Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program

Suggested Outside Resources

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)- National Park Service’s official comprehensive program information for applicants. Click here to access.

Grant Application Toolkit- a step-by-step guidance document for local governments applying for ORLP. The Toolkit was developed by Trust for Public Land, an organization that supports local government’s pursuit of ORLP grants. Click here to access.

Program Description

On September 23, 2022, the National Park Service (NPS) released revised guidelines for the nation-wide grant program called the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program. The sixth round of the program focuses on projects that provide new or significantly improved recreation opportunities in economically-disadvantaged communities. Priority will be given to projects that:

provide new recreational opportunities, particularly those that will increase access to nature’s benefits, such as green spaces, shady areas (via tree cover), and natural landscapes that help cool the air and reduce urban heat island effects, reduce pollution, and have positive effects on mental and physical health;
empowered and engaged members of the target community in the project development and design of the plans for the park;
create or expand public-private partnerships that leverage matching share resources (e.g., money or donations of land, supplies, or services, etc.);
benefit from a high degree of coordination among the public, multiple levels of government, and the private sector; and
advance goals of, or meet, priority recreation needs identified in numerous local, regional, state plans and/or initiatives.

ORLP is authorized under the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act. As the lead agency for LWCF, the application process will begin with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Applications will be accepted by our office through the close of business on April 28, 2023 (4:00 pm). Submissions will be evaluated by DNR staff and those that meet the required elements and eligibility requirements will be forwarded to NPS to compete in the national competition. An estimate of 30 proposals will be selected by NPS. If your project is selected at the national level, additional information may be required.

A total of $192 million is available for round 6.

Please note: ORLP is a completely separate application process from our LWCF grant program. If you are currently receiving or have received LWCF grant(s) within the last 7 years, you may not apply for an ORLP grant at the same park.

Grant Information

Eligible Applicants:	Represent a jurisdiction located within or abutting an incorporated city (or town) having a population of 30,000 or more.
Eligible Projects:	Acquisition and/or development of public parkland that serve the specific needs of a community(ies) that is (are) severely lacking in walkable, publicly accessible, outdoor recreation (park deserts), and that has a poverty rate of at least 20% or that is at least 10 percentage points higher than that of the project city, county, and state rates. for a community to be considered a park desert, there must be: 1. no existing parks within a .5-mile radius of the community(ies) to be served by the park (not the radius of the proposed park); or 2. one or two small parks within a .5-mile radius of the community(ies) that is/are not large enough to support the size of the population of the service area, or otherwise unable to provide a variety of recreational opportunities; or 3. one or two existing parks (potentially of adequate size), including the park that is being addressed in this project, that is/are so obsolete or underdeveloped that a major redevelopment or rehabilitation is necessary to be able to significantly increase the number of people or user groups who could be served in a way that would be equivalent to a new park; or 4. existing parks that are inaccessible to the target community due to physical barriers such as transportation infrastructure, rivers, etc.
Available Funds:	$192 million
Grant Amount:	Applicants can request between $300,000 and $10,000,000
Required Match:	Grants require a minimum of 1:1 match from state, local, non-governmental, or private sources in the form of cash or in-kind contributions of land, service, materials, etc. All matching funds must be secured or firmly committed at the time of the application and supported by a signed letter from the donor.
Application Deadline:	4:00 pm (in office), Friday, April 28, 2023
National Selection Date:	TBD
Copies Needed	Original and 1 copy (hardcopy)
Contact Us:	Phone: 404.463.8629 E-mail: antoinette.norfleet@dnr.ga.gov Mailing address: 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr, Suite 1352, Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Application requirements

A full application will need to include up to 22 items listed in the checklist. Click here to view. Please note some items are to be completed by the Grants Unit.