Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program (FY24)

Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program (FY24) is sponsored by Illinois Department of Natural Resources. This program provides grants to local units of government in Illinois for the acquisition and/or development of land for public parks and open space, with a focus on active recreational opportunities.

LWCF - Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program (FY24) Land and Water Conservation Fund or LWCF LWCF - Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program (FY24) LWCF provides grants to states, and through states to local units of government to fund assistance to local government agencies for acquisition and/or development of land for public parks and open space.

ORLP provides new or significantly improved recreation opportunities in economically disadvantaged communities. The program promotes government acquisition/development of lands for public use as parks and open space.

Development projects focus on active recreational opportunities such as picnic and playground facilities, outdoor nature interpretive facilities, sports courts and play fields, swimming pools, beaches and bathhouses, campgrounds and fishing piers, winter sports facilities and can include supporting infrastructure such as park roads and paths, parking, utilities and restrooms.

Land acquisition projects provide site for active recreational amenities in addition to water frontage, nature study, and natural resource preservation. Education, Natural Resources, Regional Development, Environmental Quality The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program was enacted by Congress in the form of Public Law 88-578, the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (78 Stat. 897).

The purpose of the Act was to establish a specific federal funding source to assist federal and state agencies in meeting present and future outdoor recreation needs of the country. To this end, the Act provides funds for federal acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation lands and authorizes a 50% reimbursement grant-in-aid program for state outdoor recreation planning, acquisition and development initiatives.

The IDNR only provides grants using the LWCF funds for acquisition of land to be used for outdoor recreation. The Administrative Rules for this program can be found in 17 IL Admin. Code Section 3030 (http://www.

ilga. gov/commission/jcar/admincode/017/01703030sections. html).

Funding Opportunity Number Assistance Listings Number https://il. amplifund. com/Public/Opportunities/Details/42fe553b-200f-4b69-825f-f01c4f3ced6d Federal Or Federal Pass Through Funding Source Description This award is utilizing federal pass-through funds.

The "Land and Water Conservation Fund" (LWCF) is offered annually through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The LWCF program is a grant program that provides up to 50% funding assistance to eligible, local units of government to acquire land for public outdoor recreation areas. The LWCF is an assistance program of the Department of Interior's National Park Service.

Obligations of the State will cease immediately without penalty or further payment being required if in any fiscal year the Illinois General Assembly fails to appropriate or otherwise make available sufficient funds for this award. LWCF grant maximum: $750,000 per acquisition project. Counties over 2.

0 million residents: $1. 15 million max. Municipalities over 2.

0 million residents: $2. 3 million max. Restrictions on Indirect Costs Other Funding Requirement Submission Timeline Additional Information Allow Multiple Applications Application Review Start Date / Pre-Qualification Deadline Question Submission Information Question Submission Open Date Question Submission Close Date Question Submission Email Address Question Submission Additional Information https://amplifund.

zendesk. com/ Applicant Eligibility Information Beneficiary Eligibility Information Credentials Documentation Eligibility Information Additional Eligibility Information Applicant Eligibility: Only units of local governments having specific statutory authority to acquire and develop land for public park and recreation purposes are eligible for LWCF assistance.

Beneficiary Eligibility: N/A Credentials Documentation: N/A Additional Information URL https://dnr. illinois. gov/grants/openspacelandsaquisitiondevelopment-grant.

html Award Administration Information After the NPS has made the final decision the successful applicant will be notified by email and/or letter of any final requirements before the state grant can be awarded to them. Once all the final requirements have been completed, the Grant Agreement between IDNR and the applicant will be sent for the applicant to sign and return.

Once the agreement is fully executed by the IDNR a copy will be returned to the applicant. Only after the Grant Agreement has been signed by the Director can expenses be incurred for grant reimbursement. Any expenses incurred outside of the grant period (before or after) are at the applicant’s risk and are not eligible either as match or for reimbursement related to the grant unless a waiver by NPS has been previously issued.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements 2 CFR 200 is the Federal Code that this grant will be administered under. Financial reporting will include complete documentation of all funds including matching funds spent in the undertaking of the project. Performance Progress Reporting: The grantee shall be required to provide reporting of its activities under this project.

The IDNR may withhold or suspend payment if the grantee fails to submit the required reports.

The following reports are required under this Agreement and the forms are provided in the Implementation and Billing Packet that will be received upon award: Quarterly Progress Performance Reports: The grantee is required to provide to the IDNR quarterly progress reports that describe the progress of the project and expenditures of funds according to the budget line items as detailed in the approved Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance.

The Quarterly Progress Report will be due as follows: Quarterly Progress Performance Report Due By: State Awarding Agency Contacts Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Grant Management and Assistance Land and Water Conservation Grant Manager One Natural Resources Way Springfield, IL 62702-1271 More information can be found at IDNR’s website: https://www2. illinois.

gov/dnr/grants/Pages/OpenSpaceLandsAquisitionDevelopment-Grant. aspx. The State of Illinois is not obligated to make any award of the Land and Water Conservation Fund because of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Only the Director of Natural Resources makes the determination of what grants shall be awarded after considering the recommendations. Grant applicants are not authorized to proceed on their projects until the Director has signed the Grant Agreement. The following criteria will be used by the Department for evaluating and ranking grant applications.

See below for criteria descriptions and weighting. 1. Statewide Outdoor Recreation Priorities and Project Need - 60% a.

35% is based on the extent to which the project addresses the following major outdoor recreation/conservation priorities identified in the state plan: i. protection or enhancement of a State or locally significant natural area, or threatened/endangered species habitat, or an area identified in a Wildlife Action Plan; ii. protection or enhancement of significant wildlife habitat; iii.

protection or enhancement of natural wetland areas; iv. promoting conservation education opportunities; v. promoting recreational use of Illinois' surface waters; vi.

protection or recreational use of linear greenways (excluding bike & snowmobile trail construction); vii. interagency cooperation in providing and/or effectively utilizing local recreation resources; viii. enhancing recreational opportunities for minority and less affluent populations; ix.

promoting adaptive reuse of properties for open space and park purposes; x. use of resource conservation elements and/or native landscaping. b.

25% is based on a local "needs assessment" or comparison of 1) the existing supply of recreational facilities per capita for the proposed project component(s) to a statewide median as calculated by the IDNR in its statewide planning process and 2) the existing supply of local open space/parkland acreage, measured in acres/1000 population for particular park types (e.g., neighborhood, community parks, etc.), to the statewide median and 3) the availability of similar park facilities within the proposed project site's service area.

* If multiple entities overlap or share the same boundaries within a community, all existing facilities are considered. * The current statewide average for the supply of local open space and parkland acreage according to the Illinois Recreation Facilities Inventory (IRFI) is approximately 11. 35 ac/1000 population for overall community parkland acreage and approximately 52.

69 ac/1000 population for regional parkland acreage. The IDNR uses criteria that approximately 20% of local parkland/open space acreage should be allocated to neighborhood or mini-park facilities serving an area up to ½ mile radius and approximately 80% allocated to community parks serving a community-wide area or up to 2-mile radius in high density urban areas.

A local/regional acreage standard or goal lower than the above indicated statewide median figures may be accepted by the IDNR for a given locality if the variant standard is supported by that agency's comprehensive recreation plan. Verification of a different local/regional acreage standard or goal should be submitted to the IDNR as part of the LWCF application. i.

Priorities for LWCF acquisition assistance will be given to local agencies with less acreage than the statewide median for the particular park type and recreation facilities being proposed in the application. ii.

Priorities for LWCF development assistance is given to local agencies having a park system (supply) that meets or exceeds the current statewide median based on acres/1000 population, parkland diversity and distribution, and where a deficiency of the proposed recreation facilities exists.

Consideration is given to projects that provide the first and only park site in the service area, if the site is the first passive or active site in the service area or if the project provides a brand-new recreational element to the service area. Consideration is given to projects identified in or consistent with adopted local plans AND where direct public participation in the planning process and/or project proposal is clearly evident.

Current plans (less than 5 years old) and grass-roots public participation in the planning process are highest priority. To be fully considered as an acceptable planning document, basic elements such as an overall needs assessment, current facilities inventory and direct constituent input should be included. Please refer to IDNR’s Community Park and Recreation Planning guide for detailed information on planning.

It is recommended that a series of public meetings be held for the proposed project. Any additional sources of public input (referendums, surveys, open houses, fundraisers, etc.) are also strongly encouraged.

Projects not identified in local plans that represent unique or unforeseen opportunities are given partial credit IF the proposal is generally consistent with local recreation/open space objectives and strong public support is evident. (NOTE: The level of public involvement and support for a project is a critical factor considered under this evaluation category.) 3.

Site Characteristics and Development Plan - 25% Projects are evaluated primarily in terms of the project site's suitability for the proposed recreation uses including considerations of 1) physical characteristics such as terrain, drainage, adjacent land uses, soil conditions, vegetation, etc. 2) site accessibility factors including safe pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular access and sufficient parking; and 3) overall site plan considering such factors as creativity, sensitivity to environmental factors, diversity of recreation opportunities, and neatness.

The site development plan submitted should be accurate, neat and show good design. 4. Project Special Considerations - 5% The following are also considered in the evaluation of projects: i.

Projects providing initial access to, and development of, an undeveloped park site. ii. Projects that are part of the overall economic development of an area.

iii. Previous amount of assistance awarded to the local agency (fair share factor). iv.

Projects being undertaken by newly established recreation agencies or incorporated municipalities (5 years old or less) v. Projects improving or increasing necessary recreation opportunities in high density urban areas. 5.

Project Penalty Considerations A local agency may be penalized during project evaluation for failure to contact and discuss the proposed project application with IDNR grants staff prior to application submittal, as requested, AND for poor performance in the execution of previous LWCF projects, responding to IDNR requests for necessary application information, the ability to maintain existing recreation/public facilities, or providing required post-completion compliance certification information regarding prior grant projects.

Applications for funding assistance will not be considered by the Department if 1) an unresolved program violation exists relative to a previous grant project or 2) the local applicant has failed to provide local recreation facilities information as requested by the Department for the Illinois Recreation Facilities Inventory (IRFI).

Merit-Based Review Appeals Process In compliance with GATA, applicants have the right to appeal the evaluation process but not the evaluation score. More information is available at: http://ilga. gov/commission/JCAR/admincode/044/044070000D03500R.

html Review and Selection Process All applications received on time and containing the information required by the application packet will be reviewed by IDNR staff. Incomplete applications will be discussed with the applicant for completion and information submittal. Submitting an incomplete application does not extend the application deadline beyond the designated deadline date.

All complete, eligible and timely applications will be reviewed for evaluation and recommendation to the IDNR Director, who makes the final decision on awards. Anticipated Announcement Dates The anticipated date each applicant will be notified by letter and/or email of the Director’s recommendation should be within 90 days.

At that time, the IDNR will apply on the applicant’s behalf to the National Park Service (NPS) for their review and possible award. The full process can take up to 1 year.