Two new park grant funding programs were recently announced – the Regional Park Program (RPP) and the Rural Recreation & Tourism Program (RRTP), both funded by Proposition 68. HELIX can assist you in pursuing this revenue stream for your park and recreation projects. Each program has $23,125,000 in grant funds available.
About the Regional Park Program (RPP)
The RPP is intended to create, expand, and renovate regional parks. You may request up to $3 million per project with no match required. Applications are due November 5, 2021, so now is a great time to pick a project. Awards will be announced Spring 2022.
Am I eligible for the RPP?
This varies quite a bit from the other Prop 68 funded programs. The applicant must be a county, regional park, or open space district, open-space authority, joint powers authority (JPA) including a county or eligible district/authority, or a 501 c3 organization. The applicant cannot be a city.
Am I competitive for the RPP?
This is expected to be a very competitive grant process so it is important for your application to be well aligned to the objectives. There is a handy RPP table to help determine grant competitiveness available to you online.
Projects that will be more competitive for the RPP include:
- Projects creating a new multi-use trail or trail segment
- Project where at least 50% of the funds go toward recreation features (including trails)
- Projects adding a unique or high-demand recreational opportunity
- Projects with adequate design input, including at least two public engagement methods/meetings
About the Rural Recreation & Tourism Program (RRTP)
The second program, the RRTP, is intended to create new recreation features in support of economic, tourism, and health-related goals in rural areas. You may request up to $3 million per project with no match required for projects where the median household income is $56,982 for less within ½ mile of the site. Applications are due November 5, 2021 so it’s good to identify your projects now. Awards will be announced Spring 2022.
Am I eligible for the RRTP?
The applicant for the RRTP must be a city, county, or district. The project site must also be rural, meaning it is in a county with a population below 500,000 people and in a city/town/census designated place that has a population below 50,000 people. There are exceptions if the county has adopted state planning priorities to limit sprawl. The project must create a new recreation feature. This feature must be new to the city/town/census designated place, not just the site.
Am I competitive for the RRTP?
The RRTP is also expected to be highly competitive. There is a handy RRTP table to help determine grant competitiveness available online.
Projects that will be more competitive include:
- Projects with site areas* with a median income of $42,737 or less
- Projects with fewer than 5,000 residents within the site area*
- Projects that provide significant physical activity, cultural enrichment, environmental education, economic gain and health benefits for residents, AND attract visitors to strengthen the local economy.
- Projects where at least 50% of the funds go toward new recreation features
- Projects with adequate design input, including at least two public engagement methods/meetings
* the site area is a ½ mile radius from the site – see the community fact finder handbook for more information.
We are available to help. Contact us today!
HELIX’s landscape architects have extensive public outreach and park design experience and would be happy to provide design, outreach, and/or grant writing support services for your projects. With in-house CEQA experts and technical specialists in biology, cultural resources, architectural history, noise, and air quality/greenhouse gas, HELIX is also available to conduct the grant-required CEQA work.
To discuss your questions, eligibility, competitiveness, and best approach for your projects, we are standing by to assist. Please contact Jessamyn Lett, Landscape Architect, via e-mail at JessamynL@helixepi.com.