Reference

LWCF terms, in plain language

The Land and Water Conservation Fund comes with its own vocabulary — agencies, forms, and requirements that shape how a project moves from idea to award. These are the terms you'll encounter most often, grouped by what you're trying to do. Definitions are written for Tribal Government staff; where a term carries a specific consideration for Tribal applicants, you'll see a short note.

Category

People & Roles

State Lead Agency (SLA) The state office that runs LWCF in your state.: Also called the state liaison office, it connects applicants to the National Park Service, administers the stateside grant cycle, and holds the grant on behalf of sub-recipients. Find your state's SLA on the NPS LWCF contact list.
State Liaison Officer / Alternate State Liaison Officer (SLO / ASLO) The Governor's designated main contact with NPS for LWCF, plus a backup.: The person the Governor designates as the state's main contact with NPS for LWCF, plus a backup who can act in their place. For stateside formula grants, your SLO is your primary relationship.
NASORLO (National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers) The organization of state and territory LWCF administrators.: The organization of state and territory LWCF administrators; each state's LWCF liaison is a member.
Recipient A non-federal entity that receives a federal award directly from the awarding agency.: A non-federal entity that receives a federal award directly from the awarding agency. Recipients do not include sub-recipients. Each NOFO states who may apply as a recipient.
Sub-recipient / Subaward A Tribal Government receiving a pass-through portion of a state's LWCF grant.: When a state holds an LWCF grant and passes a portion to a Tribal Government, the Tribal Government is the sub-recipient of a subaward. The state keeps legal responsibility for the grant.
Selected Applicant An applicant chosen through merit review to submit a full, final application.: An applicant whose initial application was chosen through merit review to move forward and submit a full, final application.
Compliance Officer (NPS) NPS staff who ensure projects meet federal requirements.: The NPS staff member who makes sure a selected project meets federal environmental, cultural, and legal requirements from selection through completion.
NPS Staff Assigned after selection to guide a project through the grant lifecycle.: Assigned after selection to guide a project to a Notice of Award and through the rest of the grant lifecycle. Recipients work directly with NPS; sub-recipients work through the entity they applied under (the SLO or a federally recognized Tribe).
State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) The state official who leads the state's historic preservation program.: The state official who leads the state's historic preservation program and helps guide Section 106 review.
Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) The official a federally recognized Tribe designates to run its historic preservation program.: The official a federally recognized Tribe designates to run its historic preservation program. On Tribal lands, the THPO formally carries out the SHPO's responsibilities for the Tribe's historic properties.

Category

Grant Types

Acquisition Grant A grant to purchase or obtain land for outdoor recreation.: A grant to purchase or otherwise obtain land for outdoor recreation.
Administrative Grant Funds supporting State Lead Agencies' capacity to administer LWCF.: Funds that support State Lead Agencies' capacity to administer the LWCF program.
Competitive Grant Funds awarded on the merit and quality of the proposal through review.: Funds awarded on the merit and quality of the proposal through a review process. Within NPS LWCF, the competitive programs are ORLP and RARI.
Development Grant A grant to build new or substantially renovate outdoor recreation facilities.: A grant to build new, or substantially renovate existing, outdoor recreation facilities, consistent with LWCF requirements and the applicable NOFO or state guidance.
Formula Grant Funds distributed to states by a formula set in law, not by competition.: Funds distributed to states and territories by a formula set in law, rather than by competition. LWCF Stateside (State and Local Assistance) is a formula program; eligible entities that meet the criteria receive funds through their state.
Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Nationally competitive LWCF program for parks and outdoor recreation in underserved communities.: A nationally competitive LWCF program, administered by NPS, that funds the acquisition and development of parks and outdoor recreation spaces, with priority for underserved communities. Under the EXPLORE Act, federally recognized Tribes can apply directly, regardless of population.
Readiness and Recreation Initiative (RARI) NPS-administered competitive LWCF program for military-adjacent communities.: An NPS-administered competitive LWCF program focused on military-adjacent communities. Limited applicability for most Tribal Governments.

Category

Application & Documents

Closeout Final confirmation that all grant work and admin actions are complete.: The process by which the awarding agency confirms all required work and administrative actions are complete.
Description and Notification Form (DNF) Post-selection form that finalizes project details and triggers the grant agreement.: A form submitted after selection that finalizes project details, documents site data and match, and prompts NPS to start the grant agreement.
Final Application (Application for Grant Award) Submitted to NPS within one year of selection through GrantSolutions.gov.: Submitted to NPS within one year of selection, through GrantSolutions.gov, with all required forms.
Initial Application (Application for Project Selection) Submitted through Grants.gov; evaluated in merit review.: Submitted through Grants.gov with the documents the NOFO requires; evaluated in merit review to determine eligibility and whether a project advances.
Merit Review Evaluating and scoring proposals against NOFO criteria.: Evaluating and scoring proposals against the criteria in the NOFO.
Merit Review Criteria Objective standards reviewers use to judge the quality, relevance, and feasibility of proposals.: The objective standards reviewers use to judge the quality, relevance, and feasibility of proposals.
Notice of Award (NOA) The official NPS-signed document stating the amount and terms of a grant.: The official document, signed by NPS, stating the amount and the terms and conditions of a grant.
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Official announcement that a competitive program is accepting applications.: The official announcement that a competitive program is accepting applications, with eligibility, deadlines, and scoring criteria. For ORLP, the current NOFO is Opportunity P26AS00125, open now.
Open Project Selection Process (OPSP) Published rules and scoring a state uses to choose projects to forward to NPS.: The published rules and scoring a state uses to choose which projects it forwards to NPS. NPS requires the OPSP to honor Tribal sovereignty and support the priorities of federally recognized Tribes.
Period of Performance The window between the Notice of Award and grant closeout.: The window between the Notice of Award and grant closeout.
Scope of Work / Statement of Work (SOW) Required part of the initial application detailing goals, tasks, and deliverables.: A required part of the initial application detailing the project's goals, elements, tasks, and deliverables.
Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) The state plan, updated every five years, that gates stateside LWCF eligibility.: Each state must maintain a current SCORP, updated at least every five years, to stay eligible for stateside funds; it is supposed to incorporate Tribal Government priorities.

Category

Money & Match

Allowable Costs Expenses eligible under 2 CFR Part 200.: Expenses eligible under 2 CFR Part 200: necessary, reasonable, and allocable to the project, and consistent with federal cost principles.
Cost Share / Match / Non-Federal Share The non-federal share of total project cost the recipient covers.: The share of total project cost the recipient covers from non-federal sources. LWCF stateside and ORLP both require a 50% non-federal match. Federal dollars from other agencies generally cannot count; in-kind contributions can, in many cases.
In-Kind Contribution Non-cash contributions counted toward match at fair-market value.: Non-cash contributions counted toward match at fair-market value when necessary to the project and properly documented and approved — staff time, volunteer hours, donated materials or equipment use, and donated land or easements.
Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (UASFLA / "Yellow Book") Mandatory federal standards for appraising real property in federal acquisitions.: The mandatory federal standards for appraising real property in federal acquisitions, including land acquired or donated as match in an LWCF project.

Category

Compliance & Cultural Protection

Conversion Changing LWCF-protected land to a non-recreation use.: Changing LWCF-protected land to a use other than public outdoor recreation. It requires NPS approval and replacement land of at least equal fair-market value, usefulness, and location. Section 6(f) cannot be administratively waived — only Congress can remove it.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Federal law requiring review of a project's environmental effects.: The federal law requiring review of a project's environmental effects. Many LWCF projects qualify for a categorical exclusion; ground-disturbing work may require an environmental assessment.
Section 6(f) / In Perpetuity / Encumbrance Permanent federal restriction requiring LWCF-funded land to stay in public outdoor recreation use forever.: A permanent federal restriction (54 U.S.C. § 200305(f)) requiring land acquired or developed with LWCF funds to stay in public outdoor recreation use forever. It is recorded as an encumbrance tied to a signed boundary map.
Section 106 (National Historic Preservation Act) Requires consultation with THPOs and SHPOs about effects on historic properties.: LWCF-funded projects are federal undertakings subject to Section 106, which requires consultation with THPOs and SHPOs about effects on historic properties. NPS coordinates this consultation.
Sentinel Landscapes Federal-state-local-private partnership for sustainable land use near military installations.: A federal-state-local-private partnership that advances sustainable land use around military installations and ranges.

Category

Systems & Registration

Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) The system used to request reimbursement of project costs after award.: The system used to request reimbursement of project costs after award. Access is set up once a Notice of Award is issued.
Build America, Buy America (BABA) Domestic-content procurement preferences for federally assisted infrastructure.: Domestic-content procurement preferences for the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in federally assisted infrastructure. Waivers are possible in some circumstances.
Census Urban Area Urban areas as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.: Urban areas as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, used in some program eligibility tests. See the Census urban-rural geography reference.
EXPLORE Act 2024 law that permanently codified ORLP and extended direct eligibility to Tribes.: The 2024 law that, among other things, permanently codified ORLP and extended direct ORLP eligibility to federally recognized Tribes regardless of population. See LWCF 101 for detail.
Grants.gov Federal system where NOFOs are posted and initial applications are submitted.: The federal system where NOFOs are posted and initial applications are submitted.
GrantSolutions.gov Federal award-management system used after selection to administer grants.: The federal award-management system used after selection to administer grants.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) / SAM.gov 12-character ID required to apply for and receive federal awards.: A 12-character ID required to apply for and receive federal awards, obtained from SAM.gov; it replaced the old DUNS number.

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