The LWCF State and Local Assistance Program (often referred to as “LWCF Stateside”) is administered by the National Park Service, and provides matching grants to state, local and tribal governments to create and expand parks, develop recreation facilities, and further local recreation plans.  Each year, funds are distributed to every U.S. state and territory using a population-based formula.  Ranging from active recreation facilities to natural areas, these funds are a vitally important tool to renovate existing sites, develop new facilities, acquire land for state and local parks and promote statewide recreation planning. 

LWCF grants are provided to the states, and through the states to local governmental jurisdictions, on a matching basis for up to 50% of the total project-related costs for the acquisition of land and the development of facilities for public outdoor recreation and for fulfilling the program's planning requirements. Nonprofit partners can collaborate with states and municipalities to identify community needs, develop a strong grant application, and secure matching funds from a variety of public and private sources. Grants to eligible insular areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) shall be for 100% assistance.

Local units of government participate in the program as subrecipients of the state with the state retaining primary grant responsibility. Each State must have a “State Liaison Officer” (SLO) appointed by the governor or designated by the State legislature to administer the LWCF program at the State level. States and territories must produce a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) at least once every five years in order to maintain eligibility.

In addition to the annual Congressional appropriation to the State and Local Assistance Program, 12.5% of the revenues from certain Offshore Continental Shelf (OCS) leasing in the Gulf of Mexico (referred to as “GOMESA funding”) is directed to the stateside program to be used in accordance with the program manual.