Eligible applicants
Applicants must be a public entity or private nonprofit organization with a mission or educational purpose that supports natural resource education and/or outdoor recreation.
The 2025 grants will consist of two types of grant awards — mini grants and larger grants. Applicants must choose only one.
Mini grants
Mini grants, with awards between $500-$5,000, will include a simple application and projects with smaller scope. Eligible projects will be entered into a lottery, and awards granted randomly on a regionally-balanced statewide basis.
Larger grants
Larger grants have awards between $5,001-$25,000 and will include a more extensive application process and greater project scope. Eligible projects will be competitively reviewed and awarded statewide on a per capita basis.
Examples of eligible applicants
Examples of organizations that would qualify include:
- Non-profit organizations
- Public/Charter schools (including PK-12 and higher education institutions serving youth under 18)
- Tribal Nations
- Other public entities (including cities, counties, and other local government)
Private businesses, state and federal agencies, and other applicants who do not meet these criteria are not eligible for this grant program.
The DNR reserves the right to restrict awards to a maximum of one per program, project, site or facility.
Grant priorities
The Minnesota Legislature established some specific requirements and priorities for the No Child Left Inside grant program. The DNR has created additional funding priorities in consultation with stakeholders.
- Programs that maximize the number of participants, especially from new and diverse audiences with limited opportunities.
- Audience must be youth under 18 years of age. Activities that include participant families also are eligible.
- Applicants commit matching funds or in-kind resources.
- Projects that are community-focused with an ongoing impact rather than one-time events.
- New and innovative programming. Existing programs must demonstrate a significant expansion in scope or inclusion of new audiences.
- Projects must provide students direct experiences and understanding of nature.
- Provide opportunities for outdoor recreation or to learn new outdoor skills.
- Use public parks and other natural resource venues and personnel as resources.
- Education classes that are held outside and use established environmental, ecological or natural-resource educational curriculum.
- Other projects that support natural resource education and outdoor recreation as determined by the DNR.
A complete list of grant priorities, requirements and eligible activities and expenses can be found in the request for proposals.
Participant data
This grant program is designed to serve those with limited opportunities or resources to access outdoor activities. Applicants are asked to provide data on:
- The percentage of their target audience that is eligible for free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL) at school. A searchable database of Minnesota student enrollment data, including FRPL numbers by school and district, is available on the Minnesota Department of Education website.
- The percentage of their target audience that is experiencing higher rates of childhood poverty. Use U.S. Census Bureau data that reports the percentage of children living below the poverty level by county, township, city and zip code.
- If their target audience resides in an environmental justice area within the 7-county metropolitan area. An interactive map outlining environmental justice areas can be found on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s website.
- If their target audience resides in nonnative English-speaking communities or are an audience with special needs.
Matching dollars
Match is considered when evaluating grant applicants. No specific amount is required and in-kind support is allowed.
Ineligible activities
Activities for which grant dollars cannot be used include but are not limited to:
- Purchase of hunting or fishing licenses, tags or stamps.
- Group banquets, raffle prizes or other fundraising activities.
- Hunting and fishing competitions with cash awards or prizes larger than nominal value.
- Purchase of firearms and ammunition. Bows and arrows are eligible.
- Shooting range fees and clay targets.
- Organized sports or recreational activities that occur indoors or on human-made surfaces.
- Gardening for food projects, unless combined with significant environmental education programming.
- For-profit projects.
- Annual field days or festivals.
- Capital equipment costing $5,000 or more and fixed assets such as vehicles, motorized boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, large ice fishing houses, trailers, sheds, shelters, platforms, piers, greenhouses, computer equipment and other larger items. Small canoes, kayaks, portable ice shelters and bicycles are eligible.
- Trail or nature area purchase, development, equipment or maintenance.
- Construction of outdoor facilities, classrooms, ranges or trails.
- Administrative costs, such as overhead, insurance or indirect costs.
The DNR extends its thanks to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for the use of "No Child Left Inside."