Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Grants

Apply / Manage Grant Deadlines Contact Us News / Media

About

The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program is a competitive grant initiative under the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act, aimed at enhancing parks, recreational opportunities, and conservation areas in underserved, urban areas. These investments enable urban communities to create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks, and form connections between people and the outdoors.

Managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the nationally competitive ORLP program provides matching grants (up to 50% of total project costs) to assist communities with little to no access to outdoor recreation opportunities in urban areas. Funds can be used for the acquisition and/or development of, or substantial renovation of public parks and other outdoor recreation spaces. Development should encompass essential public outdoor recreation activities and the necessary support facilities for public use. Projects could involve a combination of land acquisition and site development. These projects can cater to a diverse range of public outdoor recreation activities and facilities required to enhance the use and enjoyment for the public. These include, and are not limited to community parks, campgrounds, playgrounds, sport fields and courts, picnic facilities, trails, etc. While facilities that support the use of the recreating public, such as restroom, visitor contact infrastructure, and maintenance facilities can be eligible, most indoor recreation and other buildings such as nature centers, community centers, or education center are ineligible for funding.

Total Anticipated Funding to Award: The next five years of ORLP competitive grants will be based on funds made available by Congress in the current and future fiscal years.

Anticipated Amount Per Award: An estimated range of $300,000 to $15,000,000 of funding is anticipated for each award. The amount of funding available per award will be determined as part of the application review process based on applications received and funding made available through appropriations.

Eligible Applicants (Who We Fund)

In accordance with 54 U.S.C. 200305(a), each state has a State Lead Agency designated by the state’s Governor or by state legislation for the purposes of implementing LWCF in that state. Therefore, only State Lead Agencies are eligible to submit applications for ORLP grants. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is the State Lead Agency. TPWD may submit on behalf of themselves or an eligible sub-recipient.

Eligible sub-recipients include:

• State agencies
• Federally recognized Indian tribes
• Alaska Native Corporations (ANC)
• Alaska Native Organization (ANO)
• Native Hawaiian Communities
• Local units of governments and special purpose districts (must be an entity created by a legislative authority with a stated mission that includes acquiring, developing, owning, and managing recreation areas and be able to demonstrate it can meet the perpetual protection requirement of the LWCF program)

Project Eligibility

ORLP projects must meet two eligibility criteria: The required population in census tracts is set at 25,000 people and the project must be within an underserved community.

To see if your project meets the basic eligibility requirements for applying for an ORLP grant in round 8:

First, search on the Census Bureau's Quick Facts website to confirm that your city/town has a population of at least 25,000 based on the 2020 Census. Type the name of the city into the search bar and scroll down to see the line for "Population Census, April 1 2020." Federally recognized Tribes, Alaskan Native Communities, and Native Hawaiian Organizations are eligible to apply for projects on their lands regardless of census numbers. Then, reference the below information sets  to determine if at least one indicates the proposing community’s underserved status:

• Communities identified by the Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, or;
• Communities identified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s EJScreen Tool, or;

It’s highly recommended to consult with the Local Park team before completing an application to assess whether their political subdivision and proposed project qualify for this ORLP funding opportunity.

When are Applications Accepted

Applications will only be accepted through the Recreation Grants Online Grant Management System. Paper applications will not be accepted.

FY25 ORLP Grant Application Schedule

How ORLP is Funded

ORLP is a nationally competitive grant program funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Project sites assisted with these funds must be maintained and accessible exclusively for public outdoor recreation use in perpetuity. This applies to the assisted park or site in its entirety, not just the area assisted by the grant funds.

Additional resource links:

• ORLP NOFO (*Reminder: TPWD must submit the application to NPS on the sponsors behalf)
• DOI Official Press Release
• Webinar: Urban Park Grant Opportunity (ORLP) Technical Assistance Webinar, hosted by City Parks Alliance
• Trust for Public Land ParkServe
• Recreation Grants Online system - ORLP Resources Page