Land and Water Conservation Fund
SOURCE: National Park Service
ADMINISTERED BY: Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
PURPOSE OF PROGRAM
This federally-funded grant program provides match funds of 50% for outdoor recreation area development and acquisition.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Iowa’s cities and counties are eligible to participate.
ELIGIBLE PROJECTS
- Observation and sight-seeing facilities; including hiking, biking, equestrian, cycle, snowmobile, and nature trails.
- Picnic facilities, including open shelters.
- Camping facilities.
- Swimming facilities, including beaches, pools, bathhouses, and related equipment.
- Winter sports facilities, including ski runs/lifts, outdoor skating rinks, tobogganing and sliding slopes, warming huts, etc.
- Playground equipment and outdoor sports facilities such as ball fields and game courts, golf courses, etc.
- Sport shooting areas for skeet, trap, rifle, pistol, and archery.
- Lake and pond construction for boating, fishing, and aesthetic purposes.
- Landscaping and plantings for wildlife food and cover.
- Renovation or redevelopment of existing facilities which have deteriorated or become outdated.
- Support facilities including roads, parking, signs, walkways, utility systems, lighting, restrooms, concession buildings, trailer dumps, fences, etc.
GRANT AMOUNT
Local entities are eligible to receive annual assistance from the L&WCF in accordance with the following schedule:
Population of Area of Jurisdiction L&WCF
| 0-1,000 |
$50,000 |
| 1,001 - 5,000 |
$75,000 |
| 5,001 - 10,000 |
$100,000 |
| 10,001 - 25,000 |
$125,000 |
| 25,001 - 50,000 |
$150,000 |
| 50,001 - 75,000 |
$175,000 |
| over 75,000 |
$200,000 |
Some exceptions apply.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applications must be in the Des Moines office (Wallace Building) by 4:30 p.m. on March 15, or the closest business day, each year.
SPECIAL PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Competition for LWCF funds is intense, but this program provides an excellent opportunity to develop a wide range of outdoor recreational projects that are in high demand. Popular projects in recent years have included skate parks, playgrounds, new and renovated swimming pools, sport complexes, campgrounds, and multipurpose trails.
Applicants are required to show a relationship between their project and SCORP priorities. (SCORP – Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, available at
http://www.iowadnr.gov/InsideDNR/GrantsOtherFunding/LandWaterConservationFund.aspx
Initial screening for Section 106 clearance will be done by the IDNR in partnership with the National Park Service. All "Requests for SHPO Comment on a Project" need to be forwarded to the IDNR along with the LWCF grant application. Please be sure that all information is correct and complete.
MORE INFORMATION/APPLICATION
A copy of the proposal guidelines is available on the IDNR website at:
http://www.iowadnr.gov/InsideDNR/GrantsOtherFunding/LandWaterConservationFund.aspx
or by contacting:
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Land and Water Conservation Grant
Wallace State Office Building
900 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50319-0034
Kathleen Moench 515-281-3013
Sandra Sampson 515-281-8004
Sandra.sampson@dnr.iowa.gov