NH State Parks opens grant round for public outdoor recreation projects

02/16/2023

The N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation has announced that it has begun accepting proposals for 2023 Land and Water Conservation Fund grants, a program that assists with public outdoor recreational projects.

LWCF grants for local assistance are funded by the National Parks Service and administered in New Hampshire by N.H. State Parks’ Bureau of Community Recreation. Funded projects may focus on developing new or renovating existing outdoor recreation support facilities, acquiring property for public outdoor recreation use or a combination of both development and acquisition.

“New Hampshire has been known worldwide for its recreational opportunities for generations,” said Brian Wilson, director of the N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation. “It’s one of the reasons so many people come to visit the Granite State, and it’s definitely why so many choose to live here and do business here.

“LWCF grants require a 50/50 match, and that means that the communities where these projects are located have a serious commitment to outdoor recreation and its positive impacts not only on our well-being, but also on our natural and cultural heritage.

Recent New Hampshire projects receiving LWCF funding include ballfields, a boat ramp, a ski lodge, rail trails, multiple municipal parks and other projects that improve public access to quality outdoor recreation experiences. LWCF-funded-project-New-Hampshire-(002).JPG

LWCF-funded-project-New-Hampshire-(002).JPG

Project sponsors seeking funding must submit an Intent to Apply form to N.H. State Parks by 4 p.m. on June 2, 2023. State Parks program staff will then review submitted forms and conduct project site inspections of potential projects. Sponsors of projects deemed eligible for grant funding will then be invited to complete the grant application process.

Forms and instructions are available at nhstateparks.org/about-us/community-recreation/land-water-conservation-fund-grant.

In 2022, more than $1 million in LWCF funding was awarded through the N.H. State Parks grant program.

The Division of Parks and Recreation is one of five divisions of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. N.H. State Parks and Recreation is comprised of the Bureau of Parks Operations, the Bureau of Historic Sites, the Bureau of Trails, the Bureau of Community Recreation and Cannon Mountain Ski Area. The Division manages 93 properties, including state parks, beaches, campgrounds, historic sites, trails, waysides and natural areas. To learn more, visit nhstateparks.org , follow N.H. State Parks on Facebook and Twitter, or call 603-271-3556.

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