The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program (ORLP) provides new or significantly improved recreation opportunities in communities that meet qualifying criteria established by the National Park Service. ORLP projects are selected through a National Park Service-led national competition of projects solicited and nominated by the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State Lead Agencies.

Funding Opportunity - OPEN

A five-year Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the ORLP was released by the National Park Service (NPS) on June 8, 2026. State LWCF lead agencies may request grants on behalf of the state or eligible local jurisdictions. Interested applicants should contact Justin Hancock at 803-734-1747 or jhancock@scprt.com.

The deadline for submitting an application to SCPRT is September 18, 2026. NPS anticipates announcing selections for the first round of ORLP by May 2027. Projects selected by NPS will then have one year to complete required compliance documentation in order to receive a grant award.  

All applications must be complete, including all application requirements identified in the NOFO, in order for SCPRT to submit to NPS for review. Incomplete applications, applications that do not meet all eligibility requirements, or applications received after the September 18 deadline cannot be recommended to NPS.

NPS reviews and makes final award decisions for ORLP.

Project Sponsor Eligibility

Eligible project sponsors include state agencies, local units of government (state political subdivisions such as cities, counties, and special purpose districts such as park districts), and federally-recognized Indian Tribes.

Project sponsors must match the grant award 1:1 with non-federal dollars.

• Grant Minimum: $300,000
• Grant Maximum: $15,000,000

Project Eligibility

ORLP projects must be within a Qualifying Area, defined as:

• an urban area that has a population of 25,000 or more in the most recent census, or
• 2 or more adjacent urban areas with a combined population of 25,000 or more in the most recent census; or
• an area administered by a federally recognized Indian Tribe or an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian community organization.

Additional requirements under the ORLP program:

• Matching Requirement - ORLP is a dollar-for-dollar match, meaning it covers up to 50% of all project costs. Applicants are responsible for providing non-federal funds for at least 50% of project costs.
• Perpetuity Requirement - Projects assisted through ORLP must be maintained and accessible for public outdoor recreation use in perpetuity. This applies to the assisted park or site in its entirety, not just the area assisted by the grant funds.
• Alignment with LWCF Law and Policy - As an LWCF program, ORLP projects must align with the purposes and requirements of the LWCF Act and LWCF Manual.
• Alignment with National Priorities – Projects must be responsive to Executive and National priorities, including those outlined in Executive Order 14313, “Establishing the President's Make America Beautiful Again Commission” and Secretarial Order 3442, “Land and Water Conservation Fund Implementation by the U.S. Department of the Interior.”

The complete Notice of Funding Opportunity for this round of ORLP can be found here. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the entire Notice of Funding Opportunity prior to developing an application.