The Land and Water Conservation Fund

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. The fund helps strengthen communities, preserve history, and protect the national endowment of lands and waters.  Since its inception in 1965, LWCF has funded $5.2 billion to support more than 45,000 projects in every county in the country. LWCF funds are distributed by the National Park Service in partnership with designated State Lead Agencies in each of the 50 States as well as American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. 

The Readiness and Recreation Initiative 

In 2023, DOW and the Department of the Interior (DOI) joined forces to preserve land around military installations and improve access to outdoor recreation for millions of Americans and defense communities. Through the Readiness and Recreation Initiative, DOI's National Park Service will provide funding from unobligated LWCF balances as potential match to REPI Program funding to safeguard natural areas, protect water resources, and provide recreation opportunities for the public while preserving military mission.

2026 Readiness and Recreation Initiative Notice of Funding

On June 8, the Department of the Interior announced the release of the rolling five-year Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Readiness and Recreation Initiative (RARI). From 2026 through 2030, RARI will make up to $9 million available nationwide to support outdoor recreation projects that strengthen military readiness and protect mission-critical landscapes near eligible military installations and Sentinel Landscapes. Qualifying projects may leverage REPI Program funding to meet matching requirements. Read more about this funding opportunity on Grants.gov. 

2024 Readiness and Recreation Initiative Funding Recipients

The Department of War (DOW) REPI Program is pleased to join the Department of the Interior to announce the 2024 Readiness and Recreation Initiative funding recipients. Through the 2024 Readiness and Recreation Initiative, DOW and DOI will invest $15 million in projects supporting military installation resilience, conservation, and recreational access around military bases in Florida (Naval Station Mayport), Indiana (Naval Support Activity Crane), Minnesota (Camp Ripley Military Training Center), North Carolina (Fort Liberty), and Virginia (Naval Weapons Station Yorktown).

2024 Readiness and Recreation Initiative Notice of Funding

The national-level FY 2024 Readiness & Recreation Initiative NOFO is now closed. 

On January 30, 2024, the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program, in partnership with DOW REPI Program, announced the release of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Readiness and Recreation Initiative Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Through the FY 2024 Readiness and Recreation Initiative, the National Park Service will provide $40 million in funding from unobligated LWCF balances as a potential match for REPI Program funding to support projects that will provide outdoor recreation opportunities to military families and the public while also promoting military readiness and resilience.

Eligibility Requirements:
  • Eligible projects must occur within REPI Partnership Opportunity Areas (defined as a military installation or range’s priority area for REPI projects) and/or designated sentinel landscapes. Please refer to the REPI Interactive Map to determine eligibility locations.
  • Projects will be selected through a National Park Service-led competition amongst projects solicited and nominated by each LWCF State Lead Agency. 
  • Eligible applicants seeking a grant under the Readiness & Recreation Initiative must contact their LWCF State Lead Agency to get details about their state’s process for identifying and selecting projects for submission under this competition. List of the lead agencies can be found at www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/contact-list.htm.
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