Park Grants

There are several grant programs for building and renovating outdoor parks or for buying land for future parks. These grants provide funding for:

Buying land
Building or renovating local and state parks
Developing and renovating public waterfront areas
Creating access to the water
Building ballfields

Examples

Buying land for a neighborhood park
Building tennis and basketball courts
Building a skateboard park
Rehabilitating splash and spray pools
Renovating an outdoor swimming pool
Building a regional athletic complex
Renovating a dirt soccer field by adding turf and lighting
Removing bulkheads and restoring the beach to its natural function
Building trails along the shoreline
Building waterfront boardwalks
Developing an off-road vehicle park

Parks for Active Recreation

LWCF - Land and Water Conservation Fund
Provides funding to buy or develop public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. Grants support both acquisition and development of active and passive recreation areas and conservation lands. Public use is required. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000

Local Parks Category WWRP - Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Provides funding to acquire, develop, or renovate outdoor recreation facilities. Program is for neighborhood, community, and regional parks. At least 50 percent of funding in this grant category is dedicated to acquisition projects. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000 to $1 million

YAF - Youth Athletic Facilities
Provides funding to buy, build, renovate, and maintain competitive athletic facilities with an emphasis on those that serve both youth and adults. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
As funding is available. None at this time.	Cities Counties Youth or community athletic nonprofits	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation Maintenance	$25,000-$150,000

Community Parks

LWCF - Land and Water Conservation Fund
Provides funding to buy or develop public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. Grants support both acquisition and development of active and passive recreation areas and conservation lands. Public use is required. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000

Local Parks Category WWRP - Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Provides funding to acquire, develop, or renovate outdoor recreation facilities. Program is for neighborhood, community, and regional parks. At least 50 percent of funding in this grant category is dedicated to acquisition projects. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000 to $1 million

Off-Road Vehicle Facilities

LWCF - Land and Water Conservation Fund
Provides funding to buy or develop public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. Grants support both acquisition and development of active and passive recreation areas and conservation lands. Public use is required. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000

NOVA - Nonhighway and Off-road Vehicle Activities
Provides funding to buy, develop, or maintain backcountry recreational areas or off-road vehicle parks. Projects are for motorized and non-motorized trail recreation that is accessed by a non-highway road.*** These grants also may be used to fund education and enforcement officers patrolling areas eligible for these grants. Snowmobile projects are not eligible. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Federal agencies Tribes	None	Planning Land acquisition Development Maintenance and operation Education and Enforcement	For non-motorized and nonhighway road category projects: $100,000 for all types, except for maintenance and operation projects, which are $50,000 a year (up to two years) For off-road vehicle projects: No limit except for maintenance and operation projects, which are $100,000 a year (up to two years)

RTP - Recreational Trails Program
Program provides funding to rehabilitate and maintain recreational trails and facilities that support a backcountry experience. Emphasis is to perform annual, routine maintenance on backcountry trails Snowmobile trails are eligible in this program. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Federal agencies Tribes Nonprofits	20 percent	Maintenance Development (limited) Education	General: $150,000 Education: $20,000

Waterfront Access

ALEA - Aquatic Lands Enhancment Account
Provides funding to buy, protect, and restore aquatic lands habitat and to provide public access to the waterfront. Projects must be associated with navigable waters of the state. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Tribes	50 percent	Acquisition of land or easements Development Renovation	$500,000 to $1 million

LWCF - Land and Water Conservation Fund
Provides funding to buy or develop public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. Grants support both acquisition and development of active and passive recreation areas and conservation lands. Public use is required. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000

Local Parks Category WWRP - Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Provides funding to acquire, develop, or renovate outdoor recreation facilities. Program is for neighborhood, community, and regional parks. At least 50 percent of funding in this grant category is dedicated to acquisition projects. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000 to $1 million

Water Access Category WWRP - Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Provides funding to create physical access to shorelines for non-motorized, water-related recreation activities such as boating and fishing. At least 75 percent of funding in this grant category is dedicated to acquisition projects. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* Tribes State agencies**	50 percent. No match required for state agencies.	Land acquisition Development Renovation	None

State Lands

LWCF - Land and Water Conservation Fund
Provides funding to buy or develop public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. Grants support both acquisition and development of active and passive recreation areas and conservation lands. Public use is required. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Local agencies* State agencies Tribes	50 percent	Land acquisition Development Renovation	$500,000

State Lands Development and Renovation Category WWRP - Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Provides funding to two state agencies to develop and renovate outdoor recreation facilities. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Department of Fish and Wildlife Department of Natural Resources	None	Development Renovation	$325,000

State Parks Category WWRP - Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
Provides funding to acquire or develop state parks. A comprehensive plan is required. Learn more.
Applications Accepted	Who’s Eligible	Match	Eligible Project Types	Grant Limit
Even years	Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission	None	Land acquisition Development	None

* Local agencies means a city, county, town, federally recognized Native American tribe, special purpose district, port district, or other political subdivision of the state providing services to less than the entire state if legally authorized to acquire and develop public open space, habitat, farmlands, riparian habitat, or recreation facilities.

**State agencies means the Departments of Fish and Wildlife, General Administration and Natural Resources, and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.

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