North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Grants totalling $17.9 million were awarded to 46 local parks and recreation projects across the North Carolina through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF).
“These awards through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Accessible Parks Grant will bring tremendous impact to communities across North Carolina by providing more parks, more trails and more accessible recreation,” said Governor Roy Cooper.
Local governments applied to PARTF for land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. A maximum of $500,000 can be awarded to a single project, and the winners must match funds at least dollar-for-dollar for the grant amount.
This year, the Authority reviewed 40 grant applications requesting a total of more than $15.1 million and 22 received their full request. One project received partial funding.
A separate source of funding, the Accessible Parks Grant program, was appropriated $12.5 million in the 2023 budget to provide matching grants for local parks and recreation projects for either the construction of special facilities or the adaptation of existing facilities to meet the needs of persons living with disabilities.
“Over the last 30 years, PARTF has provided more than $800 million in improved state parks, local parks, and coastal access,” said State Parks Director Brian Strong. “These awards continue a wonderful year celebrating the impact of PARTF on North Carolina residents. We look forward to new and updated parks, facilities, and trails in the coming years from this year’s grantees.”
A second round of funding for the Accessible Parks Grant will open in September. Over $4 million in funding will be available.