Opportunity Information: Apply for P21AS00509
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program is a National Park Service (NPS) competitive grant opportunity that sits within the broader LWCF State and Local Assistance Program, which Congress created in 1964. The overall purpose of LWCF State and Local Assistance is to help preserve, develop, and ensure public access to outdoor recreation resources for current and future generations, supporting community health and quality of life. In practical terms, LWCF funding supports projects that expand outdoor recreation by acquiring land and water for parks and recreation areas, building new recreation facilities, or renovating and modernizing existing ones so they remain usable, safe, and accessible to the public.
ORLP is a distinct, nationally competed LWCF grant program that NPS launched in 2014 in coordination with Congress and the Secretary of the Interior. While the traditional LWCF State and Local Assistance funds are distributed to states by a formula, ORLP is designed to target a specific need: creating new or substantially improving outdoor recreation opportunities in larger urbanized areas where parks and recreation resources are lacking, especially in economically disadvantaged communities. Projects are selected through an NPS-led national competition, but states play a gatekeeping role because proposals must be solicited and nominated by the states before NPS considers them. A key feature is that ORLP awards do not count against a state’s normal LWCF formula apportionment, meaning they are effectively “above and beyond” the regular state allocation.
Eligibility and the application path are very structured. The only eligible applicant to NPS is the state’s designated LWCF lead agency (the agency identified by the governor or in state law to administer LWCF). That lead agency can apply either for itself or on behalf of an eligible subrecipient (also called a project sponsor). Applications sent directly to NPS by anyone other than the state lead agency are rejected without review. Private entities are not eligible: individuals, nonprofits, and other non-governmental applicants cannot apply and cannot be subrecipients. Eligible subrecipients are limited to state agencies, local units of government (such as cities, counties, and special purpose districts like park districts), and federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Project sponsors must meet location and size thresholds intended to keep the program focused on major urban settings. To be eligible, the sponsor must represent a jurisdiction of at least 50,000 people and must be located within, or contiguous to, one of the Census Bureau’s designated Urbanized Areas (UAs). The opportunity references 497 UAs identified in Census materials and published in the Federal Register in 2012, and it points applicants to Census maps for confirming UA boundaries. If the sponsor is a county or a state agency, the project must still serve an eligible 50,000+ jurisdiction within a designated UA. There are limited exceptions in certain states (the example given is Vermont) where the only UA may not contain a single jurisdiction of 50,000 people on its own; in those cases, applicants are expected to coordinate with the state lead agency and/or NPS contacts to confirm eligibility. If a proposed project site is outside a UA boundary, the application must clearly explain how the project will still serve the intended target populations, especially since access and proximity to the community factor into scoring.
The program is administered by NPS in partnership with state lead agencies across the 50 states and certain territories, but for ORLP eligibility in this competition the term “states” is limited to the 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Other territories listed as LWCF partners (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) are not part of this ORLP competition as described because they do not have Census-designated Urbanized Areas. Separately, states must maintain an up-to-date Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), updated at least every five years, as a baseline requirement for LWCF participation; SCORPs help states document recreation needs and set priorities for how LWCF dollars are used.
Key administrative details from the posting include that the agency is the National Park Service, the funding instrument is a grant, the opportunity is discretionary, and the CFDA number is 15.916. The listed award ceiling is $5,000,000, the original closing date was 2021-09-24, and the opportunity number is P21AS00509. Overall, the ORLP program is best understood as a competitive, urban-focused LWCF pathway aimed at delivering meaningful park and recreation gains for underserved communities, but accessed only through state LWCF lead agencies and constrained by Urbanized Area and jurisdiction-population requirements.Apply for P21AS00509
- The National Park Service in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.916.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2021-05-10.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-24. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program - FAQs
What is the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program?
The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program is a competitive National Park Service (NPS) grant opportunity under the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program. ORLP is a distinct, nationally competed LWCF program that NPS launched in 2014 in coordination with Congress and the Secretary of the Interior.
How does ORLP relate to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)?
ORLP sits within the broader LWCF State and Local Assistance Program, which Congress created in 1964. LWCF State and Local Assistance supports projects that preserve, develop, and ensure public access to outdoor recreation resources, including land acquisition for parks, building new recreation facilities, and renovating or modernizing existing recreation areas.
What is the purpose of ORLP specifically?
ORLP is designed to create new or substantially improve outdoor recreation opportunities in larger urbanized areas where parks and recreation resources are lacking, especially in economically disadvantaged communities. It is an urban-focused LWCF pathway intended to deliver meaningful park and recreation gains for underserved communities.
Is ORLP funding distributed by formula like traditional LWCF State and Local Assistance funds?
No. Traditional LWCF State and Local Assistance funds are distributed to states by a formula. ORLP awards are selected through an NPS-led national competition.
Do ORLP awards reduce a state’s normal LWCF formula allocation?
No. A key feature of ORLP is that awards do not count against a state’s normal LWCF formula apportionment. In practice, they are considered above and beyond the regular state allocation.
Who is the only eligible applicant that can submit an ORLP application to NPS?
The only eligible applicant to NPS is the state’s designated LWCF lead agency. This is the agency identified by the governor or in state law to administer LWCF.
Can a city, county, park district, or Tribe apply directly to NPS?
No. Applications sent directly to NPS by anyone other than the state LWCF lead agency are rejected without review. Eligible local or Tribal entities may participate only as subrecipients (project sponsors) through the state lead agency.
Who can be an eligible subrecipient (project sponsor) under ORLP?
Eligible subrecipients are limited to state agencies, local units of government (such as cities, counties, and special purpose districts like park districts), and federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Are nonprofits, private organizations, or individuals eligible to apply or be subrecipients?
No. Private entities are not eligible. Individuals, nonprofits, and other non-governmental applicants cannot apply and cannot be subrecipients.
How does the application process work if only the state LWCF lead agency can apply to NPS?
Project proposals must be solicited and nominated by the states before NPS considers them. The state lead agency applies either for itself or on behalf of an eligible subrecipient (project sponsor), and NPS then evaluates nominated proposals through a national competition.
What population threshold must a project sponsor meet to be eligible?
To be eligible, the sponsor must represent a jurisdiction of at least 50,000 people.
What location requirement applies regarding Census Urbanized Areas?
The sponsor must be located within, or contiguous to, one of the U.S. Census Bureau’s designated Urbanized Areas (UAs). The opportunity references UAs identified in Census materials and published in the Federal Register in 2012 (noting 497 UAs in the referenced materials) and points applicants to Census maps to confirm UA boundaries.
If the project sponsor is a county or a state agency, does the 50,000+ jurisdiction requirement still apply?
Yes. If the sponsor is a county or a state agency, the project must still serve an eligible 50,000+ jurisdiction within a designated Urbanized Area.
Are there any exceptions to the 50,000 population requirement?
There are limited exceptions in certain states (an example mentioned is Vermont) where the only Urbanized Area may not contain a single jurisdiction of 50,000 people on its own. In such cases, applicants are expected to coordinate with the state lead agency and/or NPS contacts to confirm eligibility.
What if a proposed project site is outside the Urbanized Area boundary?
If the proposed project site is outside a UA boundary, the application must clearly explain how the project will still serve the intended target populations. The opportunity notes that access and proximity to the community factor into scoring, so this explanation is important.
Which jurisdictions are considered eligible “states” for this ORLP competition?
For ORLP eligibility in this competition, “states” is limited to the 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Are U.S. territories besides Puerto Rico included in this ORLP competition?
No. While some territories are LWCF partners, the posting indicates that American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not part of this ORLP competition as described because they do not have Census-designated Urbanized Areas.
Is a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) required?
Yes. States must maintain an up-to-date Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), updated at least every five years, as a baseline requirement for LWCF participation. SCORPs help document recreation needs and set priorities for how LWCF dollars are used.
What agency administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the National Park Service (NPS), in partnership with state LWCF lead agencies.
What type of funding instrument is ORLP?
The funding instrument listed is a grant.
Is this a competitive or entitlement program?
It is competitive. ORLP projects are selected through an NPS-led national competition. The opportunity is listed as discretionary.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.916.
What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount listed?
The listed award ceiling is $5,000,000.
What is the opportunity number for this posting?
The opportunity number is P21AS00509.
What was the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed was 2021-09-24.
What kinds of projects does LWCF State and Local Assistance funding generally support (as described here)?
As described in the posting, LWCF State and Local Assistance funding supports projects that expand outdoor recreation by acquiring land and water for parks and recreation areas, building new recreation facilities, or renovating and modernizing existing ones so they remain usable, safe, and accessible to the public.
What is the main reason proposals must go through the state lead agency?
The program structure requires states to solicit and nominate proposals before NPS considers them. The posting also makes clear that only the state’s designated LWCF lead agency is eligible to submit an application to NPS; any other direct submission is rejected without review.
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