Grants for Public Outdoor Recreation and Facilities

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Grants for PublicOutdoor Recreation
andFacilities

• Division of Grant Administration
• Gregory Akers, Senior Grant Administrator

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Good Morning

• I would like to take a few minutes this morning
  to discuss some of the grant funding
  opportunities available for outdoor recreation
  facilities from the Illinois Department of
  Natural Resources

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Objectives of this presentation are as
follows

• To share information on several public outdoor
  recreation grant programs
  
• To explain the priorities for funding for the
  most popular grant programs.
  
• To list the publications available to assist in
  the preparation of grant applications.
  
• To explain how to access IDNR grant applications
  on the Internet.
  

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Recreation Grants-in Aid Programs

• Boat Access Area Development
• Bicycle Path Grants
• Federal LWCF Grants
• Off-Highway Vehicle Grants
• Open Space Lands Acquisition Development
  (OSLAD)
  
• Public Museum Grants
• Recreational Trails Program
• Local Government Snowmobile Grants
• Snowmobile Trail Establishment Fund

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Open Space Lands Acquisition Development Grant
Program
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Open Space Land Acquisition Development (OSLAD)
Grant Program Details

• Up to 50 reimbursement for the acquisition and
  development of lands for public parks open
  space
  
• Eligible grant applicants are units of local
  government Park District, Conservation
  Districts, Municipalities, Townships and County
  Governments
• Maximum acquisition grant 750,000
• Maximum development grant 400,00
• For the last several years, 20 million dollars
  has been available for OSLAD grant funding

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Open Space Land Acquisition Development (OSLAD)
Grant Program Details

• Annual application cycle May 1- July 1
• Application deadline is 1200 PM on July 1 or the
  first business day of July
  
• This year, the cut-off date for applications is
  July 3 since July 1 is on a Saturday
  
• Agencies are limited to a maximum of 1
  acquisition and 1 development grant application
  annually
  
• Grants are generally announced in the winter
  typically in January, but have been announced as
  early as November and as late as April
  

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Current OSLAD Priority Projects Include

• Protection or enhancement of significant natural
  areas
  
• Protection or enhancement of threatened and
  endangered species habitat
  
• Protection or enhancement of significant wildlife
  areas
  
• Protection or enhancement of natural wetland
  areas
  
• Promoting conservation education opportunities

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Current OSLAD Priority Projects Include

• Promoting recreational use of surface waters
• Protection or recreational use of linear
  greenways
  
• Interagency cooperation in providing and/or
  effectively utilizing local recreation resources
  
• Enhancing recreational opportunities for minority
  and less affluent populations or adaptive reuse
  of inner urban properties for open space and park
  purposes

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Current OSLAD Priority Projects Include

• Priorities for OSLAD acquisition assistance will
  be given to local agencies with less acreage than
  the statewide median.
  
• Priorities for OSLAD development assistance is
  given to local agencies where a deficiency of
  proposed recreation facilities exists.

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Eligible OSLAD Projects May Include

• Acquisition of land for new park sites or park
  expansion, water frontage, nature study, and
  natural areas
  
• Picnic and playground facilities
• Outdoor interpretive facilities
• Sports courts and playfields
• Swimming pools, beaches and bathhouses

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Eligible OSLAD Projects May Include

• Campgrounds and fishing piers
• Winter sports facilities
• Park roads and paths, parking, utilities and
  restrooms

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OSLAD Application Evaluation Criteria

• A project consistent with a master parks
  recreation plan or strategic or capital plan
  
• Documentation of public involvement in the
  projects planning
  
• Diverse facilities of high need (in comparison
  to IRFI)
  
• An accurate and detailed site development plan
• Low site infrastructure costs
• Proposed facilities that are accessible to the
  disabled
  

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Land Water Conservation Fund Grant Program
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LWCF Grant Program Details

• Grant Application is exactly the same as OSLAD
  with the same application deadline of July 1
  
• This program is federally-funded as opposed to
  OSLAD which is state-funded
  
• Up to 50 Grant funding for Acquisition of lands
  for Public Parks Open Space
  
• Maximum grant award is 750,000.00
• Funding level is uncertain for this year

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Bike Path Grant Program
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Bike Path Grant Program Details

• Up to 50 reimbursement for the acquisition and
  development of bicycle paths
  
  
• Eligible grant applicants are units of local
  government
  
• (Park Districts, Conservation Districts, Forest
  Preserve Districts, Municipalities, Township and
  County Governments, etc.)
  
• Maximum acquisition grant No maximum grant
  cap
  
• Maximum development grant 200,000
• For the last couple of years, 2.5 million
  dollars has been available annually for grants
  

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Bike Path Grant Program Details

• Annual application cycle January 1 March 1
• Application deadline is 1200 Noon
• Beginning next year, there will be no limit on
  the number of applications that an agency may
  submit each year
  
• Paths developed through the program MUST be a
  minimum of 8 feet wide and CANNOT be circular
  paths within a park
  
• Grants awards are generally announced in the fall
  
  

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Bike Path Application Evaluation CriteriaProject
Priorities

• Population Served (the greater the , the
  better)
  
• Trail Significance (Statewide Regional
  Local)
  
• First Trail in the Service Area
• Major Expansion to an Existing Trail
• Important Link to Existing Trails
• Trail Length (the longer, the better)
• Local Planning Involved
• Environmental Factors/Trail Attributes
• Multiple Trail Users Allowed (equestrians,
  snowmobilers, etc.)
  
• Include support facilities (restrooms, parking,
  shade)
  

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Eligible Development Projects May Include

• Bike path Construction or Renovation, Including
  Clearing, Grading, Drainage, and Surfacing
  
• Bridging
• Fencing
• Regulatory/Informational Signs
• Restroom Buildings, Drinking Fountains, Parking
  Areas
  

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Boat Access Area Development Grant
Program (Motorized Facilities)
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Boat Access Area Development Grant
Program(Non-Motorized/Canoe Facilities)
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Boat Access Grant Program Details

• 100 reimbursement for the development of
  boat/canoe launches and associated facilities
  (entrance road, parking, restroom facilities,
  etc.)
• 90 reimbursement for the acquisition of land to
  be developed for a boat/canoe launch
  
• Eligible grant applicants are units of local
  government (Park Districts, Conservation
  Districts, Forest Preserve Districts,
  Municipalities, Township and County Governments,
  Port Authorities, etc.)

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Boat Access Grant Program Details

• Maximum boat (motorized) grant 200,000
• Maximum canoe (non-motorized) grant 50,000
• For the last several years, the Boat Access
  grant program has had 725,000 available for
  grants
  

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Current Boat Access Priority Projects include

• Development of new launches
• Projects that create or improve a water trail
• Projects located in counties with high numbers of
  registered watercraft
  
• Sites that have high projected facility use
• Projects that have documented public planning and
  citizen input
  
• Suitable location
• Project sponsor financial cooperation
• Project sponsors ability to maintain the site
• No facility user fees

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How to access grant application information and
forms on the Internet

• Go to www.dnr.state.il.us
• Click on Grant Info
• Click on Recreational Grants-in-Aid Programs
• Click on the grant program of your choice

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List of Publications

• Outdoor Recreation Facilities Guide
• Playground Planning Guide
• Community Park and Recreation Planning Guide
• Boating and Canoe Access Development Guide

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Lake County Grants Awards

• OSLAD 20,000,000
• LWCF 22,400,000
• BIKE 4,300,000
• BOATS 819,000
• SNOW 514,000
• STEF 89,000
• MUSEUM (C) 1,500,000
• OLT 13,000,000
• RTP 63,000
• TOTAL 62,685,000

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In Closing

• The Office of Architecture, Engineering and
  Grants Division of Grant Administration manages
  hundreds of projects amounting to millions of
  dollars in grant funding for outdoor recreation
  areas/facilities.
• Questions?
• If you have any questions regarding our grant
  programs, please call 217-782-7481 or send us an
  e-mail at dnr.grants_at_illinois.gov
  
• Thanks for your time and attention this morning!