas County Soil & Water Conservation District
• Steve Henry, Douglas County Lakes Association
• John Ledermann, Minnesota Corn Growers Association
• Jerry Rapp, Douglas County Board of Commissioners
• Jay Sieling, Douglas County Lakes Association
• Emily Siira, Area Hydrologist, MN DNR
• Kayli Overland, The Nature Conservancy
• Mike Weber, Community Development Director, Alexandria MN
Technical Committee Representatives
• Danielle Anderson, Douglas County Soil & Water Conservation District
• Dean Beck, MN Department of Natural Resources
• Scott Henderson, Sauk River Watershed
• Kayli Overland, The Nature Conservancy
• Ross Reiffenberger, NRC, Consulting Engineer
• Dave Rush, Douglas County Land and Resources
• Pete Sanberg, Wideth, Smith, Nolting, Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, and Environmental Services, City of Alexandria
• Emily Siira, Area Hydrologist, MN DNR
Eligibility Requirements for Grants
To be eligible for consideration of funding, the proposed project is considered acceptable when it is consistent with the following criteria:
- It will not jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species or result in the destruction or modification of the critical habitat of any such species.
- The project minimizes any negative impacts on the natural environment, while addressing existing cultural resources.
- It has a clear and direct water quality benefit.
- It produces public, not just private benefits.
- It is financially and technically feasible.
Financial Feasibility: A project is financially feasible if sufficient funds can be made available to complete the project. Each applicant shall submit a project budget identifying the nature and amount of each source of funds to be used for the project; a schedule indicating when such funds will be received; and a schedule indicating when the funds available will be expended for project purposes.
Technical Feasibility: A project that is structural in nature shall be considered technically feasible when it can and will be designed, constructed, and operated to accomplish the purpose(s) for which it was planned, utilizing accepted engineering and other technical concepts. A project that is nonstructural in nature shall be considered technically feasible when it can and will be designed and carried out to accomplish the purpose(s) for which it was planned.
Proposals that will have lower priorities or will not be supported are those that would:
- Provide direct assistance to regulatory programs.
- Relieve private liability for damage or provide assistance to projects in order to relieve such liability. For purposes of this section, “private liability” shall mean liability to a person or entity and shall include fines or penalties imposed by a governmental entity.
If you have questions, contact us at DouglasWaterQualityFund@gmail.com.
Douglas County Water Quality Legacy Fund Grant Application
Send completed application to:
DCLA, PO Box 1121, Alexandria, MN 56308
or email to DouglasWaterQualityFund@gmail.com.
Donations can be made to the fund either by check or by credit card. If you prefer to mail a check, (see address below) to comply with bank requirements and prevent delays in deposits, all checks must be issued to West Central Initiative, with “Douglas County Water Quality Legacy Fund” in your check’s memo field. Mail your check to:
West Central Initiative
PO Box 318
Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0318
OR, to make a credit card payment, please fill out the form below. Your credit card will list West Central Initiative as the merchant on your bill but by using this donation form, your donation will be given to the Douglas County Water Quality Legacy Fund.
Designating West Central Initiative as the payee ensures that the Internal Revenue Service recognizes your tax-deductible contribution.