Minnesota DNR Offers A New Grant Program To Help Get Children Outside Early And Often

The Department of Natural Resources is offering a new grant program called “No Child Left Inside” to help more children cast a fishing line, study animal tracks, hike or bike, or simply learn more about nature.

Public entities and nonprofit organizations serving youth under age 18 are eligible to apply for this first phase of the grant program, which features a simple application and a quick review. In the first phase, $182,000 is available for programs all around Minnesota. The minimum request is $500 and the maximum is $5,000, but future phases of the grant program will have larger grant awards with more extensive application and review processes.

Applications can be submitted starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, and awards will be made on a rolling basis. The application period will close once all the money is awarded, the earliest date to start reimbursable project work is Sunday, Dec. 1, and the reimbursable grant project work must be completed by Monday, June 1, 2020.

“We’re excited to be putting some funding toward getting kids outdoors, the time is now, Minnesotans care deeply about the outdoors,” said DNR’s education and skills team supervisor Jeff Ledermann.

“Kids in past decades were outdoors early and often, but that’s not a given anymore so these grants are here to boost outdoor programs and initiatives all around the state,” said Ledermann.

The 2019 Minnesota Legislature authorized the No Child Left Inside grant program. Funding can be used for outdoor recreation equipment, transportation, and related natural resource education expenses. For more information on the grant program and a link to the application, visit the DNR’s recruit, retain and reactivate page.