OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office will begin accepting applications Aug. 15 for a new grant program to help maintain local parks.
The Local Parks Maintenance grant program provides funding to address maintenance backlogs in local parks. These grants may be used for a variety of costs such as labor, materials, and equipment.
RCO is offering a free application webinar at 10 a.m., Aug. 15 to showcase the grant opportunities and explain application requirements. Register online to attend.
“More people than ever are visiting local parks,” said Megan Duffy, director of the Recreation and Conservation Office. “Lack of funding for maintenance and additional visitors means increased wear and tear on well-loved local parks and their amenities. These grants will help parks catch up on backlogged maintenance projects and create better experiences for residents.”
Grants specifically are for deferred maintenance activities such as fixing a leaky picnic shelter, patching or repainting a basketball court, replacing rotted tables and fences, or replacing an old maintenance truck with a new one. Routine maintenance tasks such as mowing fields or cleaning bathrooms are not eligible for funding. Development or renovation projects like creating a new sports field or adding lights to a facility also are not eligible in this program.
Cities, counties, towns and Native American tribes are eligible to apply, as are parks and recreation districts, port districts and special facilities districts.
Grant applications are due Sept. 18. More information about the grant is available on RCO’s website.