With an investment of $254.68 million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks, the National Park Service has made the single largest grant investment ever from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP), part of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). With investments in parks from Washington, D.C., to Washington state, from North Dakota to Texas, the grants will help improve access to the outdoors while strengthening local economies.
The ORLP program, established in 2014, is a nationally competitive, dollar-for-dollar matching grant program that aids disadvantaged, urban communities that lack access to close-by outdoor recreation. The program provides grants for community-sponsored park projects where population is more than 30,000 residents. Managed by the NPS and funded through the LWCF, the program provides matching grants up to 50% of total project costs.
“The enthusiasm for this program is wonderful, with the highest number of applications we’ve ever seen,” said Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz. “After traveling across the United States to increase awareness of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program, I’m thrilled to see so many cities receive grants for the first time.”
The announcement follows a nationwide tour by Assistant Secretary Estenoz to hear directly from community members on the need to connect communities with access to the outdoors, and to encourage state participation in the ORLP program. This latest round of funding draws from the greatest number of applications received by the NPS in the program’s history.
“It’s great to see such an increase in community investment in the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “This investment into these 54 locally led projects is a prime example of the vital work the National Park Service is doing to improve access to the outdoors in your community and beyond national park borders.”
Providing safe outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived is one of six areas of focus for President Biden’s America the Beautiful Initiative, a locally led, voluntary conservation and restoration effort that aims to address the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to the outdoors, and strengthen the economy. Providing safe outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived is one of six areas of focus. The program also helps advance the Administration's Justice40 Initiative that aims to have 40% of the benefits of federal funding flow to disadvantaged communities.
“Everyone deserves to experience the restorative power of nature, but increasing access to public outdoor spaces has not always received the investment and drive needed to make an impact. Supporting the communities that benefit from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program has been a top priority for our administration, and a critical step to bringing more green spaces to urban and disadvantaged communities” said Secretary Deb Haaland.
In August, Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary Estenoz toured ORLP projects underway in the Raleigh, N.C., area. They visited Yeargan Park and Smoky Hollow Park, where investments from the program will construct new park infrastructure, upgrade trails, and expand play and picnic areas, cultivating community connection and outdoor access.