The Land & Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) grant program is a smart investment for America’s cities and towns.
The ORLP is a nationally competitive program managed by the National Park Service that provides matching grants to assist cities that have little to no access to outdoor recreation opportunities. The program provides matching grants to assist cities that have little to no access to outdoor recreation opportunities. The grants fund locally-led land acquisition, new park development, or the renovation of existing parks, all with the goal of reconnecting people with the outdoors.
Using zero taxpayer dollars, the ORLP provides matching grants to help cities expand access to outdoor recreation opportunities, attract local economic development, improve health and fitness, and enhance communities’ disaster resilience.
In 2018, the City of Columbia, MO, was awarded a $400,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program to develop Clary-Shy Community Park, creating a 10-acre space, focused on healthy foods and outdoor education and fitness, for children, families, and neighbors to exercise, play, and connect within a park.
Clary-Shy Park, Columbia, MO Before
Clary-Shy Park, Columbia, MO After
With a $750,000 ORLP grant, the City of Anchorage, AK, reformed an abandoned lot into a vibrant community space, named Chanshtnu Muldoon Park. The grant helped leverage an additional $1.2 million from municipal bonds and private funds to create an ice-skating loop, inclusive playground, restored natural areas, and new trails built by a local youth employment program.
Chanshtnu Muldoon Park, Anchorage, AK After
Chanshtnu Muldoon Park, Anchorage, AK in use
In 2018, the City of Raleigh, NC, was awarded a $747,600 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s ORLP program for renovations at John Chavis Memorial Park, injecting new life into the space and elevating outdoor recreation with a vibrant central multi-purpose plaza, a community center, and other places for children, families, and neighbors to exercise, play, and connect.
John Chavis Memorial Park, Raleigh, North Carolina Before
John Chavis Memorial Park, Raleigh, North Carolina After
In 2023, the City of Dubuque, IA was awarded a $508,000 ORLP grant for Comiskey Park, a vital community gathering place that was in need of significant upgrades. Improvements included a new playground, splash pad, basketball court, walkways, seating, garbage cans, bike racks, picnic tables, shaded picnic shelter, trees, landscaping, bioswale, native seeding, and more!
Comisky Park, Dubuque, Iowa Before
Comisky Park, Dubuque, Iowa After
The next round of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants (ORLP) is currently paused, and is anticipated to open later this year. We will share updates as we receive them from the National Park Service.
