The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard our natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. Using zero taxpayer dollars, the fund invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help strengthen communities, preserve our history and protect our national endowment of lands and waters. The LWCF program can be divided into the "State Side" which provides grants to State and local governments, and the "Federal Side" which is used to acquire lands, waters, and interests therein necessary to achieve the natural, cultural, wildlife, and recreation management objectives of federal land management agencies.
Protecting Lands and Giving Back to Communities
![Three boys and a dog running in the woods.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170125170025im_/https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/grid_builder/nri/crop16_9/2E7F24F8-1DD8-B71B-0BE653279A393DB1.jpg?width=307&quality=90&mode=crop)
LWCF State and Local Assistance
LWCF State and Local Assistance
LWCF Federal Land Acquisition
LWCF Federal Land Acquisition
![Sunrise over a cornfield with a cannon in the distance](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170125170025im_/https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/grid_builder/nri/crop16_9/2FA3B80E-1DD8-B71B-0B41A6DEBD572E48.jpg?width=307&quality=90&mode=crop)
LWCF American Battlefield Protection
LWCF American Battlefield Protection