The Colorado LWCF Program
In Colorado, LWCF state matching grants are administered by Colorado State Parks. Since 1965, nearly 1,000 grants totaling more than $58 million have funded local government and state park outdoors investments statewide.
In order to continue to be eligible for LWCF state matching grant funds, Colorado State Parks must complete a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) every five years. The current SCORP was completed in 2003. Federal guidelines outline two main purposes of the SCORP:
- Guide the use of LWCF funds for local government and state recreation agencies by identifying public and agency preferences and priorities for outdoor recreation facilities and activities.
- Identify issues of statewide importance and those issues that will be addressed through LWCF grants.
In recent years, State Parks has worked with local government parks and recreation leaders to utilize the State Trails Program grants process to grant LWCF funds. This process is consistent with statewide surveys that continue to rank community and regional trail systems among Colorado’s highest priority outdoors needs. These priorities are documented in Chapters 2-3 of the 2003 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
A special set of guidelines for LWCF-funded projects stems from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (P.L. 88-578). As a result, additional information must be sent to the Midwest Regional Office of the National Park Service before the grant can be approved. If Colorado State Parks (CSP) assigns LWCF as the funding source for an approved grant application, the project sponsor should be prepared to work with CSP staff to complete the additional paperwork needed for NPS approval.
State Parks cannot complete the Project Agreement with the project sponsor until the NPS approval process is completed. Because of this additional step, grant applicants should plan on commencing project work up to a year AFTER receiving CSP’s notification of the LWCF grant award.
Eligible Applicants
Local governments and Colorado State Parks are eligible for the congressionally appropriated annual Colorado LWCF state matching grants apportionment:
- Local Government Projects - Municipalities, counties, and special districts recognized as political subdivisions of the State of Colorado are eligible for competitive grants offered through the Colorado State Parks Trails Program. The grants must be used either for acquisitions of land or water to be used for recreational purposes or for construction or redevelopment of outdoor recreational facilities. Planning grants to local governments cannot be funded through LWCF.
- Colorado State Parks Projects - LWCF grant awards to State Parks are determined by the Board of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. Project selection is independent of the State Trails Program process that grants LWCF funds to local governments. The grants must be used for acquisitions of land or water property interests to be used for recreational purposes; for construction or redevelopment of outdoor recreational facilities; or for planning grants that address needs, problems or issues identified in the SCORP or that fund production of an upcoming SCORP.