Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to allocate funding for a youth water safety grant program in Minnesota. The program is aimed at improving water safety education and accessibility to swimming lessons for young people, particularly those who are from low-income or at-risk backgrounds.

Main Provisions

• Funding Allocation: The bill proposes to allocate $250,000 from the arts and cultural heritage fund for the fiscal year 2026 to support the youth water safety grant program.

• Grant Administration: The Minnesota Commissioner of Education is responsible for distributing these grants.

• Eligible Applicants: Grants can be awarded to nonprofit organizations and city or county parks and recreation programs that offer swimming lessons to youth. These applicants do not need to partner with other entities to qualify for the grant.

• Use of Funds:

  • The primary use of grant funds is to provide scholarships for swimming lessons to children from low-income and at-risk communities.
  • Up to 15% of the grant funds can also be used for hiring or training water safety instructors or lifeguards with nationally recognized certifications.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

The bill creates a new grant program specifically aimed at improving youth water safety through financial support for swimming lessons and instructor training. It establishes a specific funding source within the arts and cultural heritage fund to achieve this goal.

Relevant Terms

youth water safety, grants, swimming lessons, low-income children, at-risk children, nonprofit organizations, parks and recreation programs, scholarships, lifeguards, water safety instructors, arts and cultural heritage fund.