What is the Legacy Amendment?
Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council receives a majority of our funding from the state of Minnesota, which collects a percentage of sales tax revenue to distribute to the arts thanks to the Legacy Amendment.
Recognize this logo?
Prairie Lakes grantees are required to feature it on promotional materials for their events.
You may have also seen it around trails, waterways, and elsewhere throughout Minnesota.
It’s the logo for the Legacy Amendment—used to fund about $453.5 million worth of projects across the state in Fiscal Year 2026.
Thanks in part to the Legacy Amendment, Minnesota leads the nation in arts funding per capita at $7.85 per person (the national average is just $1.88!).
Background
In 2008, voters in Minnesota passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) to our state constitution. The Legacy Amendment protects drinking water sources; protects, enhances, and restores wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitats along with lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater; supports parks and trails; and preserves arts and cultural heritage.
Many of the things that make Minnesota great are supported by this decision!
Funding
3/8 of 1% of every dollar paid in sales tax (that’s $0.10 per $10) is collected for the purposes outlined above. The Minnesota legislature manages the funds and allocates 19.75% of the total revenue to the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, which in turn, funds the Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB).
The MSAB offers its own grants, then distributes the remaining funds to the state’s 11 regional arts councils—including Prairie Lakes! This funding supports our programming and helps preserve many of the natural resources in our communities.
Future
The 2008 amendment guaranteed funding for 25 years—through June 30, 2034. While that sounds far away, there are many steps required to pass an amendment to the state constitution, and our legislators will begin working on its renewal as early as 2028.
Please learn about the Legacy Amendment through the state’s official site, Minnesota Legacy: Track the Progress, and through our lobbying organization, MN Citizens for the Arts, so that when the time comes, you can play a role in preserving our state’s legacy!
The information above is sourced from the Minnesota Legacy: Track the Progress website.