This is the first in a four-part series exploring how the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program helps cities transform their communities.
At a time of economic uncertainty, city leaders face the persistent challenge of generating local economic growth while improving the quality of life for all residents.
Public parks can provide the answer.
National data and real-world outcomes increasingly demonstrate that park investments yield significant, measurable economic benefits for cities. According to the National Recreation and Park Association, in one year alone, local parks supported more than 1.1 million jobs and generated $201 billion in economic activity.
Quality-of-life amenities like parks attract the businesses and talent that help cities grow and retain diverse local workforces. Residential properties located near parks and trails can see up to a 10% increase in their property value, which in turn boosts local property tax revenue for municipal budgets.
At the same time, park investment can reduce infrastructure costs. For example, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, investing in parks and green infrastructure to manage stormwater is 15-80% less costly than investing in grey infrastructure, such as pipes and tunnels.
For cities across the country, federal grants through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program are an important part of a blended funding approach that weaves together public, private, and philanthropic resources to multiply the impact of every dollar invested.
Established by Congress in 2014 and permanently codified through the bipartisan EXPLORE Act in 2025, the ORLP is a nationally competitive matching grant program managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). It is the only federal program focused exclusively on creating new parks or renovating existing public recreational spaces in urban and tribal park-deprived communities.
Since its inception, the ORLP program has invested over $470 million in recreation projects nationwide, supporting more than 150 projects, and leveraging over $500 million in matching local, state, and private funds.
To calculate the return on investment for ORLP grants, the NPS relies on a standard economic model that tracks how federal dollars and their matching funds multiply through the economy. The math breaks down into three layers: direct construction activity, supply chain purchases, and everyday household spending by workers as they spend their paychecks. By keeping tabs on these shifts, the NPS can measure the real-world impact of the program, including short-and long-term job creation, local wages, overall economic output, and direct boosts to U.S. GDP.
Right now, total ORLP investments support the equivalent of 12,000 full-time jobs for one year and $844 million in labor income. Across the U.S. economy, ORLP projects have generated $2.8 billion in economic output and contributed $1.37 million to GDP.
Transforming a neglected piece of land or repairing broken infrastructure is a significant investment, especially for small and mid-sized cities. City leaders are leveraging federal ORLP grants to help get redevelopment projects off the ground and catalyze additional local investment in jobs, tourism, and neighborhood revitalization.
Here is how small- to mid-sized cities across the country use ORLP funding to turn parks into local economic engines:
Anchorage utilized a $750,000 ORLP grant to transform an abandoned lot into Chanshtnu Muldoon Park, enabling local partners to leverage an additional $1.2 million in municipal bonds and private funds. The construction of the park’s trail networks was completed through the local Youth Employment in Parks program, providing local teenagers with paid trade skills and job training. The park also features a 45-plot community garden and food forest producing up to 10,000 pounds of food, supporting the local micro-economy.
Federal funding can completely change the game for parks in smaller communities. A prime example is Dubuque, Iowa, which combined two ORLP grants — one for $508,000 and another for $1.98 million — to breathe new life into Comiskey Park by adding high-demand features such as a splash pad, new basketball courts, an event field, and advanced playground equipment. The City even factored in green stormwater infrastructure using native plants and a bioswale. The financial ripple effect was massive. The project supported over 63 jobs, deliberately keeping taxpayer money local by hiring subcontractors from around the area. All told, it injected more than $7.1 million into the broader economy and successfully drew in nearly $4 million in matching funds from government and corporate partners. Plus, because the park sits just blocks from a developing business district and connects directly to the Bee Branch Greenway linear park, it already serves as a major anchor, driving up nearby housing demand and business growth.
As Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh said:
“This investment is often a major catalyst that gets neighborhoods pushing forward and gaining momentum. It’s a testament to how investment spurs investment going forward.”
Dubuque, IA Mayor Brad Cavanagh
Parks are uniquely suited for unlocking the redevelopment potential of abandoned or industrial spaces. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, an ORLP-supported shipyard redevelopment project is converting a former brownfield into a destination waterfront park. The project helps transform underutilized industrial land into valuable public space by featuring an event lawn, an urban beach, a dog park, and a playground designed to attract visitors. By turning an industrial eyesore into a vibrant public amenity, the project makes the surrounding land much more attractive for private investment and further redevelopment.
In 2018, Raleigh used a $747,600 ORLP grant to revamp John Chavis Memorial Park, adding a central plaza, a community center, and new spots for families to spend time together. That federal funding did more than just fix up the park, the upgrades triggered a nearly 400% spike in annual park revenue compared to what it brought in before the makeover.
For some cities, parks are built with economic objectives engineered directly into their design. Rock Hill, South Carolina, intentionally deployed its ORLP funding to achieve its economic objective of attracting regional tourism. The city utilized its award to support the development of a regional multi-sport complex at Southside Regional Park. Designed to provide equitable access to recreation, the complex was engineered to help grow regional economic development by hosting athletic tournaments. These regional sports complexes generate predictable local tax revenue by driving multi-day hotel stays, restaurant dining, retail sales, and fuel purchases.
When local budgets get tight, forward-thinking mayors and city planners know that funding local parks is a proven solution for driving economic growth in practical, measurable ways. For leaders committed to building thriving cities, investing in green spaces is a smart policy, and ORLP grants offer a blueprint for making their vision a reality.
To learn more about ORLP grants and access resources to help your city apply, visit our resource page.