Land and Water Conservation Fund
The Land and Water Conservation Fund has historically been a primary funding source of the U.S. Department of the Interior for outdoor recreation development and land acquisition by local governments and state agencies. In 2019, Congress permanently reauthorized the fund and then permanently funded the program the following year with the passage of the Great Outdoors Act.
In North Carolina, the program is administered by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The Governor appoints a state liaison officer, who reviews the LWCF allocation in consultation with and with advice from the LWCF staff. The SLO determines the minimum and maximum amount of grant awards for state agency and local government projects. During each funding cycle, the LWCF staff will review the evaluations of each application submitted, consider the ranking of the projects, and recommend a list of projects to the SLO for funding. The SLO recommends the list of projects to the National Park Service for final review and funding.
Since 1965, the LWCF program has built a permanent park legacy for present and future generations. In North Carolina alone, the LWCF has provided more than $85 million in matching grants to protect land and support more than 900 state and local park projects. More than 40,000 acres have been acquired with LWCF assistance.
Local Grants Available in 2027
All applications for 2027 are due on November 2, 2026 by 5pm. Only completed applications will be accepted and reviewed for recommendation for funding. The LWCF grant awards matching grants to local governments to assist with acquisition, development, renovation, or combination projects for outdoor public recreation.
Application Information
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) provides up to dollar-for-dollar matching grants to local governments for the acquisition, development, or a combination of both. Local governments may also apply for funding to renovate existing LWCF parks. A local government can request a maximum of $750,000 with each application.
Eligible Applicants
North Carolina counties and incorporated municipalities are eligible for LWCF grants. Federally recognized Native American tribes are also eligible.
Eligible Projects
LWCF grants can be used for acquisition, development, renovation, and combination projects for outdoor public recreation. A project must be located on a single site.
Matching Requirement
An applicant must match the grant with a minimum of 50 percent. Due to a federal share cap of $750,000, a greater match is required for projects that exceed total costs of $1.5 million. Projects should not include local government overmatch.
Site Control for a Proposed LWCF Project Site
An applicant must own the park property.
Public Use
Property acquired or developed with LWCF assistance must be used for public outdoor recreation use in perpetuity.
2026-2027 Funding Cycle
Applicants may request a maximum grant of $750,000 with each application.
| May 1, 2026 | Notification of Funding |
|---|---|
| August 28, 2026 | Application Review Deadline |
| November 2, 2026 | Application Deadline |
| January 1, 2027 | DPR Application Review Complete |
| April 2027 | DPR notifies applicants of projects |
| September 30, 2027 | Projects will be awarded no later than September 30, 2027 |
Would you like help with your LWCF application?
Complete the application early — 8 weeks before the application deadline — and give it to your regional consultant for a preliminary technical review.
The Recreation Resources Service is a technical assistance program jointly administered by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation and North Carolina State University's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. For questions about local government grants or assistance with your application, please contact the RRS regional consultant for your area.
Maximum Grant Amount
Applicants can request a maximum grant of $750,000 with each application.
Matching Requirement
An applicant must match the grant with a minimum of 50 percent. Due to a federal share cap of $750,000, a greater match is required for projects that exceed total costs of $1.5 million. LWCF projects should not include local government overmatch.
Costs to Develop Outdoor Recreational Elements
You will be submitting specific cost estimates as part of the LWCF grant application. Get estimates from contractors, architects, or planners who develop parks and recreational facilities. Consider the impact of inflation by assuming that the project may be completed over a 3-year period after the grantee signs a contract with the state. See the LWCF manual for more information.
Costs to Acquire Land
An application will use the appraised value of the land that it proposes to acquire but based on the fair market value established by Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (PDF link through U.S. Department of Justice website), or UASFLA, also known as Yellow Book appraisals.
Application will be evaluated using the scoring criteria presented in the LWCF application. The scoring criteria favor a project's consistency with the goals and initiatives outlined in the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The evaluation will consider:
- the provision of renovated outdoor recreation facilities
- local planning efforts
- public participation
- underserved local governments
- site considerations
- clientele served
- accessibility of proposed project
- the ability of the sponsor to operate and maintain the project, and
- previous grant administration compliance
The total score awarded, per the Local Open Project Selection Process, to each local government application will determine the project rankings. Applications that rank the highest according to the scoring criteria and can be funded with available LWCF revenue will be recommended for funding. All projects that are not able to be fully funded may reapply during a future funding cycle for local governments.
Applications are submitted through an electronic folder in Microsoft SharePoint. Applicants should contact their Recreation Resources Service regional consultant to request access to the SharePoint folder. Applicants are encouraged to request access early in the process to allow for technical support, as needed.
DPR is currently migrating LWCF from SharePoint to WebGrants. Early communication with DPR and RRS is critical during this transition.
The 2025-2026 applications are currently unde review by the Division. Below is the anticipated timeline. Please contact your RRS consultant with specific questions.
| November 3, 2025 | Application Deadline |
| November 2025 - January 2026 | Application Review & Evaluation Period begins |
| February 2026 - May 2026 | Applicants should be responsive to Division requests for information/clarifications as they work with the National Park Service to complete a final review of the submissions. |
| September 30, 2026 | Deadline for NPS Award Announcements |
| October 1, 2026 - September 30, 2029 | Anticipated project period |
Application Resources
LWCF Manual, SCORP and Local OPSP are coming soon.
About LWCF
The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established in 1964 by Congress to create parks and open space; protect wilderness, wetlands, and refuges; preserve habitat; and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities. LWCF was initially authorized for 25 years; in 2019, the LWCF was permanently reauthorized. In 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act included a provision to permanently fund the LWCF around $900 million a year, using royalties from offshore oil and natural gas.
The LWCF is split into the "federal side," with money allocated to the National Park Service, and the "state side," which allocates 40 percent of the funds as matching grants to states and local governments. States receive individual allocations based on a national formula, with state population being the most influential factor.
The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service administers the program on behalf of the federal government. Authority for the program is vested in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the State Liaison Officer (SLO) appointed by the Governor.
To be eligible for LWCF assistance, every state must prepare and regularly update a statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan (SCORP). The SCORP includes inventories or assessments of current recreation resources (local, state and federal) within a state; identifies needs and new opportunities for outdoor recreation improvements; and sets forth a 5-year action agenda to meet the goals identified by its citizens and elected leaders.
Historically, North Carolina's LWCF annual allocation has been split 60-40 between local governments and state agencies.
LWCF Grants Total Per County
Hover over the map to see how many projects LWCF has funded in that county, as well as the total grant amount.
The map colors represent the eight regions of the state: West (dark olive), Northwest (light red), Southwest (orange), Piedmont Triad (deep purple), Sandhills (green), North Central (light yellow), Northeast (light blue), and Southeast (light violet).
LWCF Projects: Photo Gallery
Contact Information
| Recreation Grants and Outreach Staff | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Vonda Martin vonda.martin@ncparks.gov 919-707-9338 |
| Grants Specialist (PARTF, AP) | Lillian Heaton lillian.heaton@ncparks.gov 919-707-9362 |
| Grants Specialist (RTP) | Talivia Brodie talivia.brodie@ncparks.gov 919-707-9320 |
| Grants Specialist (LWCF, ORLP) | Sophia Olson sophia.olson@ncparks.gov 919-707-9342 |
| LWCF Grants Compliance Specialist | Aiden Manley aiden.manley@ncparks.gov 919-707-9370 |
| Mailing Address | 1615 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1615 |
| Physical Address | Division of Parks and Recreation Nature Research Center, 3rd floor 121 W. Jones St. Raleigh, NC 27603 |