The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) awards matching grants to local governments for municipal and county parks, public beach access, and improvements in state parks. This expansive mission means the PARTF program attracts a lot of applicants, and there is rarely enough funding for every worthy project. Fortunately, there are several other public and private programs that provide grant funding assistance for parks and recreation initiatives. Consider the following parks and recreation funding sources for your next project.
Public Funding Programs
Accessible Parks Grant Program
- Program Sponsor(s): North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
- Funding Type(s): Matching Grant
- Eligible Projects:
- Construction of special facilities
- Adaptation of existing facilities that meet the unique needs of persons living with disabilities or enable them to participate in recreational and sporting activities, regardless of their abilities
- Funding Cycle: Annual (Proposed)
- Submission Deadline: Spring
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
- Program Sponsor(s):S. Department of the Interior
- Funding Type(s): Matching Grant
- Eligible Projects:
- Acquisition projects, including the procurement of land and waters
- Development projects, including the development of specific outdoor recreation activities and support facilities
- Combination projects, which combine acquisition and development elements in a single strategic effort
- Funding Cycle: Annual
- Submission Deadline: November 3, 2025
Did You Know?
With the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), the Land and Water Conservation Fund is permanently funded and will receive $900 million annually. Additionally, the GAOA has set aside funds to address deferred maintenance projects on public lands.
Recreational Trails Program (RTP)
- Program Sponsor(s):S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
- Funding Type(s): Reimbursement Grant
- Eligible Projects:
- Maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trails
- Development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities and trail linkages for recreational trails
- Purchase and lease of recreational trail construction and maintenance equipment
- Construction of new recreational trails (with specific requirements when federal land is involved)
- Acquisition of easements and fee simple title for recreational trail corridors
- Assessment of trail conditions
- Funding Cycle: Annual
- Submission Deadline: September 5, 2025
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Discretionary Grants
- Program Sponsor(s):S. Department of Transportation
- Funding Type(s): Cost-Share Grant
- Eligible Projects:
- Capital projects that invest in multi-modal surface transportation infrastructure, including public road and non-motorized projects that are not covered by United States Code Title 23
- Planning, preparation, or design of eligible surface transportation capital projects that will not result in construction within the current funding year
- Funding Cycle: Annual
- Submission Deadline: End of January
Community Facilities Programs
- Program Sponsor(s):S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development
- Funding Type(s):
- Grant
- Low-Interest Direct Loan
- Loan Guarantees
- Eligible Projects:
- Projects to construct, expand, or improve facilities that provide health care, education, public safety, and public services in rural areas
- Financing for land acquisition, professional fees, and purchase of equipment in rural areas
- Funding Cycle:
- Community Facilities Direct Loans & Grants: Rolling
- Community Facilities Loan Guarantees: Rolling
- Rural Community Development Initiative Grants: Annual
- Submission Deadline:
- Community Facilities Direct Loans & Grants: Year-Round
- Community Facilities Loan Guarantees: Year-Round
- Rural Community Development Initiative Grants: Mid-July
Multimodal Planning Grant Program (North Carolina only)
- Program Sponsor(s): NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division (IMD) and NCDOT Transportation Planning Division
- Funding Type(s): Matching Grant
- Eligible Projects:
- Comprehensive bicycle plan development
- Comprehensive pedestrian plan development
- Project acceleration plan
- Funding Cycle: Annual
- Submission Deadline: Mid-May
Private Funding Programs
Bike Industry Community Grant Program
- Program Sponsor(s): PeopleForBikes
- Funding Type(s): Grant
- Eligible Projects:
- Development of permanent bike infrastructure
- “Quick-build” or “demonstration projects,” provided that any temporary infrastructure is part of a strategy to subsequently develop permanent infrastructure
- Land or easement acquisition for bike infrastructure
- Events or programs that support cultural acceptance and support of specific planned or recently constructed bike infrastructure projects
- Funding Cycle: Annual
- Submission Deadline:
- Letter of Interest: Mid-October
- Application: Late November
Safe Places to Play Grants
- Program Sponsor(s):S. Soccer Foundation
- Funding Type(s): Grant
- Eligible Projects:
- Construction of a mini-pitch, a customized, hard-court surface suited for soccer programs and pick-up games
- Installation of sports lighting to enable nighttime play
- Funding Cycle: Quarterly
- Submission Deadline:
- Q1: End of March
- Q2: End of June
- Q3: End of September
- Q4: End of December
The Bottom Line
WithersRavenel has experience with these grant funding programs as well as other sources of funding such as loans and bonds. We encourage you to start thinking about potential eligible projects for future funding rounds.
If you have a project that doesn’t seem to fit one of the funding sources outlined above, don’t worry! There are more funding sources out there that we can help you navigate, and our Funding & Asset Management team can help you get on track—and stay on track—to meet the deadlines of the agencies’ funding schedule.
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