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Since 2014, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program has provided critical resources to urban areas to build or revitalize parks, especially those parks serving communities without access to local parks. Congress created the program with the realization that much of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was going to suburban, rural and state parks, and that many urban areas of our country lack access to high-quality outdoor space. The ORLP program differs slightly from LWCF as cities apply through the National Park Service (NPS) for this national grant competition, though the program has many of the same matches and rules as the LWCF program.

Recently, the Biden administration and the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) have announced grants totaling $192 million will be awarded in 2023. The grant application process is available now and the money will be awarded in two rounds, one in January and the other in May of 2023. This $192 million is the largest amount the program has ever distributed in one grant cycle, due to increasing support from Congress for the program.

ORLP Expands Its Reach

With this influx of money for the program, the DOI and the NPS have made some significant changes to the program that expand eligibility and provide some flexibility to applicant cities. Previously, the grants could only go to localities with a population of 50,000 residents or more, and cities had to be within a “Census-designated Urban Area boundary,” in order to be eligible. Under the new rules, the population threshold has been lowered to 30,000 residents and the urban area boundary requirement has been removed completely. This is a welcome change, as it expands the communities eligible for the program. Some states — like Maine, for instance — previously had only one eligible community. Now, a few more localities can consider applying. If your community has previously been scared away by the population or urban area boundary requirement, it’s a good time to consider the program again for your park development needs.

Another important change to the program is that the maximum grant award has increased from $5 million to $10 million during this award cycle. This will allow larger projects to receive funding from the DOI. The department also has announced that a priority for awards will be ones that take into account the “project’s contributions to increasing access to nature’s benefits, such as green spaces, shady areas and natural landscapes, that help provide climate benefits, such as heat island reduction.”

The DOI and the NPS are hopeful these changes will encourage more cities to apply for the funding. “The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program is essential to expand our communities’ connections to urban green spaces, where children can play, families can connect, and a love and appreciation for the outdoors can be nurtured,” says Deb Haaland, secretary of the DOI. “The funding and programmatic changes we are announcing today will allow for us to support bigger ideas and more communities in their pursuit of creating more parks and places to get outside for every American.” NRPA shares in the excitement about the changes and hopes your department will consider applying for the 2023 grants.

If your agency is interested in finding out more, the DOI’s ORLP program website provides information you need to know along with where to apply. NRPA also has information about this program and the full LWCF program on our website.

Kyle Simpson is Director of Government Affairs at NRPA.