Accessible Parks Grant is sponsored by North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority. Matching grants to construct or adapt facilities for people with disabilities.

Accessible Parks Grant | NC State Parks The Accessible Parks Grant Program provides $12. 5 million in matching grants for parks and recreation to benefit people living with disabilities in North Carolina. Local governments, including public authorities, are eligible to apply.

This program is administered through the Division of Parks and Recreation and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. The matching grants can be used for: the construction of special facilities, or 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.

Applicants can request a maximum of $500,000 with each application and must match the grant with at least $1 of local funds for every $5 in grant funds. The application process for a second round of funding is now underway. Access the Accessible Parks Grant Application on WebGrants All cities and counties in North Carolina, including public authorities, are invited to apply for an Accessible Parks grant by creating a WebGrants account.

How Grant Recipients are Selected North Carolina counties and incorporated municipalities are eligible to apply. Public authorities, as defined by North Carolina General Statute 159-7 , are also eligible if they are authorized to develop recreational facilities for the general public.

Development projects that meet the unique needs of persons living with disabilities or that enable them to participate in recreational and sporting activities. Construction of special facilities Adaptation of existing facilities Land acquisition is not eligible. Applicants may apply for an active PARTF site but must request funding for different facilities.

A facility previously funded with PARTF assistance and still under the 25-year restriction may be eligible to receive AP funds if: Said facility was funded with PARTF assistance prior to the 2012 funding cycle. The proposed update / renovation will create a facility that maximizes accessibility. An applicant must match the grant with $1 of local funds for every $5 of grant funds.

The value of in-kind services, such as volunteer work, cannot be used as part of the match. Applicant Must Have Control of the Park Site An applicant must own or have at least a 25-year signed lease or easement for the property where a project will be located. Facilities built or renovated with an Accessible Parks grant must be available for public recreational use for at least 25 years.

Recreation Resources Service Contact your RRS Regional Consultant to discuss the proposed project and confirm eligibility. Notification of Funding – Round 2 Sept. 3, 2024 Round 2 Application Review Deadline Jan.

20, 2025 Round 2 Application Deadline March 3, 2025 Round 2 Awards Selected June 2025 Project Period Sept. 1, 2025 to Aug. 31, 2028 Reporting Deadlines 6-Month Inspection Feb.

1, 2026 1-Year Inspection Aug. 31, 2026 2-Year Inspection Aug. 31, 2027 Closeout Inspection Aug.

31, 2028 Self-Certifying Inspection Every 5 years post-closeout Notification of Funding – Round 1 Jan. 2, 2024 DPR and RRS Q&A Webinar Feb. 8, 2024 Round 1 Application Review Deadline March 15, 2024 Round 1 Application Deadline May 1, 2024 Round 1 Awards Selected Aug.

23, 2024 Project Period Nov. 1, 2024 to Oct. 31, 2027 Reporting Deadlines 6-Month Inspection May 1, 2025 1-Year Inspection Oct.

31, 2025 2-Year Inspection Oct. 31, 2026 Closeout Inspection Oct. 31, 2027 Self-Certifying Inspection Every 5 years post-closeout Would you like help with your grant application?

The division provides technical assistance to local governments through a contract with Recreation Resources Service: Applicants can request a maximum grant of $500,000 with each application. An applicant must match the grant with $1 of local funds for every $5 of grant funds. The value of in-kind services, such as volunteer work, cannot be used as part of the match.

Costs to Build or Renovate Facilities You will be submitting specific cost estimates as part of the grant application. Get estimates from contractors, architects, or planners who develop parks and recreation facilities. Consider the impact of inflation by assuming that the project may be completed over a 3-year period after the grantee signs a contract with the state.

How Grant Recipients are Selected The Parks and Recreation Authority , a nine-member board appointed by the Governor and the General Assembly, selects which applicants will receive funding.

The factors considered by the Authority as it selects grant recipients include, but are not limited to: the applicant's project description / justification page the application's ranking based on the scoring system the geographic distribution of funds the population of the applicant the grant funds that the applicant is requesting the grant funds available; and the administration of previous grants.

Accessible Parks Grant Overview Resources: Universal Design Universal Design: The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design. Listed below are resources that further explain these concepts, and universal design can be used to improve public parks and recreation areas and facilities.

National Park Service: Accessibility and Universal Design Standards American Society of Landscape Architects: Parks and Plazas American Society of Landscape Architects: Playgrounds American Society of Landscape Architects: Gardens National Center on Accessibility Designing for Inclusive Play: Applying the Principles of Universal Design to the Playground (National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability website) All facilities funded by AP must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).

The guidelines identify the minimum standards for all new facilities in public parks. Applicants are encouraged to include the costs of access routes to the accessible facilities in the grant application. For design guidelines, go to: Guidelines for Recreation Facilities – Chapter 10 Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Area – such as trails, picnic areas, and camping