Each year, lottery proceeds fund over $80 million to protect Minnesota’s Great Outdoors
How does the Minnesota Lottery support our lakes and Great Outdoors?
Over 30 years ago, 77% of Minnesotans voted in favor of using a portion of Minnesota State Lottery proceeds to fund conservation activities. Since then, over $1 billion has been invested to help restore and protect our water, land, and wildlife.
Lottery Funds at Work
Voting yes on the amendment will protect our Great Outdoors, natural areas, wildlife habitat, lakes, and rivers across Minnesota, preserving uniquely beautiful places that we visit for camping, hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, and other kinds of recreation that make life here special.
The Lottery funds the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) which has grown to provide $80 million per year in projects. These projects are "for the public purpose of protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state's air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources."
Thousands of projects have been funded in communities across the entire state. These projects range in type from studying moose, loon, and wolves, to new campgrounds, trails, and recreation areas, to cover crops and soil health intitiatives, to stream restoration and so much more. While the mix of projects changes from year to year, below is an example of spending from 2023.
39%—Land acquisition for habitat, parks, and recreation
20%—Land, water, and habitat protection and restoration
11%—Water resources
10%—Natural resource data and information
7%—Invasive species
5%—Air, climate change, and renewable energy
5%—Environmental education
3%—Admin
In addition to continuing the investment of lottery funds into the ENRTF, the 2024 renewal will create a new community grants program supported by the ENRTF. This community grants program will create greater equity by ensuring BIPOC-led organizations and smaller rural communities have greater access to funding to address local environmental issues.
The Ballot
In November, Minnesota voters will have the opportunity to vote to continue this policy for another 25 years, keeping state lottery funds at work supporting clean lakes, healthy forests, and outdoor recreation. Without passage of the constitutional amendment that has been placed on the 2024 ballot, the ENRTF will lose its only income source.
The new lottery dedication also prevents the use of ENRTF funds for wastewater infrastructure, increases the annual withdrawal from the ENRTF from 5.5% to 7%, and appropriates the additional 1.5% of the ENRTF to a new Community Grant Program.