Innovative
Funding Approaches: Examples from Other States
Numerous states utilize innovate approaches to funding wildlife
conservation and parks programs, including general sales taxes,
outdoor equipment taxes, non-consumptive user fees and real estate
transfer fees. Below are downloadable documents that provide information
on the approaches used by other states.
Investing in Wildlife: State Wildlife Funding Campaigns
This report by the Ecosystem Management Initiative at the University
of Michigan provides case studies of innovative approaches used
by other states to funding wildlife conservation and parks programs.
Full
Report or Report Summary
Missouri Department of Conservation: Funding
Strategy Presentation
This PowerPoint presentation provides an overview of the strategy
used by Missouri to fund their Department of Conservation. A constitutional
amendment in 1976 created a 1/8 of 1% general sales tax to fund
the Department. In FY04, the tax provided over $93 million for
conservation projects or 62% of the Department’s budget.
Missouri Conservation Sales Tax: Understanding and Sustaining
Earmark Funding
This article by Daniel Zekor at the Missouri Department of Conservation
provides background information Missouri’s dedicated conservation
tax.
Missouri State
Constitutional Language
Arizona Heritage
Fund Language
These statutes established the Arizona Heritage Fund, which appropriates
$20 million/year from lottery revenue to the Arizona Game and
Fish Department and the Arizona Parks Department.
Arkansas Amendment
This constitutional amendment raised the general sales tax by
1/8th of a cent to fund programs within four state departments:
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, State Parks and Tourism Department,
Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the Keep Arkansas Beautiful
Commission. It provided approximately $21 million in FY04 to the
Game and Fish Commission or 31% of the Commission’s total
operating budget.
Great
Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund
This constitutional amendment dedicated lottery revenue and created
a bonding authority to fund Division of Wildlife programs related
to wildlife resources, outdoor recreation resources and open space
as well as local government wildlife programs. It provided almost
$100 million over the past ten years to the Division and includes
a voter-approved bonding authority of up to $115 million/year.
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