Hennepin Youth Sports Program

The Hennepin Youth Sports Program makes grants to local government units to improve youth sports and recreation. Legislation authorizing the building of Target Field allows Hennepin County to grant over $2 million dollars each year to Hennepin County communities for new or improved facilities and equipment.

The Hennepin Youth Sports Program has separate applications for grants for facilities and grants for capital equipment. The facility grants allow municipalities, park districts and school districts to create, expand or improve athletic or recreational facilities. The capital equipment grants are for improving playability, sustaining sports facilities and promoting stronger relationships between local government units and youth sports organizations.

The Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission is contracted to serve as the grant administrator for the Hennepin Youth Sports Program. The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners make the grant award determinations. If you have any questions about the program, please contact staff listed at right.

2013 Grant Cycle

Spring equipment grants

24 grants totaling $124,999 were awarded at the Hennepin County Board meeting on March 26, 2013. A list of receiptients and awards can be found in the following document:

2013 Spring Equipment Awards

Awarded grants

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners awarded grants for facilities and fall equipment on October 30, 2012. List of 2013 facility and fall equipment award recipients.

• $1,955,465 was awarded to 14 facilities around Hennepin County
• $149,141 was awarded to 22 user groups for equipment

Interactive Map of Facility Awards

Click on any of the dots on the map for more information about that particular Hennepin Youth Sports Program facility award. Blue dots represent 2009 grants, purple dots 2010, green dots 2011, red dots 2012, and yellow dots 2013. Equipment awards are not listed on this map. All awards are listed by year at right.

View this map of the facility award locations in a new window.

All Awards Are for Reimbursement

All awards are reimbursement to be paid after completion of the facility or purchase of the equipment. Award recipients will submit reimbursement payment paperwork according to processing guidelines provided after the awards are announced. Hennepin County will reimburse the local government unit once this paperwork is processed.

Facility Grant Information

Documents

2013 Hennepin Youth Sports Request for Proposals

2013 Hennepin Youth Sports Facility Application

2013 Hennepin Youth Sports Facility Criteria

2013 Facility Criteria Match Ratio Table

In-kind matches

If a facility grant application includes in-kind donations of materials or labor, please list the full retail value of the in-kind donation in both the project budget and the local matching funds sections. In the local matching funds section, note which funds are in-kind donations. The maximum grant amount for each project is the project budget minus the local matching funds. In-kind donations are counted as 50% requested funds and 50% local matching funds for the match ratio score only.

Facilities on land not owned by a local government unit

A local government unit (LGU) - a city, public school district, or park district - may submit an application for a facility that is located on private land on the behalf of a private entity, such as a charter school, private school or other non-profit organization, that will operate the facility. The County Board resolution establishing the Hennepin Youth Sports Program grants does not require a project to be owned by a LGU or to be on public property. The resolution does however require that the applicant be a LGU.

Therefore, in cases where a local government unit is awarded a grant for a facility located on private land, the private land owner shall agree to a covenant with the LGU that ensures public access to the facility. Details can be found in the document below.

Covenant with Private Land Owner