Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

LWCF assistance may be available 1) to acquire lands and waters or interests in lands and water for public outdoor recreation, and 2) to develop basic outdoor recreation facilities to serve the general public. To be eligible for assistance, projects must be in accordance with the SCORP, be sponsored by a governmental agency, and meet other State and federal requirements. 

Projects must directly support public outdoor recreational uses of related properties and facilities. Projects must support State Land Preservation and Recreation Plan goals. Eligible project types are as follows:

• Acquisition – Land purchases intended for public outdoor recreation, including:
• Fee simple acquisition of property for public use.
• Expansion of existing developed recreational areas by acquiring adjacent land.
• Acquisition of undeveloped land to establish a new outdoor recreation area.
• Requirement: Properties acquired with LWCF assistance must be open for public use within three years of the purchase date.
• Development/Rehabilitation – Projects involving the creation, improvement, or restoration of public outdoor recreation facilities, including:
• Development of new outdoor recreation amenities or facilities.
• Renovation or enhancement of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure.
• Design and construction work associated with these improvements.
• Multiple development projects within the same park may be included under one grant application

For examples of eligible costs, see https://dnr.maryland.gov/land/Documents/LWCF-Competitive-Grant-Announcement.pdf#page=3.