The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is seeking applications for its 2023- 2024 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program.
Donor Name: Georgia Department of Natural Resources
State: Georgia
County: All
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/13/2023
Size of the Grant: $3,000,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
The purpose of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program is to provide support to state parks and trails; to support local parks and trails of state and regional significance; to provide stewardship of conservation land; and to acquire critical areas for the provision or protection of clean water, wildlife, hunting, or fishing, for military installation buffering or for natural resource based outdoor recreation. This mission is accomplished through the distribution of funds through the Conserve Georgia Grant and low interest loans
Funding Information
- Conserve Georgia grant and loan requests have a $500,000 minimum and are limited to a maximum award of $3,000,000. There is no minimum or maximum grant request amounts for the projects submitted by State agencies.
- A schedule outlining the timeline and occurrence of each major project milestone and limited to an allowable 24-month project period.
Eligible Projects
The three GOSP projects types are:
- Local Parks and Trails of State and Regional Significance
- These funding opportunities are specially reserved for local governments, constituted recreation authorities, and nongovernmental entities to acquire and/or improve local parks, trails, and conservation lands. The Local Parks and Trails of State and Regional Significance Application shall be used to apply for any of the three distinct projects below:
- Acquisitions of property, to include conservation easements
- Local stewardship funding for maintenance, restoration, or improvement projects
- Combination projects that involve both the acquisition of land, either through fee-simple or conservation easement purchase AND for maintenance, restoration or improvement for the land or conservation easement acquired
- These funding opportunities are specially reserved for local governments, constituted recreation authorities, and nongovernmental entities to acquire and/or improve local parks, trails, and conservation lands. The Local Parks and Trails of State and Regional Significance Application shall be used to apply for any of the three distinct projects below:
- State Stewardship
- State stewardship funding opportunities are available for State agencies and nongovernmental entities only. Local governments and constituted recreation authorities MAY NOT apply for state stewardship grants. These entities may apply for maintenance, restoration, or improvement projects to enhance public access, use or safe enjoyment of permanently protected conservation land and current state-owned parks.
- State Land Acquisition
- State Land Acquisitions funding opportunities are available for State agencies and nongovernmental entities only. Local governments and constituted recreation authorities MAY NOT apply for state acquisition grants. These agencies may apply to acquire critical areas for the provision or protection of clean water, wildlife, hunting, for military installation buffering or for natural resource based outdoor recreation. The State Land Acquisition Application shall be used to apply for either of the two distinct projects below:
- Acquisitions of property, to include conservation easements.
- Combination projects that involve both the acquisition of land, either through fee-simple or conservation easement purchases, AND for the maintenance, restoration or improvement of the lands or conservation easements acquired.
- State Land Acquisitions funding opportunities are available for State agencies and nongovernmental entities only. Local governments and constituted recreation authorities MAY NOT apply for state acquisition grants. These agencies may apply to acquire critical areas for the provision or protection of clean water, wildlife, hunting, for military installation buffering or for natural resource based outdoor recreation. The State Land Acquisition Application shall be used to apply for either of the two distinct projects below:
Eligibility Criteria
The following summarizes the eligibility requirements for entities and organizations to be eligible for GOSP assistance. Entities that are not eligible are encouraged to consider partnering with eligible entities. Eligible Project Applicants include:
- Qualified local governments as defined: A county or municipality which:
- Has a comprehensive plan in conformity with the minimum standards and procedures;
- Has made its local plan implementation mechanisms consistent with those established in its comprehensive plan and with the minimum standards and procedures;
- Has not failed to participate in the department’s mediation or other means of resolving conflicts in a manner which, in the judgment of the department, reflects a good faith effort to resolve any conflict; and
- Must be in good standing with the Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
- Any constituted recreation authority registered with DCA
- State agencies
- Nongovernmental entities, defined as any nonprofit organization on file with the Secretary of State Office primarily concerned with the protection and conservation of land and natural resources, as evidenced by its organizational documents.
For more information, visit Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
