The Department of Natural Resources today announced that communities interested in applying for grants through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to support outdoor recreation development have until April 1, 2010 to submit their applications.

The LWCF is a federal program, administered by the National Park Service (NPS) and managed by the Department of Natural Resources in Michigan. The program provides matching grants to local units of government for developing public outdoor recreation facilities, such as trails, fishing piers and playgrounds. This assistance is directed at creating and improving outdoor recreational opportunities and to create and maintain a nationwide legacy of high quality recreation areas and facilities and to stimulate non-federal investments in the protection and maintenance of recreation resources across the United States.

Successful grantees are required to provide 50 percent of the project's cost through local, non-federal funds. Approximately $1 million in LWCF assistance is available annually. Funding for the LWCF is generated through revenues from off-shore oil and gas production.

Grant application materials can be obtained from the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants ; click on "Grant Programs," "Land and Water Conservation Fund" and "Forms and Publications." Interested individuals also may call Grants Management at 517-373-9125, or write to: Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Grants Management, P.O. Box 30425, Lansing, MI 48909-7925.