If your community needs improvements to roads that lead to state parks, public water accesses, and other public outdoor recreation, there are grant funds available through the State Park Road Account (SPRA) Program that can help you complete your project. Widseth’s funding department can assist your community with submitting a winning application.

1. Program & Description

State Park Road Account (SPRA) Program

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

This program exists to help local governments improve access to public recreation facilities. It provides financial assistance to improve county state aid, county, township, and city roads that provide access to state parks, state outdoor recreation such as public lakes, rivers, and state campgrounds, and all units as defined in Minnesota Statutes 86A.04. This program is established in Minnesota Statutes 162.06 subd. 5.

2. Eligibility

Eligible applicants: County, township, and city governments

Eligible projects:

• The establishment, location, relocation, construction, reconstruction, and improvement of County State Aid Highways that provide access to state parks, state trails, state scientific and natural areas, state wilderness areas, state forests, state wildlife management areas, and state water access sites.
• The reconstruction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of county, township, and city roads that provide access to public lakes, rivers, state parks, and state campgrounds.
• Priority given for projects which enhance access to outdoor recreation facilities.
• Consideration for projects that address safety issues and include cost-sharing by the local government.

3. Type of Funding

Projects are funded by a grant. Approximately $4,000,000 will be available statewide for calendar year 2022.

4. Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted online by November 1, 2021.

5. How to Get Started

Call Gail Leverson, Widseth’s Funding Specialist, to get started. Our funding assistance offers consulting help to assemble and submit your funding request.

When you need to update your access to public recreation facilities, there is a benefit to working with a full-service design firm such as Widseth. Your engineering design and its funding applications will be developed simultaneously, saving you time and expense.