DNR awards $544,900 in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants to support local communities' park improvements

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that seven community parks and recreation facilities across the state would share $544,900 in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants. The federal LWCF program, administered in Michigan by the DNR, supports cities, counties and townships in their efforts to provide better public outdoor recreation opportunities for their residents.

The LWCF grants have been awarded to Emmet County, Cannon Township (Kent County), Bedford Township (Monroe County), Byron Township (Kent County), Presque Isle County (Presque Isle County), Muskegon County and Ypsilanti Township (Washtenaw County).

The full list of award recipients, grant amounts and description of their projects are available at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants; click on Land and Water Conservation Fund.

"This year's grant recipients will build and renovate public recreation facilities and upgrade playground equipment to meet accessibility standards," said Steve DeBrabander, DNR Grants Management section supervisor. “These projects exemplify the partnership between state and local government and stimulate economic activity in these communities.”

The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal program administered in Michigan by the Department of Natural Resources on behalf of the National Park Service (NPS). The DNR uses LWCF funding to help develop public outdoor recreation facilities and to provide matching grants for local governments to do the same. The LWCF is supported by revenues from federal gas and oil development from the outer continental shelf. Following congressional appropriation, LWCF monies are apportioned to the states by the U.S. secretary of the interior each fiscal year in accordance with the apportionment formula contained in the LWCF Act.

Application materials for future Land and Water Conservation Fund grants are available at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants, by calling 517-373-9125, or by writing to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Grants Management, P.O. Box 30425, Lansing, MI 48909-7925.