The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP) provides matching grants for park projects in underserved communities. The program is broadly subject to the rules and regulations of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)​, with additional eligibility requirements. Those additional requirements are that the grant-funded project must be:

• Located in a community having a population of 25,000 or more in the 2020 Census
• Located within a community that is determined to be underserved (using CEJST, EJScreen, or other written documentation)
  

How to Apply

ORLP grants are competitive at the federal level, though all require coordination with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The National Park Service (NPS) selects applicants based on a pre-application, then requires a final application to be submitted within a year. Full requirements for applications can be found within the Financial Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity P25AS00189​. Please contact Molly Pickel at molly.pickel@maryland.gov​ or 443-223-4302 to discuss potential projects.

There are rounds of applications each year. The two schedules are as follows:

1. Spring Round
1. ​ April 15: pre-applications are due to DNR. DNR will review materials for eligibility and completeness
   
2. June 1: full applications are due to NPS
3. September ​1: successful applicants will be notified that they can move forward to final application to NPS
2. ​Fall Round
1. ​September 15: pre-applications are due to DNR. DNR will review materials for eligibility and completeness
2. ​November 1: full applications are due to NPS
3. ​February 1: successful applicants will be notified that they can move forward to final application to NPS