Virginia announces new grant opportunity for conservation, recreation near military bases

$40 million available nationally to preserve land around military installations, improve access to outdoor recreation

RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is now accepting applications for a new federal grant program to preserve land around military installations and improve access to outdoor recreation. 

A total of $40 million is available nationally under the Readiness and Recreation Initiative, a joint program of the National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration, or REPI, program. 

Eligible projects include the acquisition of land and development of new outdoor public recreation facilities to serve the general public and military, located near a military installation or airspace. Projects must be within a REPI Partnership Opportunity Area. 

Eligible applicants are state agencies and local governments. They must have a partnership with the Department of Defense military base in the potential project location. 

The minimum grant award will be $250,000, with a minimum total project cost of $5 million. All information can be obtained in the notice of funding opportunity posted to DCR’s website at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational-planning/lwcf#repi. 

The goals of the initiative are to protect the nation’s military readiness, enhance relationships with communities, preserve the environment and improve military installation and community resilience to climate change. 

Applications must be emailed to recreationgrants@dcr.virginia.gov no later than May 29 at 4 p.m.  

DCR staff will submit completed applications to the NPS. NPS has the final authority on the scoring and selection of projects. 

Questions about REPI can be emailed to Kristal.McKelvey@dcr.virginia.gov.