OLYMPIA—The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is accepting applications until July 15 for grants to pay for planning projects in communities that lack adequate access to outdoor recreation opportunities.
The Planning for Recreation Access (PRA) program focuses on diverse urban neighborhoods and small rural communities seeking funding to develop shovel-ready park plans and more comprehensive park plans.
“These grants are for helping communities define outdoor recreation needs and develop plans though community-based processes,” said Megan Duffy, RCO director. “Many small and underfunded communities don’t have the capacity to apply for grants. This funding will help them get started. Ultimately, we hope the planning leads to construction so we can increase the number of parks, trails, playgrounds and sports fields in places where there are few options for outdoor recreation.”
Grant applications may be submitted for the following types of projects:
- Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) plans—Planning that guides the acquisition, development and programming across an entity’s service area.
- Site-Specific Plans—Planning that includes a range of pre-construction elements, such as architectural and engineering work, conceptual planning, feasibility studies and site surveys.
RCO hosted an online application workshop to explain grant requirements. More information about the grant is available on RCO’s website.