Voyageurs Conservancy will connect 17,000 Minnesotans to the state's only national park through standards-aligned K-12 education, career-building fellowships, and enhanced programs that engage diverse audiences in the park's conservation.
Wilderness Inquiry will expand its work to provide a continuum of outdoor experiences for youth, adults, and families in communities across Minnesota by:
The Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program will be managed by the Department of Natural Resources to provide competitive matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national non-profit organizations and government entities. In it's first 7 years of funding, the CPL program has provided 410 grants totaling $37 million to 133 different grantee organizations, positively affecting over 220,000 acres of habitat. Demand for CPL grants has continued to grow each year as new grantees hear about the program and successful grantees return.
Grassland ecosystems evolved to depend on periodic disturbances, such as fire and grazing, to maintain their health and stability. Periodic disturbances help control invasive species, add nutrients back into the soil, germinate plant seeds, enhance wildlife habitat, and more. In Minnesota habitat managers have used fire as a disturbance tool for decades but the use of grazing has been much rarer, mostly because of a lack of necessary infrastructure such as fencing.
The Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program, managed by the Department of Natural Resources, provided 56 competitive matching grants to non-profit organizations and governments, appropriating all the available ML12 funds.
With the ML 2015 appropriation The Conservation Partners Legacy (CPL) Grant Program awarded 70 grants, 22 of these grants were the metropolitan area. Over 24,000 acres were enhanced, 2,500 acres were restored, and 386 acres protected through these 70 projects. Thirty-eight counties had CPL projects completed in them through 47 unique organizations. The average project for the ML 2015 grants was $96,000, with few exceptions most projects were completed on time and many were under budget.
As of 11/1/2023, the CPL program has provided over 970 grants totaling $115 million to over 250 different grantee organizations, improving or protecting over 577,000 acres of habitat. Demand for CPL grants has continued to grow each year as new applicants hear about the program and successful grantees return. In ML 2019 there were 99 grants awarded- 15 metro grants, 29 traditional grants, and 55 Expedited Conservation Partners grants. Through these 99 grants, over 34,000 acres were restored, enhanced, or protected. Over $10.6M was awarded to organizations for projects.
Our Legacy project will consist of three local bands performing during our fair, all with ties to central Minnesota . Patrick Murphy along with Blonde and the Bohunk will perform a Friday evening concert and Runestone Rebellion will be the band providing musical entertainment on Saturday evening.
Minnesota bands playing in our entertainment building is one of the biggest draws of our fair--the bands help bring people together and everyone can spend time with their friends, and make new ones. Since we added our teen night, it is growing every year. We started this event because of complaints for the 16+ age group that there was nothing for them. With the four bands we offer, we have a variety of music to cater to a wide audience of people. This year we are also adding a kids event with Making Faces out of Mankato, Minnesota.
Our Legacy project will consist of a variety of items: we hold a craft day for kids where they can come to the fair and make various craft projects throughout the day. Kids usually go home with 2-3 projects each. We will also host a non-denominational church service; Legacy funds will go towards the musical group and their sound man that provides the music for the service. We are also looking to upgrade our sound system by our stage area, as well as renting a portable stage. We will also be purchasing portable pop canopies/tenets to provide shelter for outside craft vendors.
We would like to use the Legacy grant to help fund Minnesota bands in our entertainment building. This year we are looking at a "rock" band for Friday night, which will attract the younger crowd to the fair. On Sunday we highlight Senior Citizens, Farm Family Recognition and have a musician that plays old country and gospel music. For the younger youth on the fairgrounds we have free face painting on the grounds Saturday.
