For immediate release January 27, 2006

MARCH DEADLINES APPROACH FOR PARKS AND RECREATION GRANTS
GRANT PROGRAMS BRING PARKS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Nashville, Tenn. - The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation wants to remind local governments and other eligible organizations to take advantage of the grant programs currently available to help create or expand parks and recreation services. Applications for three grant programs with various eligibility and match requirements are due in March.

"We did a mass mailing in October and conducted regional workshops to notify various agencies directly of these opportunities, but with the March deadlines approaching, we'd like to remind organizations that now is the time make sure those applications are completed and submitted by their respective due dates," said Mark Tummons, director of the department's Division of Recreation Services.

Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) Grants provide funding for the purchase of lands for parks, natural areas, greenways and the purchase of land for recreational facilities. Funds may also be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas and greenways.

• Eligibility: Each county government and incorporated municipality is allowed to submit one grant application per cycle. Cities and counties may apply jointly for one project in addition to applying for one city or county project, but a government that currently has an open project in this category of programs is not eligible to reapply until the open project is completed.
• Grant Awards: LPRF grants require a 50 percent match, with a maximum possible award of $500,000. By statute, at least 60 percent of the funds allocated for these grants will be awarded to municipal governments.
• Deadlines: The deadline for filing an LPRF grant application is March 1, 2006. Grant recipients will be announced after July 1, 2006.

Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grants are provided through the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act. The Department of Environment and Conservation administers this program in Tennessee, and the grants may be used for non-routine maintenance and restoration of existing trails, development and rehabilitation trailside or trailhead facilities such as restrooms, shelters and parking lots, construction of new trails and acquisition of land for recreational trails or corridors.

• Eligibility: Federal, state and local government agencies may apply.
• Grant Awards: RTP grants require a 20 percent match, with a maximum possible grant award of $100,000.
• Deadlines: The deadline for filing an application is March 1, 2006. Grant recipients will be announced after July 1, 2006.

Tennessee Recreation Initiative Program (TRIP) Grants provide funding to governments that do not currently have parks and recreation services within their jurisdiction.

• Eligibility: Any incorporated city or county government that meets the criteria may apply through a competitive matching grant process.
• Grant Awards: TRIP grants require a local government match up to $25,000 of state funds for the first two years of the grant. In the third year of the grant, the local government is responsible for 100 percent of the funds.
• Deadlines: The deadline for filing a TRIP grant application is March 15, 2006. Grant recipients will be announced in May.

To learn more about grants available from Environment and Conservation's Division of Recreational Services and the eligibility and application requirements of the various grant programs listed above, please visit www.tdec.net/recreation/grants.shtml or call (615) 532-0748.

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For more information contact:

Dana Coleman
(615) 253-1916