Parks Grants & Funding

Parks and Trails Legacy Fund Grant Program

The Minnesota Constitution established the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance.

Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund Grant Program

We established the Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund to assist park agencies to acquire land for the regional parks system.

Regional Parks Bonding Grant Program

The Regional Parks Bonding Grant Program has two funding sources:

• Regional park bonds issued by the Met Council
• State general obligation bonds appropriated for regional parks and trails

Per the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan and Met Council’s capital financing policy, the Met Council matches every $3 of state general obligation bonds with $2 of regional park bonds.

Competitive Equity Grant Program

The Competitive Equity Grant Program provides funding to regional park agencies for capital and noncapital projects that will strengthen equitable usage of regional parks and trails by all our region’s residents, across age, race, ethnicity, income, national origin, and ability. The program is also designed to enhance institutional capacity around equity work across the regional parks system and with individual agencies.

Operation and Maintenance Funds

The state of Minnesota appropriates money for the cost of operating and maintaining the waters, lands, and facilities that are part of the regional parks system.