GMRPTC May 2026 Newsletter

This month the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission is excited to share:
*Information on applying for Legacy funding this summer;
* What to expect on a GMRPTC site visit; and
* Registration for the next Accessibility Forum, featuring Jennifer Skulski talking about accessible surfaces.

Funding Application Season is Underway!

Parks and Trails that are a part of the Greater Minnesota Legacy system are gearing up for the 2026 funding application cycle, which closes on July 31.

This year’s Funding Application Guidelines provide information about the two major funding opportunities provided by the Commission: Legacy Development and Acquisition, plus Connect People and the Outdoors (CPO) grants. Eligible agencies can apply for one or both programs in the same application.

All applications are completed online through the Commission’s Data Management System. Application instructions, supporting documents and tutorials are available in the Application Toolbox. Critical components of the application include a qualified resolution from the governing body, a budget worksheet, project description, maps and schematics, and photos.
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If you have any questions or just want to discuss the best way to present your project ideas, please contact Joe Czapiewski, GMRPTC System Plan Coordinator at [email protected]. Several applications are already in process. The Commission expects to have approximately $12,500,000 available for these programs, which will be awarded in November.

What to Expect: GMRPTC Site Visit

Last week GMRPTC officials attended two site visits for regional park and trail candidates. Site visits can be either official, meaning conducted as part of a formal application or plan review; or unofficial, meaning an informal visit to provide technical advice to the applicant. In last week’s case, we conducted one of each on the same day.

If your facility is due for a site visit, most typically to review a Master Plan or Funding Application, Commission staff will work with you to find a date and time that works for your team as well as our travel schedule. In many cases we will be inviting the Commissioners who represent your district and possibly members of the Evaluation Team. We recommend having anyone involved in developing the plan or application on your end participate, so that they can answer technical questions and help authenticate what is presented in the plan or project.

Most site visits start at an accessible location on or near the site. First order of business after introductions is a general overview of the plan, answering broad questions about purpose, design, and collaboration. It can be helpful (but not required) for the applicant to have one or more large copies of any maps, if available, so that they can be viewed together as a group. We will have our own review notes from the online application or plan and will ask questions based on those notes.

Once the initial review is complete, then we will have a chance to visit the site. Since regional parks are often large and trails are long, we don’t expect to see every detail of the facility during this initial visit. What we typically concentrate on are key examples or features that can help us understand the facility’s plan or application.

For instance, we will likely want to see enough locations along a proposed trail to see the nature of the user’s experience and the condition of the corridor. Park visits often include key day use areas like picnic areas and playgrounds, or nature centers, campgrounds and trails, along with natural amenities that speak to what the user will see once the facility is built. Funding application reviews of course will focus on the amenities and connections proposed for funding.

The typical site visit can last up to two hours, although very large or extensive facilities may take longer. In order to move things along, it is helpful if one primary local contact serve as the organizer for the visit, particularly if multiple jurisdictions are involved. If our schedule allows, carpooling from the initial meeting site can be very helpful, giving us a chance to discuss the site as we move. We’ve also had some success using technology to connect a caravan of vehicles to keep the conversation going. For some challenging sites or experiences, we’ve even had a chance to travel by UTV, boat, or snowshoe!
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Whatever the reason for a site visit, just know that we are as excited about it as you are! Our goal is the same as yours – to help you put your best foot forward. Please do not hesitate to ask questions or make suggestions as we prepare for your site visit. We look forward to seeing you there!

​Register Now for the June Accessibility Forum!

The GMRPTC is excited to open registration for the second Accessibility Forum of 2026. This forum is a follow up to our first forum on accessible routes, trails, and shared use paths.

Forum #2: Accessible Exterior Surfaces Part 2: Considerations for Accessible Exterior Surfaces
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
11:30AM – 1:00PM

Firm? Stable? Slip resistant? Excessive running slope? Who said cross-slope? What level? Grass is accessible, right? How do you really know if the surface material you are using on accessible routes, a pedestrian trail, shared use path, within a pedestrian access route, picnic area, or playground really is accessible and compliant? In this session, we will cover the accessibility standards and special considerations to make sure your outdoor surfaces are designed, installed, and maintained to be usable by people with disabilities.

Upon completion of this session, learners will be able to:
• Identify advantages and disadvantages of various exterior surfaces for people with disabilities.
• Discuss common issues affecting the accessibility of exterior surfaces, including installation and maintenance issues.
• Utilize performance-based criteria for exterior surfaces to ensure the product will continually comply with the accessibility standards and perform as stated by the manufacturer.
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This forum will again be presented by Jennifer Skulski. Jennifer has over 30 years of experience spanning parks, recreation, tourism, and municipal government. She has demonstrated her expertise by conducting accessibility assessments for more than 1,500 recreation facilities and 50 national parks. She has also trained thousands of professionals in the inclusion of people with disabilities and published research on best practices for accessibility management. In 2014, Jennifer founded Skulski Consulting to work more closely with public entities on ADA action-planning. The Commission is confident that Jennifer’s extensive background and dedication will ensure excellent training and support in 2026.

Register Here

​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"