Lawns to Legumes 2026: A Minnesota Homeowner’s Guide to the Pollinator Grant

Minnesota’s Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) runs one of the most homeowner-friendly conservation programs in the country: the Lawns to Legumes program reimburses Minnesota residents up to $400 for converting lawn to pollinator habitat. The program has funded over 10,000 residential projects since 2019, and the Spring 2026 application window is open through November 30.

Here’s how the grant actually works, what plants qualify, and how to set up your application for approval.

What Lawns to Legumes pays for

The grant is reimbursement-based. You apply, you’re approved, you do the work, you submit receipts, you get reimbursed up to $400. Eligible expenses generally include:

• Native Minnesota plants (the bulk of most grants)
• Native plant seeds
• Soil amendments and mulch for the pollinator bed
• Site prep materials (cardboard for lawn smothering, edging)
• Pollinator-friendly tools and signs

Ineligible expenses generally include: - Non-native ornamentals - Lawn equipment - Most hardscape (paths, retaining walls) - Labor (you do the work yourself, or hire a vendor and pay them out of pocket — the grant doesn’t cover labor costs except in specific contractor pathways)

What qualifies as a “native Minnesota plant”

The 2026 program updated its eligible plants list to prioritize species native to Minnesota that support at-risk pollinators (rusty patched bumble bee, monarchs, native solitary bees). High-value categories include:

• Native perennials: purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, wild bergamot, milkweed (all species), goldenrod, asters, blazing star, prairie clover, anise hyssop
• Native grasses: little bluestem, prairie dropseed, sideoats grama, switchgrass
• Native shrubs: ninebark, red osier (red twig) dogwood, nannyberry viburnum, gray dogwood, American hazelnut, bush honeysuckle
• Native trees: serviceberry, American plum, hawthorn

Non-native pollinator plants (catmint, Russian sage, butterfly bush, common honeysuckle) are popular and beneficial but do not count toward grant reimbursement.

Project pathways

Lawns to Legumes offers four planting project types. You pick one based on your site and ambition.

1. Pollinator Pocket — small bed, 100 sq ft or less. Easiest entry point.
2. Pollinator Meadow — larger area, often a sunny side yard or front strip.
3. Pollinator Lawn — overseed existing lawn with low-growing flowering species like Dutch white clover and self-heal.
4. Bee Lawn — full conversion of turf to a flowering low-mow lawn alternative.

For most homeowners doing their first project, Pollinator Pocket is the right pathway. Compact, fundable, easy to defend, and produces visible results in year one.

Step-by-step: how to apply and execute

Before you apply

1. Pick your project pathway (Pocket, Meadow, Pollinator Lawn, or Bee Lawn).
2. Measure your planting area in square feet.
3. Sketch the plan — doesn’t have to be fancy. Where the bed goes, what plants in roughly what locations, how many of each.
4. Take “before” photos of your site.

Apply

Applications go through Blue Thumb at bluethumb.org. Allow 4–6 weeks for review. You’ll receive an approval letter with your maximum reimbursement amount.

After approval

1. Order plants from a Minnesota nursery (Three Timbers Minnesota qualifies — most of the eligible natives are in our catalog).
2. Save every receipt.
3. Install plants during the grant period (typically spring through fall of the same year).
4. Take “after” photos.
5. Submit reimbursement packet: receipts, before/after photos, plant list with botanical names, brief project narrative.

After installation

Maintain the planting for at least three years. The program tracks long-term outcomes and may ask for follow-up photos.

A sample $400 Pollinator Pocket plan

For a 100 sq ft bed in full sun in the Twin Cities, this is a typical plant mix that hits the reimbursement cap:

This planting will bloom mid-June through October, attract every native pollinator in the metro, and look intentional and beautiful — important for HOA-friendly Lawns to Legumes installations.

FAQ

How long does approval take in 2026? Around 4–6 weeks based on recent cycles. Apply early — funding can run out late in the application window.

Can I do the work myself or do I have to hire someone? DIY is fine and most common. You can also hire a landscape contractor and pay them out of pocket, then submit the materials portion of their invoice (plants, mulch, compost) for reimbursement.

Do I have to remove all my lawn? No. The program supports partial conversions — even small pockets of pollinator habitat in an otherwise traditional yard.

Can I include non-native plants? You can plant them, but they won’t count toward reimbursement. The grant pays only for native species on the approved list.

Are there HOA-friendly designs? Yes. Mowed edges, defined bed shapes, signage (“Pollinator Habitat — Minnesota Native Plants”), and naturalistic-but-intentional plant arrangement all signal “designed yard” rather than “abandoned yard.” We help customers design HOA-compatible Lawns to Legumes installations every season.

Start your application

Browse our Minnesota native plant collection — every plant on our native list qualifies for Lawns to Legumes reimbursement. Then apply through Blue Thumb and start your pocket.

If you want help designing a Lawns to Legumes-eligible bed for your specific yard, reach out — we’ll spec a plant list at your reimbursement cap.