Apply for grant to support community recreation improvements

LINCOLN, Neb. — Two grant programs are accepting applications from communities across Nebraska for recreation improvements.

Applications for the Recreation Trails Program are due Sept. 3, 2021. Applications for the grants through the Land and Water Conservation Fund are due Sept. 17, 2021.

The Recreational Trails Program is a grant program through the Federal Highway Administration that reimburses political subdivisions, such as communities, counties, natural resources districts, up to maximum of $250,000 or 80% of project costs for trail acquisition, development, renovation and support facilities.

Applicants must have the financial means to undertake and maintain the project and all funding should be on hand as this is a reimbursable grant program.

This funding source is for both motorized and non-motorized trail projects. It is divided by category: motorized (30% of funding utilized for these projects), non-motorized (30% of funding) and diversified or shared use trail projects (40%).

Applications for RTP grants for the fiscal year 2022 should be submitted at ngpcgrants.outdoornebraska.gov.

For more information on the Recreational Trails Program, visit outdoornebraska.org/rtp.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund grants, administered by the National Park Service, fund outdoor recreation projects.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, ballfields, soccer fields, swimming pools, picnicking facilities, playgrounds, pool renovations, splash pads, park acquisitions and development, and park related support facilities. All projects must encourage or promote outdoor recreation.

A grant project sponsor must be a political subdivision, such as a city, county government or Natural Resource District, etc. The LWCF provides reimbursable matching grants for up to 50% of total project costs.

All grant applications will be accepted only through the online grant portal. The LWCF grant award requests for an individual project is established between $40,000 and $400,000.

Grant applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 17, 2021. All information and applicable materials are available at ngpcgrants.outdoornebraska.gov and outdoornebraska.gov/lwcf.

Approved grants will be announced in January. Contact Schuyler Sampson at 402-471-5283 or schuyler.sampson@nebraska.gov for more information.