The National Park Service is offering a “quick-turnaround” grant opportunity for the acquisition, development and renovation of park, recreation or conservation areas.

A total of $3 million is available for the National Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program. According to the National Park Service, the program is being offered as a result of a specific directive by Congress included in the 2014 Appropriations Bill.

Individual grant awards are a maximum of $500,000, but no less than $250,000, so the national program is highly competitive.

The general criteria are:
• Land acquisition and development projects in densely settled areas with populations of at least 50,000
• Projects that will create or reinvigorate parks and other outdoor recreation spaces in ways that will encourage people, especially youth, to connect or re-connect with the outdoors

Priority will be given to projects located in communities that are economically disadvantaged and are underserved in terms of outdoor recreation resources.

Not all municipalities are eligible to apply – just those designated as urbanized according the 2010 Census.

Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1.

The Park Service has indicated it hopes to announce the preliminary selection of proposals in September as part of the efforts to commemorate the signing of the LWCF Act 50 years ago.

Link to the grant announcement

Link to map of eligible areas

For more information, contact Melissa Cryan of the Massachusetts Land and Water Conservation Fund at (617) 626-1171 or melissa.cryan@state.ma.us.

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