Small Grant: STAR (Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program)
Small Grant: STAR (Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program) supports coastal project teams with planning, outreach, training, technology, and youth education that strengthen management of Minnesota’s Lake Superior coast.
Funder: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Due Dates: July 7, 2026 (Round 1) | October 1, 2026 (Round 2) | January 5, 2027 (Round 3)
Funding Amounts: $4,501–$10,000 per grant; projects should finish within about six months
Summary: STAR funds short-term projects that strengthen management of Minnesota’s Lake Superior coast.
Key Information: Applicants must provide non-federal match equal to 20% of the grant request.
Description
Small Grants: STAR is part of Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program, managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources with federal pass-through funding from NOAA. Its small, limited-scope awards help build capacity, support larger initiatives, and make coastal management more effective. Eligible work includes planning and design, outreach, coastal-management conferences and training, technology, and Lake Superior–focused education for youth ages 0–18.
Projects must advance at least one coastal management goal: sustainable community development, coastal habitat, coastal hazards, coordination and public involvement, public access, or water quality. The program supports work that helps keep coastal places healthy, resilient, and available for people to use and enjoy.
