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The California Department of Parks and Recreation’s Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) is accepting applications for Round 8 of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program. There is approximately $90 million available for this program. Awards can range from $300,000 to $15 million and there is a 1:1 cost-sharing requirement. Applications are due on March 11, 2025.

What is the purpose of the ORLP Program?

The purpose of the ORLP Program is to improve parks, recreational opportunities, and conservation areas in urban underserved communities, consistent with the requirements of the Land Water and Conservation Fund Act.

Specifically, ORLP focuses on serving urban communities with little to no access to publicly available outdoor recreation opportunities. ORLP funds the acquisition and/or development of new parks, or substantial renovations to parks in economically disadvantaged cities, towns, or designated census tracts of at least 25,000 people.

What does the application process look like?

ORLP is a federal program administered by the National Park Service (NPS) that involves two competitive layers:

1) Applications for California-based projects are first competitively reviewed by OGALS; and

2) Selected applications are forwarded to the NPS to compete in the nationwide competition.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include:

• Cities, towns, and counties.
• Federally recognized Native American tribes.
• Joint Powers Authority (JPA) where all members are public agencies. A JPA can include a state agency if at least one member is a local (non-state) public agency or district, and the JPA was formed for the purpose of providing park and recreation areas.
• Non-state agency recreation and park districts and special districts with authority to acquire, operate, and maintain public park and recreation areas.
• Eligible State Agencies: Department of Parks Recreation, Department of Fish and Wildlife/Wildlife Conservation Board, Department of Water Resources, and The State Coastal Conservancy.

What are the key project requirements?

• Projects must be located in a 2020 census tract or incorporated city/town with at least 25,000 people.
• Projects must be located within a disadvantaged community, as defined by the Environmental Justice Screening Tool or U.S. Environmental Projection Agency’s EJScreen Tool.
• Projects must involve land acquisition, development, or both for outdoor recreation.
• Projects must be outdoor recreation areas and facilities open to the public and not limited to special groups.

What are eligible project activities?

Development activities 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 Areas and Open-air Pavilions
• Trails and Tracks for Hiking, Walking, Skating, or Biking
• Water based Recreation Facilities for Swimming or Boating
• Fishing and Hunting Facilities
• Pools and Splash Pads
• Publicly Accessible Nature Preserves or Conservation Areas
• Community Gardens
• Spectator Facilities such as Amphitheaters or Bandstands
• Renovations of Existing Facilities
• Interpretive Signage

What are the funding limits for ORLP?

Nationally, approximately $90 million is available for the nationwide competition. Participating states are not guaranteed an award. The National Review Committee awards the most competitive applications received nationwide.

The maximum grant award is $15 million per application and the minimum is $300,000. At least 50 percent of the total project cost must come from an eligible match source.

What is the grant timeline for this program?

Applications are due to OGALS on March 11, 2025 by 5pm PT.

By May 2025, applicants with the most competitive applications will receive guidance from OGALS in consultation with NPS on how to complete the full federal application. NPS will require that all states submit their selected applications for the national competition by June 1, 2025.

The estimated award selection date by NPS is September 2025 with the term of funding agreements anticipated to be from 2026 to 2032. All grantees will be required to complete their project within five years of the funding agreement execution date. 

Please see here the full Notice of Funding Opportunity provided by NPS.

For state-specific information, please see OGAL’s ORLP Program website here for more information.  

For more information on this grant or how to apply with Morrison’s assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764.