Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program

The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program is a federal National Park Service (NPS) grant program. ORLP involves two competitive layers. Applications are first competitively reviewed by California’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Applications selected by the state are then forwarded to National Park Service to compete in the nationwide competition.


Program Intent: ORLP focuses on communities with little to no access to publicly available, close-by, outdoor recreation opportunities in urban areas. ORLP funds the acquisition or development of new parks, or substantial renovations to parks in economically disadvantaged cities or towns of at least 30,000 people.


Next Application Due Date: Cycle: TBD

  • Since 2018, NPS has released an ORLP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) annually. California’s Round 6B applications were due by December 15, 2022. A future application cycle is dependent upon National Park Service releasing another ORLP NOFO.

 

Eligibility Requirements (based on previous Round 6 NOFO):

  • Projects must be located in urban cities and towns with at least 30,000 people.
  • Projects must involve land acquisition or development for outdoor recreation.
  • Projects must be in a community with a poverty rate of at least 20%.
  • Project sites that have received LWCF funding and were closed out in the last 7 years are not eligible. Project sites that have one active ORLP grant are eligible to apply for one additional grant at that site.
  • At least 50% of the total project cost must come from an eligible match source.
    o All non-federal (state, local, or private) match sources are eligible.
    o The only federal sources that are eligible as match for this program are Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act funding, and Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (REPI) funding.
  • For Round 6, ORLP required applications that already had complete Section 106 and NEPA Environmental documents.

 

Eligible Applicants

  • Cities
  • Counties
  • State agencies
  • Federally recognized Native American Tribes
  • Joint Powers Authorities where all members are otherwise eligible under the LWCF
  • Park districts, and special districts with authority to acquire, operate and maintain public park and recreation areas.


Amount Available: TBD

  • Up to $192M was made available for the nation competition through Round 6 (applications are currently under review for funding consideration). Participating states are not guaranteed an award. The national review committee awards the most competitive applications received nationwide.

 

Maximum Grant Amount Request: TBD. The maximum for Round 6 was $10 million.

 

Match Requirement: Up to 50% of the total project cost can be requested through ORLP, up to the maximum grant request amount allowed.

 

Timeline for Round 6B: Applications were due December 15, 2022. California’s ORLP Team is conducting its internal competitive review process, and will select applications to move forward in February 2023.

  1. From February 2023 through May 2023, applicants with the most competitive applications will receive guidance from California’s ORLP Team in consultation with NPS on how to complete the full federal application.
  2. NPS requires that all states submit their selected applications for the national competition by NPS’ May 31, 2023 deadline.
  3. NPS review committee’s estimated award date is January 1, 2024.
  4. Applicant should plan to complete project by Fall 2026.

 

Applicants can email questions to Megan Harrison at Megan.Harrison@parks.ca.gov or Natalie Bee at Natalie.Bee@parks.ca.gov.