The National Park Service is currently accepting applications for its Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance + Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Partnership Challenge Program.
Donor Name: National Park Service
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/21/2023
Size of the Grant: $5,000,000
Details:
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance (SLA) Program provides grants to the States, and through them to local units of government and federally recognized Indian tribes, for projects that will provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public. This is accomplished through the acquisition of lands and waters for parks and other outdoor recreation areas, as well as through the development of new, or the renovation of existing, outdoor recreation facilities. The Program is operated by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with designated lead agencies in each of the 50 States as well as American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Congress allocates money from the LWCF for this program, which is then apportioned to the States based on a legislative formula. To be eligible for LWCF grants, States must maintain an approved Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), which is used to assess the supply and demand for outdoor recreation resources and set priorities for the use of LWCF funds. Since 1964, more than $5.2 billion has been made available to all 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia and more than 44,000 grants have been awarded.
The Department of Defense (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program protects the Nation’s military readiness, enhances relationships with communities, preserves the environment, and improves military installation and community resilience to climate change. Under 10 U.S.C. 2684a, the REPI program funds cost-sharing partnerships for the military with state and local governments and private conservation organizations. These partnerships obtain easements or other interests in land from willing sellers, or promote natural resource management and military installation resilience to preserve critical areas, resources and natural infrastructure near their military installations. Since program inception, REPI partnership projects have protected nearly 1.18 million acres of land in 120 locations in 35 states and territories. Overseen by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and implemented by the military Services, these projects help to preserve vital missions at key installations.
Therefore, consistent with the purposes and requirements of the LWCF Act and LWCF Manual, the NPS is seeking land acquisition only or acquisition with compatible recreation development (aka, “combination”) project proposals matching the following factors:
- meeting a priority outdoor recreation need or goal as identified in the State’s SCORP as well as that of the community(ies), and that will provide compatible land use within the REPI Program Area
- creating or expanding public outdoor recreational opportunities for the general public, including for nearby residents and military families associated with the military installation within the REPI Program Area
- located within an active REPI Program Area or in an area where there is active interest in establishing a new REPI Program Area
- promoting compatible land uses for military installations within REPI Program Areas, particularly land uses related to compatible recreation development, advancing conservation or climate resilience (only if offering compatible public access), and related uses
- advancing the goals of a REPI partnership
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding Amount: $40,000,000
- Maximum Funding Amount: $5,000,000
- Minimum Funding Amount: $250,000
Eligible Applicants
State Governments
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
