ORLP Grant: Up to $120M per Year for Urban Parks and Outdoor Recreation

The National Park Service's Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program is the federal government's largest dedicated funding source for outdoor recreation in qualifying urban areas and on tribal lands. The FY 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity makes an estimated $50–120 million available annually, with 20–45 awards per year ranging from $300,000 to $15,000,000. ORLP funds both the acquisition of land for new parks and the development or renovation of existing outdoor recreation facilities. Codified by the EXPLORE Act of 2024 (16 U.S.C. § 8464), this is the first NOFO under the post-EXPLORE Act framework and runs as a five-year recurring notice with annual November 1 deadlines.

What Is the ORLP Program?

ORLP is a program within the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program, administered by the National Park Service (NPS). It provides matching grants to (1) acquire land and water for parks and other outdoor recreation purposes in qualifying areas and (2) develop new or renovate existing outdoor recreation facilities that provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public in qualifying areas.

Crucially, ORLP funding is in addition to the traditional LWCF state formula grants — applying for ORLP does not reduce your state's annual LWCF apportionment. This makes ORLP a true incremental opportunity for communities with a park or recreation project that needs federal capital to move forward.

The FY 2026 NOFO is issued as a five-year recurring notice with annual application deadlines on November 1, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030. Selections are typically announced around May 1 of the following calendar year, and selected applicants have one year from selection to finalize the grant agreement with NPS.

Who Can Apply?

ORLP eligibility is structured around three tiers: direct applicants, must-apply-through-State subrecipients, and a flexible third category.

Direct Applicants

• State and Territorial Lead Agencies in each of the 50 states, plus American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each state's LWCF Lead Agency is designated by the Governor or by state legislation.
• Federally recognized Indian Tribes (25 U.S.C. § 5130(2)).
• Alaska Native communities and organizations, including Alaska Native Corporations (Regional, Village, Urban, and Group Corporations) (43 U.S.C. § 1602(m)).

Must Apply Through a State or Territorial Lead Agency

• Political subdivisions of a State or Territory — including cities and counties
• Special purpose districts that manage open space, such as park and recreation districts
• Native Hawaiian Organizations (54 U.S.C. § 300314)
• Native Hawaiian Homestead and Beneficiary Associations (43 CFR § 47.10)

May Choose State or Tribal Pathway

• Urban Indian organizations (25 U.S.C. § 1603(h)) — may apply through a State/Territorial Lead Agency or a Tribal Government.

If you are a city, county, or park district, the practical first step is to contact your state's LWCF Lead Agency — usually a state parks, natural resources, or recreation office — to understand their internal ORLP review and submission process. State Lead Agencies typically run their own pre-application or sponsorship process before forwarding selected projects to NPS, and their internal deadlines often precede November 1 by months.

What Counts as a "Qualifying Area"?

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

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

This makes ORLP one of the few federal park-funding programs explicitly oriented toward urban communities — including underserved neighborhoods within larger cities — alongside tribal and Native lands. Applicants can verify Qualifying Area status using the U.S. Census's TIGERWeb tool.

What Projects Are Eligible?

ORLP funds two project types:

1. Acquisition

Acquiring lands, wetlands, and waters for public outdoor recreation — including new areas or additions to existing parks, forests, wildlife management areas, beaches, and similar areas, as well as physical connections among them (trails, waterways, wildlife habitat corridors).

2. Development & Renovation

Developing new outdoor recreation facilities or renovating existing ones to expand access. Projects can combine acquisition and development.

What ORLP Does NOT Fund

Per the NOFO, ORLP funds may not be used for:

• Acquisition support costs such as appraisals or title work
• Facilities supporting semi-professional or professional athletics, such as baseball stadiums or soccer arenas
• Indoor facilities such as recreation centers, dining facilities, or overnight accommodations (lodges, hotels)
• Acquisition of lands, or interests in lands, that completely restrict access to specific persons (e.g., non-residents of a community)

Cost Share: 50% Match, with Two Important Exceptions

ORLP requires a dollar-for-dollar (1:1) match: federal funds cover up to 50% of total project costs; the applicant provides at least 50% in non-federal funds. Applicants are not required to have cost share fully secured at the time of application, but they must provide a credible plan to secure it. Cost share must be secured before finalizing the grant agreement (up to one year after selection).

Insular Area Match Waiver

American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not need to provide 50% non-federal cost share. These areas can receive full (100%) federal funding, including grants awarded on behalf of subrecipients.

What Counts as Match

• Cash and in-kind contributions per 2 CFR § 200.306
• Land donation or purchase
• Volunteer services
• Existing State or local government-owned lands not currently used for recreation — may be used as part of the non-federal acquisition match
• Property donated between a State and its subdivisions

Federal Funds and ORLP: Critical Restriction

Per 54 U.S.C. § 200305(f)(1), projects can only include Congressionally designated Federal cost-share sources in their budgets. Other federal sources — including LWCF formula funds — are not permitted, even if all program cost share requirements are met. Projects including other federal funds, unless serving as authorized cost share, will be eliminated from competition without consideration. Certain federal programs whose enabling legislation authorizes them to be treated as non-federal match are an exception; check the program FAQ on Grants.gov for the current list.

The 7% Administrative Cost Cap

Per the EXPLORE Act (16 U.S.C. § 8464(b)(2)(B)), no more than 7 percent of ORLP grant funds may be used for administrative expenses. Additionally, the EXPLORE Act specifically excludes acquisition support costs (appraisal, titling) from allowable charges. Plan your budget against the 7% cap from the start.

The Perpetuity Requirement

Under 16 U.S.C. § 8464(b)(4)(C)(i), property acquired or developed with ORLP assistance cannot be converted to other than public outdoor recreation use without written approval from the Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary may approve a conversion only if it aligns with the state's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) and only with substitution of other recreation properties of at least equal fair market value and reasonably equivalent usefulness and location.

As a condition of the grant, NPS requires language be recorded against the deed of the assisted park/recreation property advising that the property must be preserved for outdoor recreation in perpetuity. NPS will conduct post-completion inspections within 5 years of final billing and at least once every 5 years thereafter to verify continued recreation use.

How Applications Are Evaluated: The Five Merit Criteria

NPS evaluates applications using five merit criteria, each scored on a 0–5 point scale for a maximum of 25 points. The Project Narrative is limited to 10 pages (11+ point font, 1-inch margins) and should be labeled by criterion.

Criterion 1: Increasing Access to Outdoor Recreation Opportunities (5 points)

The extent to which the project:

• Creates or significantly enhances access to park and recreation in a qualifying area;
• Provides recreation opportunities in low-income communities where access to parks is not adequate;
• Develops Native American event sites and cultural gathering spaces;
• Increases safety in parks, including facility-related security installations; or
• Develops shooting sports facilities (archery ranges, skeet fields, safe shooting areas) promoting firearm safety and hunter education.

Criterion 2: Alignment with Community Needs (5 points)

The extent to which the project:

• Provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and public land volunteerism;
• Engages and empowers low-income communities and youth;
• Provides employment or job training opportunities for youth or low-income communities; or
• Supports park and recreation programming by local governments, including cooperative agreements with community-based eligible nonprofits.

Criterion 3: Leveraging Resources in Support of Recreation (5 points)

The extent to which the project:

• Takes advantage of coordination among various levels of government (including alignment with the state's SCORP);
• Establishes or expands public-private partnerships; or
• Supports innovative or cost-effective ways to enhance parks and recreation delivery.

Criterion 4: Promoting Conservation and Ecological Benefits (5 points)

The extent to which the project incorporates conservation alongside recreation:

• Acquires land/water that supports ESA-listed species recovery, reduces habitat threats, or fulfills State Wildlife Action Plan strategies;
• Creates wetlands (under Safe Harbor Agreements) for habitat, water quality, flood mitigation, and recreation;
• Improves big-game winter range and migration corridor habitat (SO 3362);
• Invests in natural infrastructure for shoreline stabilization and habitat restoration; or
• Provides community resilience, reduced heat islands, improved air/water quality, or wildlife habitat.

Criterion 5: Project Feasibility (5 points)

The extent to which the project has:

• A sound and reasonable project plan;
• A clear, feasible, well-detailed budget, including a plan to meet the 1:1 match and minimize administrative costs;
• Demonstrated ability to complete the proposed scope and maintain the project long-term (meeting the perpetuity requirement).

Scoring Rubric

Each criterion is rated 5 (Superior), 4 (Good), 3 (Satisfactory), 2 (Marginal), or 1 (Poor). The NOFO uses a rubric where 5 = fully addresses all aspects with no weaknesses; 3 = addresses all aspects with weaknesses; 1 = significant weaknesses outweigh strengths. Reviewers may be NPS personnel or independent reviewers with expertise in parks, landscape architecture, public health, urban planning, and community engagement.

Demonstrating Low-Income Status

Several criteria reward serving low-income communities. The NOFO recommends documenting status (per 26 U.S.C. § 45D(e)(1)) using the FFIEC Census Geomapping tool, with thresholds:

• % below Poverty Line: must be over 20%, or
• Tract Median Family Income %: must be below 80% of the MSA/Metropolitan Division MFI.

Selection Process

1. Initial Review — NPS confirms eligibility, completeness, NOFO compliance, and responsiveness to program objectives.
2. Comprehensive Merit Review — ORLP Review Panels of independent experts score each application against the five merit criteria.
3. Selection — the Selection Official considers panel recommendations, funding availability, geographic distribution, range of program objectives, range of project types/sizes/partners, and lower relative administrative costs.

Selected applicants have one year from notification to finalize a grant agreement, which requires NEPA documentation, NHPA documentation, appraisal (for acquisitions), LWCF boundary map, proof of ownership, and a site development plan. If NEPA or NHPA reviews reveal issues affecting eligibility, NPS will not make the award.

Required Application Documents

The NOFO requires up to 15 documents. Key required items include:

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Domestic Assistance)
• SF-424 A and B (non-construction) and/or SF-424 C and D (construction)
• Project Abstract Summary
• Project Narrative (10-page limit, three sections: Project Data Page, Project Overview, Responses to Merit Review Criteria)
• Budget Narrative (sample template in Appendix A)
• Indirect Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable
• Project Timeline (1-page limit)
• Project Site Map(s) and Rendering(s)
• Letters of Commitment for cost share (or plans to secure)
• Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement
• SF-LLL (if applicable)
• Conflict of Interest disclosures (if applicable)
• Uniform Audit Reporting Statement
• General Letters of Support (optional)
• Site and Process Photos (optional)

How to Apply

SAM.gov registration can take several months — start early:

• An active SAM.gov registration with completed Financial Assistance General Representations and Certifications
• A valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
• A Grants.gov account with an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) — allow 30 days

For cities, counties, and park districts, the application flow is:

1. Contact your State LWCF Lead Agency (also known as the State Liaison Officer) to understand their ORLP process, internal deadlines, and any state-level prioritization criteria.
2. Work with your state agency to assemble project materials — site control documentation, conceptual designs, cost estimates, match commitments, low-income community documentation, and community engagement records.
3. Your State Lead Agency submits the application to NPS through Grants.gov on your behalf.

Tips for a Strong ORLP Application

1. Engage Your State Lead Agency Months Early

State internal deadlines often precede the federal November 1 deadline by months. Identify your State Lead Agency in summer to give yourself enough runway for their internal process and your own application development.

2. Quantify Low-Income Status and Park-Access Gaps

Criteria 1 and 2 explicitly reward serving low-income communities. Use the FFIEC Census Geomapping tool to document >20% below poverty line or <80% tract MFI. Pair with park-access data (TPL ParkServe, AHA park-equity tools) to show your project closes a real gap.

3. Structure the Narrative by Criterion

The Project Narrative is 10 pages max, and reviewers score against 5 specific criteria. Label sections by criterion and walk through each criterion's specific objectives explicitly — including the criterion-specific elements like shooting sports facilities (Criterion 1), volunteer/job training (Criterion 2), and SCORP alignment (Criterion 3).

4. Bake In Conservation Co-Benefits

Criterion 4 is often the easiest to neglect and easiest to strengthen. Even modest natural-infrastructure features — native vegetation, permeable surfaces, stormwater management, reduced heat islands — should be surfaced explicitly with the conservation framing.

5. Document Match Sources Concretely — and Mind the Federal-Funds Rule

Identify each non-federal match source with a dollar amount and status (committed, pending, or applied for). Use the allowed expanded list (volunteer services, donated land, existing non-recreation public land for acquisition). Do not include other federal funds unless they are explicitly authorized as non-federal match — this will eliminate your application.

6. Hold the 7% Administrative Line

EXPLORE Act caps administrative expenses at 7% of grant funds. Budget against the cap from the start, and remember that acquisition support costs (appraisal, title) are not allowable on top of that.

7. Plan for Perpetuity from Day One

Pick a site you are comfortable committing to public recreation forever. If long-term land-use intent is ambiguous, choose a different site rather than risk a complicated future Section 6(f)/conversion process.

Post-Award Requirements

Reporting

Recipients submit Federal Financial Reports (SF-425) and Performance Progress Reports every 6 months through GrantSolutions.gov. Required output/outcome performance measures align with the five program objectives (Access, Community Needs, Leveraging Resources, Conservation, Feasibility/Encumbered Acres).

Post-Completion Inspections

Per 2 CFR § 200.330, properties acquired or developed with ORLP must be inspected within 5 years of final billing and at least once every 5 years thereafter to confirm retention and use for outdoor recreation.

Buy America for Infrastructure

Infrastructure projects must comply with Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements at 2 CFR Part 184 — American iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials.

Geospatial Data

Recipients must follow Federal Geospatial Data Committee (FGDC)/DOI standards under the Geospatial Data Act of 2018 and provide geospatial-software-ready file of the encumbered site for LWCF program records.

Contact Information

• Program Email: ORLP_Inquiries@nps.gov
• Program Website: nps.gov — Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership
• Find Your State LWCF Lead Agency: nps.gov — LWCF State Contacts
• Grants.gov Support: 1-800-518-4726 / Support@grants.gov

How Avila Can Help

ORLP applications combine federal program requirements, state-level coordination, five distinct merit criteria, and detailed community engagement and feasibility documentation — all within a 10-page Project Narrative. For parks and public works staff, juggling that alongside everything else they manage is a real lift.

Avila's AI-powered platform helps local governments and tribes streamline the grant application process by:

• Analyzing the NOFO to surface eligibility, the Qualifying Area rules, and each of the five merit criteria
• Helping draft narratives that hit each criterion's specific objectives within the 10-page limit
• Tracking state and federal deadlines, match commitments, and registrations
• Managing the full grant lifecycle from discovery to closeout

Ready to explore how Avila can support your ORLP application? Book a demo to learn more.

For more on federal grant applications, see our guides on federal grant writing, SAM.gov registration, and Grants.gov registration. For other recently opened infrastructure funding, explore our guides to the BIT3 Bridge Program, the Culvert AOP Program, and the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program.