One of the things that makes Minnesota unique is having constitutionally defined, public funds for the environment—the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and Outdoor Heritage Fund. With broad bipartisan support over decades, Minnesota has built something remarkable: durable environmental funding that supports thriving habitats and access to outdoor spaces. These funds power thousands of projects in every corner of the state, giving people access to the parks, trails, and wild spaces that Minnesota is known for. They foster a strong outdoor recreation culture, bolster the economy, and support the places that Minnesotans cherish. Sometimes, though, the importance of these funds can get lost in the processes and alphabet soup of associated acronyms. So, what exactly are the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and Outdoor Heritage Fund?
Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF)
This was established by voters in 1988 and most recently reaffirmed on the 2024 ballot. The ENRTF is designed to provide long-term, stable funding to protect, conserve, and enhance Minnesota’s “air, water, land, fish, wildlife and other natural resources.” It is funded through proceeds from the Minnesota State Lottery and the ENRTF’s investment income. Annually, a portion of the ENRTF is available for conservation projects, selected by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (usually just referred to as LCCMR). Once the LCCMR selects projects, they make a funding recommendation to the legislature, which is turned into a funding bill (more on that below…).
The Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF)
Similar to the ENRTF, the “Legacy Amendment” was created by Minnesota voters. In 2008, Minnesotans voted to raise the state sales tax by 0.0375% in order to create a dedicated funding stream for four funds—the first three funds, representing approximately 80% of the total dollars, are dedicated to Minnesota’s environment: Clean Water Fund, Outdoor Heritage Fund, and Parks & Trails Fund. The fourth fund is dedicated to Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage. And, similar to the ENRTF process, the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (also commonly just referred to as LSOHC) is responsible for reviewing OHF proposals and providing funding recommendations to the legislature.
In such an outdoors-forward state, it can be easy to take all of this for granted, but the recent 2026 legislative session proved again that protecting these critical funds takes vigilance.
The Minnesota Legislature just finished a turbulent two-year run that, being the most evenly divided in history, repeatedly tested bipartisan cooperation. Even with the relevant commission and council handing the Legislature vetted funding recommendations, the ENRTF bill took extra effort to move to passage, and the state came closer than ever before to not having an OHF appropriations bill. Knowing this was going to be a short, intense session, Audubon’s policy team was deeply focused on protecting and advocating for these bills. In the final days of the legislative session, Audubon was at the Minnesota Capitol alongside environmental leaders, urging legislators to set their differences aside and pass these important funding bills. Hundreds of Audubon advocates across the state sent thousands of messages to elected officials, insisting that these bills pass. Thankfully, the ENRTF finally passed with an overwhelming majority; with just three and a half hours before the end of session, the OHF bill saw final passage as well.
It came down to the wire, but in the end, $102 million in environment projects through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, and $191 million through the Outdoor Heritage Fund were approved and funded. Plus, the ENRTF appropriations bill includes $28 million in dedicated Community Grants – a new program within the ENRTF that is designed to make project funding more accessible to organizations that are smaller in operation and/or have historically faced barriers to this funding source. Audubon Upper Mississippi River has been strongly advocating for this program. We are excited about a diversity of partners and entities like Audubon chapters being able to tap into this public funding and collectively expand the work of protecting Minnesota’s environment.
For Audubon UMR, these appropriations include:
- $840,000 (ENRTF) for Adopt a Flyway: Enhancing Minnesota’s Migratory Pitstops. This recognition project will empower landowners across Minnesota to orient the value of their land within the Mississippi Flyway, encouraging voluntary management actions to improve migratory and breeding habitat quality. Audubon will provide financial assistance to pursue adoption of bird-friendly land management practices on public and private lands while monitoring the impacts of the applied management on certain targeted bird species by using autonomous recording units.
- $26,000 (ENRTF) to provide bird-friendly technical assistance to guide the Minnesota Board of Soil & Water District’s Biodiverse & Resilient Spaces program—an effort to develop a biodiversity and resiliency guide, case study projects, and provide outreach, education, and technical assistance to communities regarding the management of public and private lands.
- $1.2 million (OHF) for A River of Birds in the Sky: Conserving Minnesota’s Flyway. This project will expand habitat enhancement and restoration on permanently protected land along the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers as they flow through eastern Minnesota. This region contains unique and critical habitats that are home to over 320 birds and 150+ non-avian Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
There are three reasons to advocate for policy change: to inform, to preserve, and to advance. This session our primary goal was to advance these important environmental funding bills. It took a huge collective effort, and care for Minnesota’s environment prevailed.
