Grants to Minnesota cities, townships, and counties for property development and acquisition projects that benefit the community in public areas. Funding is intended for the purchase, creation, expansion, and refurbishment of spaces for public enjoyment. Eligible projects are park acquisition, development, and/or redevelopment including, internal park trails, picnic shelters, playgrounds, athletic facilities, boat accesses, fishing piers, swimming beaches, and campgrounds.

The Outdoor Recreation Grant Program assists local governments in acquiring parkland and developing or redeveloping outdoor recreation facilities in local and community parks throughout the state. All land improved or acquired with assistance from this grant program must be retained and operated solely for outdoor recreation into perpetuity.

Eligible Projects:

• Acquisition of land for future development of outdoor recreation facilities. Public access, including parking, must be provided within one year of acquisition. Recreation facilities must be developed within three years from the date of acquisition.
• Development, redevelopment, or rehabilitation of outdoor recreation facilities on land owned by the applicant.
• A combination of land acquisition and development, redevelopment, or rehabilitation of outdoor recreation facilities.

Eligible Recreation Facilities: 

One or more of the following major recreation facilities must be included in a proposed project:

• Boat/Canoe Access Sites
• Campgrounds
• Fishing Piers/Shore Fishing Areas
• Skating Rinks/Parks
• Nature Study/Observation Areas
• Picnic Shelters
• Playgrounds, including nature playgrounds
• Sports Fields and Courts
• Swimming Beaches and Outdoor Pools
• Splash Pads
• Trails (non-motorized internal park trails)

It is expected that all existing and proposed facilities have accessible walkways to them. Please account for this in your project/budget.

Eligible Recreation Support Facilities: 

The following support facilities are also eligible for funding as part of a grant application that contains at least one facility from the eligible recreation facilities list above:

• Change Houses, Restrooms, Shower Buildings, and Warming Houses
• Fencing, Lighting, and Signs
• Landscaping and Natural Area Restoration
• Park Roads and Parking Areas (may not exceed 40% of the total project cost)
• Fixed Park Furnishings, such as benches, drinking fountains, grills, picnic tables, trash receptacles, and fire pits
• Walkways

Project design should be compatible with the physical characteristics of the site, consistent with generally accepted engineering and architectural design standards, in accordance with accessibility standards, and minimize risk to the health and safety of users.

All facilities within the park must be designed and available for general public use and open during typical park hours. This includes restrooms, picnic shelters, campgrounds, playgrounds, and other structures. For parks that include marina or campground facilities, an appropriate percentage of the berths/campground spaces must be available for short-term rental and an equitable method of allocating long-term rentals shall be used. All personal property must be removed at the end of each use season.

All facilities improved with this grant project must meet current Americans with Disabilities (ADA) standards. For a list of critical components of the park that must be accessible to persons with disabilities, see: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/assistance/grants/recreation/outdoor_rec/fy23-or-manual.pdf#page=11