Outdoor Heritage Fund

About the Fund

Thirty-three percent of the sales tax revenue from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment is distributed to the Outdoor Heritage Fund. Those funds "may be spent only to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forest and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife." Land acquired with Outdoor Heritage Funds must be open to public hunting and fishing during the open season in accordance with the state constitution. 

Funding Opportunities

A portion of the dollars appropriated from the Outdoor Heritage Fund are being made available through a small grants program administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To learn more about funding opportunities available through this grants program, please visit the Conservation Partners Legacy Grants webpage.

Find Opportunities


Who Administers this Fund?

The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC)

The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC) was established by the legislature to provide annual recommendations on how the Outdoor Heritage Funds should be used. The LSOHC makes recommendations on appropriations of money from the Outdoor Heritage Fund that are consistent with the Constitution and state law and that take into consideration recommendations of the Minnesota Conservation and Preservation Plan that directly relate to the restoration, protection, and enhancement of wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife, and that prevent forest fragmentation, encourage forest consolidation, and expand restored native prairie. 

Visit the LSOHC Website

Proposal and Funding Process

The LSOHC typically puts out a call for funding in April. It then selects projects to recommend to the Legislature based on a review of the applications and applicant presentations.  The LSOHC then puts together an annual funding bill to go before the House and Senate, and upon passage the bill goes to the Governor to be signed into law. Funding becomes available to projects beginning July 1 of the next fiscal year. More information on the proposal and funding process is available on the LSOHC website

Additional Resources

Outdoor Heritage Fund Land Acquisition Report

Outdoor Heritage Fund, a 25-year framework

Feasibility of a Minnesota Fish and Wildlife Foundation Report, May 2010

400+ Funded Projects

St. Louis Estuary.

St. Louis Estuary Restoration

Stokman Wildlife Management Area Restoration

Stokman Wildlife Management Area Restoration

Carlos Avery Wetland Management Area Restoration

Carlos Avery Wetland Management Area Restoration

Sand Hill Lake Dam.

Sand Hill Lake Dam Restoration

South shore of Lake Bemidji restoration

South Shore of Lake Bemidji Restoration