The competitive grant program is administered under the authority of the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Santa Fe – The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s (EMNRD) State Parks Division announces it is seeking applications for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP). Created by the National Park Service (NPS) the competitive grant program is administered under the authority of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The ORLP provides grants to improve outdoor recreation opportunities on public lands, a key goal of the administration as New Mexico looks to grow the outdoor recreation economy.

Successful ORLP grants will acquire and/or develop public lands for outdoor recreation purposes consistent with the purposes of the LWCF, specifically with projects that are located within or serve urban areas, or are located in neighborhoods or communities that are economically disadvantaged and are underserved in terms of parks and recreation resources.

Nationwide, $150 million are available for projects with a minimum federal project funding of $300,000 and a maximum funding level of $5 million per project. For details regarding the ORLP and how to submit a proposal visit http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/Landandwater.html. Interested parties should contact Robert Blankenship, LWCF Program Coordinator, at 505-570-7942 or robertf.blankenship@state.nm.us to discuss proposal requirements. Proposals will not be accepted for submission without prior consultation with the Program Coordinator.

Proposals must be submitted by email no later than 5 p.m. MST, August 6, 2021.