An official website of the Regional Parks and Trails Funding
The Met Council contributes and administers funding to the regional park implementing agencies. Funding for the Regional Parks and Trails System currently consists of four main grant programs. Each grant program is intended for different purposes and includes various funding sources. Only regional park implementing agencies qualify for the grant programs. Each grant program is highlighted briefly below.
Equity Grant program
In 2019, the Met Council created a grant program using Met Council (regional) bonds to promote equitable use of regional parks and trails. Bond-funded grants provided funding for acquisition, development, or redevelopment projects in the Regional Parks and Trails System. In 2021, the Met Council dedicated the use of parks interest earnings to provide additional funding for the Equity Grant Program. Interest earnings may be used for noncapital as well as capital projects. The 2024 Equity Grant Program continued this combination of Met Council bonds and parks interest earnings to fund both capital and programming projects.
Regional Parks Bonding program
The Regional Parks Bonding Program is intended for Regional Parks and Trails System acquisition, development, and redevelopment projects. Park and trail development should be based on the principle of providing and maintaining quality public park areas and facilities, primarily for residents of the metropolitan area. The amount of funds each regional park implementing agency receives is based on a formula specified in Section Eight: Finance.
Parks and Trails Legacy Fund program
The Parks and Trails Legacy Fund program was created after the statewide passage of Minnesota’s Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment in 2008. Along with state and Greater Minnesota regional parks and trails, the Met Council receives a portion of the Parks and Trails Legacy appropriations for the Regional Parks and Trails System.
The Met Council administers the Parks and Trails Legacy funds to regional park implementing agencies. The 25-year Parks and Trails Legacy Plan provides high-level guidance for use of the funds.
Each regional park implementing agency’s share of the funds is based on a formula specified in state statute (Minnesota Statutes, section 85.53, subd 3). This statute requires that 10% of the total Parks and Trails Legacy appropriations be set aside for land acquisition.
Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund program
The Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund program is organized into two separate accounts, corresponding to different funding sources. The two funding sources are the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund and the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. As noted above, 10% of the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund appropriations are set aside for land acquisition through the Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund program. Direct appropriations for land acquisition from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, are also allocated to the Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund program.
The Met Council matches every $3 in state funding from the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund with $2 from Met Council bonds for the Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund program, as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 85.53, subd. 3. The Met Council has chosen to make the same match for Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund funding for park acquisition. The Met Council’s Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund program is noncompetitive and awarded based on funding availability.
Operation and maintenance funds
The Met Council administers state funds to regional park implementing agencies to pay for a portion of their operation and maintenance costs. The share each regional park implementing agency receives is based on a formula specified in state statute (Minnesota Statutes, section 473.351).
Direct pass-through appropriations
In addition to the five grant programs highlighted above, the Met Council also administers pass-through appropriations from the state to regional park implementing agencies and local governments. These dollars are legislatively earmarked for a particular regional park implementing agency or park and trail unit.
Total system investment
The total investment the state and Met Council have made toward the Regional Parks and Trails System between state fiscal years 1974 and 2024 totaled $1.25 billion (Table 1.1).
Table 1.1: Regional Parks and Trails System state and regional funding investments, 1974-2024
| Program | Funding source(s) | Investment totals, 1974-2024 (millions) |
| Regional Parks Bonding | State and Met Council bonds, Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, interest (through 1984) | $475.2 |
| Operation and Maintenance |
State General Fund and Lottery-in-Lieu of Sales Tax, as per Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.65 |
$252.6 |
| Parks and Trails Legacy Fund | 0.038% general state sales and use tax, as per Minnesota Constitution, Article XI, Section 15 | $234.2 |
| Pass-Through Appropriations | Various state funds | $178.7 |
| Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund | Met Council bonds | $36.9 |
| Parks and Trails Legacy Fund | $26.0 | |
| Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund | $13.2 | |
| Other Investments | State and Met Council funds | $31.8 |
| Equity Grant Program | Met Council bonds and parks interest earnings | $4.4 |
| Total | $1.25 billion |
The investments and funding sources described above are not the only funding sources for the Regional Parks and Trails System. Each regional park implementing agency provides its own mix of funding for their respective regional parks and trails. Other funding sources also exist, including federal grants, public-private partnerships, and private donations.
