LWCF State Assistance Formula Grants - Planning - FY24 | P P LWCF 24 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for P P LWCF 24 006

The LWCF State Assistance Formula Grants - Planning - FY24 opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) funding notice aimed at helping state-level LWCF lead agencies pay for outdoor recreation planning work, especially the development or update of a State-wide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The SCORP is not just a planning document; it is a core eligibility requirement under the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act for states and territories to participate in the broader LWCF State and Local Assistance program. In practical terms, the grant supports the research, public engagement, analysis, and documentation needed to keep a SCORP current and useful, along with related planning efforts that support or feed into the SCORP.

This program sits within the larger LWCF State and Local Assistance framework, which NPS administers in partnership with designated lead agencies in every U.S. state plus several territories and jurisdictions (American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each year, Congress appropriates LWCF money for state assistance, and those funds are distributed to states using a legislative formula. Because LWCF dollars are intended to respond to demonstrated recreation needs, a current SCORP is required to show demand for outdoor recreation resources, identify gaps and priorities, and guide how LWCF funds should be targeted. Projects that ultimately receive LWCF funding are expected to align with and address the priority needs and goals laid out in the SCORP.

A key requirement emphasized in the notice is that NPS must review and approve each state or territory SCORP, and the plan must be updated at least once every five years. That update cycle matters because an outdated plan can jeopardize a state or territory's program eligibility for LWCF grants. The funding in this notice is therefore positioned as a way to keep states compliant and competitive by ensuring their planning foundation is current, defensible, and clearly tied to statewide recreation demand and investment priorities. The opportunity also points applicants to the LWCF Grant Assistance Manual for the detailed rules governing eligibility, required elements, and procedures, specifically citing the LWCF Financial Assistance Manual (Volume 72, effective October 1, 2023) and noting that Chapter 2 covers the SCORP process and requirements.

From the published source details, this is a mandatory grant opportunity (Opportunity Category: Mandatory) with the funding instrument type listed as a grant and activity categories spanning community development and natural resources. The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 15.916. Eligible applicants are state governments (in practice, the designated LWCF state lead agencies). The opportunity number is P P LWCF 24 006. The application closing date was July 12, 2024. NPS anticipated making around 10 awards, with an award ceiling of $250,000 per award. The notice was created on February 2, 2024.

• The National Park Service in the community development, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "LWCF State Assistance Formula Grants - Planning - FY24" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.916.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for P P LWCF 24 006

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