Dakota-led nonprofit receives LCCMR support for $2.3
million in funding for restoration of Owámniyomni (St.Anthony Falls) in Minneapolis
FY 2027 funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) would advance limestone bluff restoration, accessible trail
Minneapolis, Minn. – Aug. 4, 2025 –
The Dakota-led nonprofit Owámniyomni Okhódayapi announced today that it was selected for inclusion in the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources’ (LCCMR) annual recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature on how to allocate proceeds from the state’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The recommended $2,385,000 would advance the engineering and construction of a limestone bluff restoration and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible pedestrian-only trail at
Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls).
These features are part of the larger cultural and environmental restoration of Owámniyomni, adjacent to the Upper Lock along Ȟaȟa Wakpá (Mississippi River) in Minneapolis. Project design is underway, led by a group of Dakota Knowledge Keepers representing multiple Dakota Tribes and communities.
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is set to reveal plans for a transformative living landscape in fall 2025, with site preparation and construction beginning in 2026. Illustrations of the early design ideas by landscape architecture firm GGN are available for download here.
“We are grateful the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources recommended the Owámniyómni project for approval, as this funding allows us to restore Upton Island’s limestone bluff – a place of incredible cultural, scenic and environmental value – and create an accessible trail so people of all ages and abilities can experience the shoreline of Ȟaȟa Wakpá,” said Shelley Buck, president of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi. “These features will connect visitors to the land’s Dakota history and powerful presence for generations to come.”
LCCMR received 400 proposals in response to its 2026 Request for Proposals (RFP), which sought proposals to address several priority issue areas, including resilience, water, fish and wildlife, education and outdoor recreation, energy, and land.
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi’s proposal received the commission’s highest ranking after the first round of evaluation; it is one of 109 proposals to be recommended to the 2026 Legislature for ENRTF funding.
“I’m proud to support the recommendation to fund this vital project at Owámniyomni. This investment reflects a commitment to honoring Dakota leadership, restoring Minnesota’s natural resources, and expanding public access to sacred and historic places,” said Rep. Leon Lillie, who is an LCCMR member. “The work being done by Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is visionary, blending cultural restoration, environmental stewardship and inclusive design, which is exactly the kind of initiative the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund was created to support.”
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi was previously granted $2.8 million by LCCMR for the project.
Additional information on the LCCMR and its recommendations process can be found online at lccmr.mn.gov.
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About Owámniyomni Okhódayapi
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is a Dakota-led organization creating a future where Dakota culture has a vital presence and Dakota values – such as mni wičóni, or water is life – are embedded into Minnesotans’ communal existence. The nonprofit is currently working to transform five acres of land at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls), a place of deep cultural and spiritual
significance to the Dakota people, into a place of restoration, education, healing and connection. For more information, visit owamniyomni.org.
About the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) is a permanent dedicated fund in the Minnesota state treasury that was established by 77% voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 1988. The amendment directs 40% of the net proceeds of the Minnesota State Lottery into the ENRTF through the year 2050. Since 1991, approximately $1.2 billion from the ENRTF has been spent through the LCCMR process on over 1,800 projects that protect and enhance Minnesota’s environment and natural resources in every county of the state.
Media contact: Madeleine Rush, 651-214-6937, [email protected]
