Mundus Bishop / Scott Dressel-Martin
About ORLP Grants
The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) is a nationally competitive grant program that provides funding to enhance recreation opportunities in rural and urban communities. ORLP’s funding helps communities to create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks, and form connections between people and the outdoors.
Recreation is core to the American experience. ORLP is making recreation attainable for more Americans funding an array of projects from sports fields and playgrounds to walking trails, and community gardens. Land acquisition, site development, or renovation of existing facilities are all possible ORLP projects. Projects are locally led and designed to meet pressing community needs.
Since 2014, ORLP has invested over $385 million in projects nationwide with funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Basic ORLP Grant Requirements
Find additional requirements and information in the Lands & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Manual.
- Population Eligibility - 25,000 or more, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native organizations, and Native Hawaiian community organizations, are eligible regardless of population.
- Matching Requirement - ORLP reimburses up to 50% of all project costs. Applicants are responsible for finding other non-federal funds for at least 50% of project costs.
- Perpetuity Requirement - ORLP projects must be maintained and accessible exclusively for public outdoor recreation use in perpetuity.
- Other Land & Water Conservation Fund Requirements – As an LWCF program, ORLP projects must align with the LWCF Act, LWCF Manual, and your relevant state’s State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
Contacts
Contact the National Park Service’s ORLP program via email.
Last updated: May 13, 2026