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Grant Opportunities

Missouri State Parks administers three federally funded grant programs and one state funded grant program related to outdoor recreation. This page provides basic information about each program. Click on the links below each section to learn more.

Grants Currently Accepting Applications

The 2024 grant round for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (OLRP) is now OPEN. The National Park Service Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application can be found below in the ORLP section. Application packets must be postmarked on or before Feb. 16, 2024. Click here to read the news release.

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)playground equipment with slides

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is federally funded through the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The program is intended to create and maintain a nationwide legacy of high-quality outdoor recreation areas and facilities.

Land and Water Conservation Fund grants are available to cities, counties and school districts to be used for outdoor recreation projects. Projects require a 50% match. All funded projects must be maintained in perpetuity for public outdoor recreational purposes. Development and renovation projects must be maintained for a period of 25 years or the life of the manufactured goods.

Since 1965, Missouri has received more than $87 million for projects in every county in the state.

In Missouri, LWCF is currently open to local governments and public school for the acquisition, development and renovation of outdoor recreation sites.

More on LWCF

OUTDOOR RECREATION LEGACY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (ORLP)

The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP) is a grant program funded through the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The ORLP was created in 2014 as a complement to the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant program. It seeks to provide new or significantly improved recreation opportunities in economically disadvantaged communities.

For 2024, a total of $224 million nationwide is available for outdoor recreation projects (a combination of grant funds appropriated by Congress in FY23 and unused fund from prior years). The National Park Service (NPS) anticipates Nov. 1, 2024, for announcing the selected projects. Selected projects must submit a full application for NPS final review within one year of the announcement (Nov. 1, 2025) to remain eligible for funding. Awards will be made upon NPS’ final review and approval of the full application. 

Eligible applicants include:

  1. State agencies within or abutting a city with a population of at least 30,000 people and located within a community that is determined to be disadvantaged per the Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool. 
  2. Local governments within or abutting a city with a population of at least 30,000 people and located within a community that is determined to be disadvantaged per the Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool. Examples of local governments include cities, counties and special-purpose districts, such as park districts.

The project request amount is a maximum of $15 million and a minimum of $300,000. The deadline to submit a project application for Round 7 is Feb. 16, 2024. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has been designated the lead agency in Missouri. We are currently accepting project applications. If your project is selected, the Grants Management Section of Missouri State Parks will work with you to submit an application on your behalf to the National Park Service.

To submit a project application, please review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and submit the application information required in Section D on pages 10-18 by mail to:

Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Division of State Parks
Grants Management Section
Attn: ORLP Planner
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176

Or

1659 E. Elm St.
Jefferson City, MO 65101

Application Package: 

Certain software is required in order to view some of the PDFs in the list above. You may need to download the documents to your computer before you can view them.

City Parks Alliance hosted an ORLP informational webinar. Here is a link to the recording of the webinar: Urban Park Grant Opportunity (ORLP) Technical Assistance – City Parks Alliance.

Recreational Trails Program

a concrete trailThe Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is federally funded through the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The purpose of this program is to promote motorized and nonmotorized recreational trails.

Recreational Trails Program grants are available to local and state governments, school districts and nonprofit organizations and businesses. Eligible project categories include constructing new recreational trails, maintaining or renovating existing trails, developing or renovating trailheads or trail amenities, acquiring land for recreational trails, or purchasing or leasing trail maintenance equipment. Project sponsors must contribute a minimum match of 20% of the total cost of the project.

Missouri has received $25 million since the program began in 1993 for projects throughout the state.

More on RTP

MISSOURI STATE PARKS BUS GRANT PROGRAM

Bus grants assist schools and nonprofit organizations with the transportation expenses of field trips and outdoor learning opportunities at Missouri state parks and historic sites. Bus grants have been made available to Missouri schools and youth-focused nonprofit organizations throughout the state.

The Bus Grant Program grant round is currently open and accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year. Applications must be submitted by email or mail by May 8, 2024, for field trips planned for the 2023-2024 school year (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024).

More on Bus Grants

CONTACT US

Missouri State Parks, Grants Management
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176

mspgrants@dnr.mo.gov

Grants Management Section: 
LWCF: 573-751-8661
RTP: 573-522-8773
ORLP: 573-751-0848
Bus: 573-526-0321