GMRPTC March 2026 Newsletter

In this issue, learn about:
* The recent Mandatory Grant Award Meeting held in St. Cloud
* 2026 Funding Application timelines and guidance
* GMRPTC Legislative activities 

GMRPTC Grant Award Meeting a Success

Over 50 people attended the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission’s third annual Grant Award Meeting in St. Cloud on January 29th, 2026. Recent grant recipients were required to attend, while other participants elected to attend to learn more about the grant contracting process and required pre-contract work.

A panel of experienced professionals, representing both process managers and grant recipients, shared their knowledge of each step in the process. Grant contract and project process managers from the state reviewed the process for State Historic Preservation Office and Tribal Historic Preservation Office approval, archeological and environmental review, and accessibility design.  City and county facility managers and consultants shared their experience going through the process, providing case studies from which meeting participants could learn.

The Commission wishes to thank all of our panelists, including Department of Natural Resources Grants staff Sarah Wennerberg and Jenni Bubke, Kelly Gragg-Johnson from the State Historic Preservation Office, Scott Roepke from the Cannon Valley Trail, Karlin Ziegler from Olmsted County Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, Steve Kohn from Red Wing He Mni Can Park, and Jimmy Marty from EOR consulting.

Videos from the GMRPTC Grant Award Meetings can be found online HERE. Additional information about the grant application and management process can be found in the Application Toolbox. If you have any questions, please contact GMRPTC staff.

---

2026 Funding Application Information Online!

If you are planning to apply for a GMRPTC Legacy grant in 2026, application guidance, tutorials, and templates are now available!

All Greater Minnesota Legacy grants are completed and submitted online, using the same portal applicants use to submit their designation applications and master plans. The portal opens for the traditional Development and Acquisition and Connecting People and the Outdoors grant programs on April 1, with a submission deadline of July 31, 2026. Other programs, such as the Environmental/Archeological and Access/Inclusion grants are available for ongoing submission without a deadline, as long as funding remains available.

If you plan to apply this year, be sure to check out the funding updates video, linked HERE. A complete video tutorial, along with the all important program guidelines, application instructions and supporting documents can be found in the online Application Toolbox.

Note that only facilities designated as part of the Regional System are eligible to apply for funding. Most successful applications start out with a call to Commission staff to explore the project, application requirements, and contract timelines. So if you are interested, please contact System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski at [email protected].

---

Legislative Update

In the 2026 legislative session, the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission has been actively pursuing two key initiatives at the Capitol. This year's legislative agenda prioritizes updates to the Commission’s enabling legislation, aiming to remove outdated provisions and reflect the Commission's growth and development over the past 13 years.

The Commission is also advocating for extensions of five Legacy grants to guarantee completion of ongoing projects and effective use of funds.

Additionally, the Commission supports its partners, including the Parks and Trails Fund, DNR, and Metropolitan Council, by seeking extensions for Coordination Among Partners funds that are set to expire in June.

---

The Commission "is created to undertake system planning and provide recommendations to the legislature for grants funded by the parks and trails fund to counties, cities and Tribal governments outside of the seven-county metropolitan area for parks and trails of regional significance"