North Dakota's Outdoor Heritage Fund was established in 2013 as a program to provide grants to state agencies, tribal governments, political subdivisions, and nonprofit organizations from oil and gas production tax revenue. Up to $40 million per biennium from oil and gas production tax revenue is received by the fund.
Priority is given to projects that enhance conservation practices in the state by:
- Directive A - Providing access to private and public lands for sportsmen, including projects that create fish and wildlife habitat and provide access for sportsmen;
- Directive B - Improving, maintaining and restoring water quality, soil conditions, plant diversity, animal systems, and by supporting other practices of stewardship to enhance farming and ranching;
- Directive C - Developing, enhancing, conserving, and restoring wildlife and fish habitat on private and public lands; and
- Directive D - Conserving natural areas and creating other areas for recreation through the establishment and development of parks and other recreation areas.