California State Parks Announces Grant Opportunity to Fund Projects Near Military Bases to Acquire and/or Develop Lands for Public Outdoor Recreation
Contact:
Newsroom@parks.ca.gov
$40 Million Total in Grants Available Nationwide
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— California State Parks today announced a grant opportunity to fund projects near military bases to acquire, or acquire and develop, lands for public outdoor recreation, and increase resilience to climate change through recreation. A total of $40 million is available, nationwide, from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) grant program. Eligible applicants include cities, counties, state agencies, and park districts and special districts with authority to acquire, operate and maintain public park and recreation areas.
This funding opportunity is unique because the 50% match requirement for LWCF is covered through an agreement between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Park Service (NPS). This means that applicants do not need to provide match funding to receive grant funding from this program. For example, a project that requests $5 million can receive up to $10 million in funding; that is, $5 million from LWCF and $5 million from DOD for a total project cost of $10 million.
Below is additional information on the grant program:
How to Apply
Interested parties need to review the LWCF and REPI Eligibility Card located on the Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) website to ensure that they meet all requirements for the program, including the requirement of an existing REPI Partnership Agreement with a military installation.
Deadline to Apply
A one-page concept letter is due to LWCF@parks.ca.gov no later than April 15, 2024. Concept letters should include the agency name, project location, verification that a REPI Partnership Agreement is in place, requested grant amount, number of acres to be acquired, general overview of the project, and contact information. In turn, California State Parks’ OGALS will provide technical assistance for eligible projects to submit a complete federal application by July 12, 2024. More information about these grants can be found at the LWCF and REPI website.
Available Funding
$40 million through LWCF is available for awards, nationwide:
- Minimum grant amount per application - $250,000
- Maximum grant amount per application - $5 million
Recreational uses on the property must be compatible with the mission needs of the associated military installation. Additionally, recreational spaces purchased through the program are preserved and maintained for outdoor recreation in perpetuity.
This program is one of six grant programs that State Parks manages to advance outdoor access to all Californians. Since 1964, nearly 8,000 community parks throughout California have been created or improved from OGALS’ grant funding. Since 2000, the program has administered approximately $3.8 billion in grant funding throughout California.
Previous projects funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund grants. Top: City of Burbank Johnny Carson Park Trails and Nature Education Center. Bottom left: Union City Casa Verde Park. Bottom middle: East Bay Point Pinole Fishing Pier improvements. Bottom right: North Beardsley Skate Park in Bakersfield. Photos from California State Parks.
Subscribe to California State Parks News via e-mail at NewsRoom@parks.ca.gov
California State Parks provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation.