Trust for Public Land Applauds the Biden-Harris Administration’s Historic $254 Million Investment in Local Parks

Trust for Public Land (TPL) applauds the Department of Interior's announcement of the largest-ever investment in the Land and Water Conservation Fund's Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program. The $254.68 million awarded to advance 54 locally led park projects will have an incredible impact on these 54 communities across 24 states.

In December 2023, TPL launched a new technical assistance program to support eligible applicants in their pursuit of ORLP grants. TPL is proud that five of these communities will receive ORLP awards totaling over $16.6 million to improve resident-led parks and outdoor recreation amenities in their communities.

• Dream Keepers Park in Tulsa, OK: $3,612,000
• Gooch Park in Memphis, TN: $3,339,000
• Hillside Pool in Reading, PA: $672,000
• La Alma-Lincoln Park in Denver, CO: $8,400,000
• Weston Field in Scranton, PA: $672,000

"Equitable access to the outdoors helps people lead healthier, happier, more prosperous lives. Trust for Public Land is grateful for the Biden-Harris Administration's support for locally led park projects in nature-deprived communities through the America the Beautiful and Justice40 Initiatives" said Bill Lee, SVP of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations at TPL. "We are excited to see today's announcement that the Department of Interior will invest a record-setting $254.68 million for this effort through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program. Today's announcement highlights the pressing need for the Senate to pass the Outdoors for All Act, which will expand and codify ORLP, enabling more communities to take part in the program and build more quality parks."

Over 1 in 3 people in the United States, or 100 million people, including 28 million children, do not have access to a park within a 10-minute walk of home. TPL's mission is to connect everyone in America to the outdoors. The organization partners with people in communities across the country to plan their conservation priorities, help fund their visions, protect the lands and waters they value, and create the parks and trails they need to thrive. This work results in cleaner air and water; healthier, more equitable communities; more culturally relevant public places; connected neighborhoods, and a more resilient and livable environment for people everywhere. TPL looks forward to continuing to support communities in accessing this critical federal funding to create equitable access to parks and green spaces nationwide when Round 8 of the ORLP program is announced this fall.

About Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,420 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $94 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.7 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.