Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program | P20AS00014

Opportunity Information: Apply for P20AS00014

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the Department of the Interior through the National Park Service (NPS). Its core purpose is to support outdoor recreation by providing matching grants that help states, and then local governments through the states, pay for the acquisition and development of land and water areas intended for public recreation. In practice, this funding is meant to expand, improve, or protect places people use for outdoor activities, such as parks, trails, open space, natural areas, waterfront access, and other recreation-focused sites, depending on how a state structures its priorities and project selection.

This opportunity was issued under Funding Opportunity Number P20AS00014 and falls under the funding activity areas of Environment and Natural Resources (with an additional "Other" classification noted in the original listing). The funding instrument type is a grant, and the program is associated with CFDA number 15.916. Only state governments are listed as eligible applicants at the federal level, reflecting the program structure where NPS funds are awarded to states, and states then manage a process that can pass support along to local governments for qualifying recreation projects. That setup typically means local governments do not apply directly to NPS for this particular opportunity; instead, they work through their designated state lead agency for LWCF.

The program is described as providing matching grants, which means federal dollars are intended to be paired with non-federal contributions rather than covering the entire project cost. Matching requirements are a defining feature of LWCF assistance and are designed to ensure states and localities share in project investment and long-term stewardship. While the listing does not specify the exact matching ratio, the emphasis on "matching" signals applicants should be prepared to document committed non-federal funds or eligible in-kind contributions in accordance with program rules as implemented by the state and reviewed by NPS.

The award ceiling shown for this opportunity is $3,000,000, indicating the maximum amount anticipated per award under this posting. The listing shows Expected Awards as 0, which can occur in government postings for several administrative reasons (for example, when awards are contingent on allocations, state apportionments, or when the posting functions as part of a broader recurring program cycle rather than a set number of standalone competitive awards). The opportunity record was created on December 5, 2019, with an original closing date of January 17, 2020, and it notes that applications had to be reviewed and cleared by NPS prior to final submission for award processing. That clearance language suggests an additional review step beyond simply submitting an application, reinforcing that states likely needed to coordinate closely with NPS and meet specific pre-submission requirements.

Overall, this grant opportunity supports public outdoor recreation investments by helping states and their local partners acquire and develop recreation lands and waters, with funding delivered through a matching structure and administered federally by NPS but operationalized through state-level processes.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the environment, natural resources, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program" 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 Dec 05, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 17, 2020 Applications must have been reviewed and cleared by NPS for final submission for award processing.. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for P20AS00014

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: