On June 22, 2025, the US Conference of Mayors (USCM), at its 93nd Annual Meeting in Tampa, FL, adopted a new city parks resolution that urges the U.S. Department of the Interior to continue its strong support and to prioritize funding for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP). The resolution passed unanimously. Cleveland, OH Mayor Justin Bibb, who is the Chair of the Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment, and Sports Committee, sponsored the resolution.
The resolution states ORLP projects are driven by local needs and priorities, ensuring that community members have a voice in shaping projects that meet their unique park and recreation challenges, often as part of broader visions for community development and revitalization. Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership investments create strong economic returns, including job creation, increased property values, expanded local tourism, and greater appeal to families and businesses with local parks generating over $200 billion annually in economic activity and supporting more than 1.1 million jobs nationwide.
The ORLP is managed by the National Park Service and funded entirely through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which uses no taxpayer dollars. The ORLP supports park and recreation projects, from playgrounds and pools to trails and open spaces, all with the goal of reconnecting people with the outdoors. The nationally competitive program provides matching grants to assist cities that have little to no access to outdoor recreation opportunities. The bipartisan EXPLORE Act codified the ORLP in 2024.
“I was thrilled to sponsor this important city parks resolution that was formally adopted by the USCM. The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program is a smart investment in locally-led park and recreation projects in communities across the U.S. The ORLP encourages partnerships between public, private, and philanthropic entities, maximizing federal investments. This newly adopted USCM resolution shows the broad support from mayors across the country for the ORLP program,” said Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb.
“The U.S. Conference of Mayors is appreciative of the advocacy work of the City Parks Alliance and its bipartisan Mayors for Parks Coalition, which has increased federal investment in our nation’s city parks. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant program provides a high return on federal investments, creating jobs, attracting businesses, and spurring economic growth. Mayors are committed to ensuring that everyone has equal access to parks, green spaces and recreational opportunities and this program is a critical asset to help achieve that goal,” said USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran.
“Parks make our cities work. They are civic infrastructure as important as bridges and roads and water systems, with a high return on public investment because they do so much to help cities meet our greatest challenges, from environmental resiliency to community health to economic vibrancy. We cannot have thriving, sustainable cities without high-quality parks. Federal funding leveraged with local support is essential to deliver the multiple benefits that urban parks provide, especially for communities in greatest need,” said City Parks Alliance Executive Director Catherine Nagel.