Interior Announces More Than $461 Million in Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced June 8 the distribution of more than $461 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants for parks, trails, playgrounds and open-space projects across the United States.

The funding includes more than $327 million in formula grants and $134 million in competitive grants. Interior said the awards were distributed to all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, extending federal support to recreation and conservation infrastructure in communities nationwide.

The grants are expected to be matched at least one-to-one with state, territorial or local funding. That matching requirement is expected to raise the total outdoor-recreation investment above $900 million, increasing the amount available for the supported projects beyond the federal awards alone.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides permanent annual funding intended to improve recreation and protect watersheds and wildlife. The Great American Outdoors Act provides permanent full funding for the fund at $900 million annually. The immediate next step for grant recipients is to provide the required matching funds and move forward with their approved recreation and open-space projects.