Recreational Trails Program –

2024 Grant Application Presentation Meeting

The Nevada Division of State Parks will host the 2024 Recreational Trails Program Advisory Committee Meeting December 5-6, 2023. The meeting will be held in a virtual format, beginning at 8:30 am & adjourning by 4:00 pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend & participate in the meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams and a provided conference line. Prior to the start of each morning session, the floor will be opened for public comment. Public comments will be limited to 3 minutes per person.

Each applicant will be given 10 minutes to provide a formal presentation about their project to the Advisory Committee, which will be followed by a 10-minute question & answer period directed by committee members. 

Please direct questions about the meeting & presentation agenda to Elyse Jolly, Program Manager at emjolly@parks.nv.gov. 

2024 Grant Application Presentation Meeting Information

• 2024 RTP Schedule of Presentations
• 2024 RTP Applications

Microsoft Teams Meeting

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Interior Department Announces Nearly $22 Million for Local Parks and New Actions to Increase Outdoor Access in Urban Areas

Launches Largest-Ever Funding Opportunity and Nationwide Tour

11/8/2023

Last edited 11/8/2023

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA EN ESPAÑOL

Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced a funding opportunity for more than $224 million in grant funding for next year for local communities across the United States for the creation of new parks and trails, or substantial renovations to existing parks through the ORLP program. The announcement represents the largest grant funding since the launch of the program.

"The power of nature is undeniable. Children and families in every corner of America deserve spaces to recreate and enjoy the outdoors, regardless of their zip code or background,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program is a cornerstone of the Interior Department’s efforts to ensure that communities across America have access to nature. Today’s historic announcement will continue our work to connect communities to green spaces and ensure that efforts are community-centered and driven.”

“A sense of connection to nature and the outdoors begins in the places closest to where we live," said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “Improvements to city parks, like safe and engaging play areas for children and better outdoor recreational amenities for all ages, foster the health of the land and the health of a community. The National Park Service looks forward to working with communities to nurture a love for public lands starting with the discovery and enjoyment of city parks.”

This is the sixth round of funding from the ORLP program, which includes today’s announcement and additional awards expected in early 2024. In the latest round of selected cities, priority was given to projects incorporating or benefiting from green and blue natural surroundings that will help address city heat islands and provide health benefits to park visitors. The $21.9 million in funds will be matched at least 1:1 with state, local and private dollars.

The ORLP program helps advance the Biden-Harris administration's America the Beautiful initiative, a locally led, voluntary conservation and restoration effort that aims to address the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to the outdoors, and strengthen the economy. Providing safe outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived is one of six areas of focus. 

Since its inception in 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has funded $5.2 billion to support more than 45,000 projects in every county in the country. In 2020, Congress permanently funded the LWCF at $900 million per year with wide bipartisan support. The LWCF supports increased public access to and protection for federal public lands and waters — including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and recreation areas — and provides matching grants to state governments for the acquisition and development of public parks and other outdoor recreation sites. 

The application process for the ORLP competition is different from most federal grant programs. Each State has a Lead Agency charged in administering the Land and Water Conservation fund within the State. This agency solicits proposals from project sponsors across the state, then selects and submits those they feel are best qualified to meet the goals of the ORLP program to the National Park Service (NPS) for inclusion in the national competition. If the project is selected in the national competition, the State Lead Agency than works with the project sponsor to prepare and submit additional required documents necessary for NPS to complete a full and final review of the project and make a funding determination. State Lead Agency selection deadlines are earlier than the NPS’s national ORLP competition deadline and may include additional requirements.

If your community is interested in applying for ORLP funding, please contact Elyse Jolly, Park and Recreation Program Manager at 775-684-2775 or at emjolly@parks.nv.gov for more information.

CONSERVE NEVADA GRANT APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

$3 million in grants available for conservation & outdoor recreation projects throughout Nevada

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (NDCNR) is pleased to announce that approximately $3 million in grant funding is now available through the Conserve Nevada Program for projects that support conservation and outdoor recreation in Nevada. Conserve Nevada grants are open to all Nevada cities, counties, towns, general improvement districts (GIDs), conservation districts, water conservancy districts, nonprofit organizations, and State agencies.

Competitive grant project categories include:

• Wildfire mitigation and restoration
• Designing/constructing recreational facilities, campsites, or trails
• Acquiring land and/or water for conservation or recreation (including conservation easements)

• Enhancing and restoring the Truckee and Carson River Corridors
• Protecting and restoring wetlands
• Acquisition of credits to protect sagebrush ecosystems

Past projects have included the restoration of the Panaca Fairgrounds, development of the Elko Peace Park, installation of the City of Reno Bicentennial Bridge, acquisition of 395 acres along the Carson River in Carson City, as well as acquisition of 21 acres along the Truckee River to preserve wildlife habitat, water quality, and natural resources along Washoe County’s Truckee River Greenbelt.

The application and program rules are available online at ConserveNevada.nv.gov. Applications are due by December 28, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. The Conserve Nevada Program will award grants beginning in February 2023.

“For more than two decades, Nevada’s landmark conservation bond funding program has been instrumental in the preservation and restoration of Nevada’s natural and cultural resources,” said NDCNR Director James Settelmeyer. “This grant funding helps create fire-resilient landscapes, protects rivers and wetlands, preserves historic and cultural resources, and develops outdoor recreation opportunities for Nevadans. I thank our many partners and public leaders for their support of the Conserve Nevada Program, which will help cultivate a healthy, vibrant Nevada for generations to come.”

To learn more about Conserve Nevada, please visit ConserveNevada.nv.gov and check out this video clip.

Questions? Please contact Conserve Nevada Program Manager Brandon Bishop at brandon.bishop@dcnr.nv.gov or (775) 684-2707.

VOLUNTEER RATE INCREASE FOR 2023!

The current estimated national value of each volunteer hour is $31.80 – https://independentsector.org/resource/value-of-volunteer-time

Beginning April 19, 2023, the new rate may be applied when calculating the value of volunteer labor for the purposes of matching funding.

RTP BABA WAIVER INFORMATION

The Federal Highway Administration published Waiver of Buy America Requirements for De Minimis Costs and Small Grants.

The Waiver of Buy America Requirements for De Minimis Costs and Small Grants notice is the waiver. There is no need for waiver applications for projects that meet the criteria of this waiver.

To make clear: If the total amount of the project is below $500,000, the Buy America requirements for iron, steel, manufactured product, and construction materials is waived. If the total amount of the project is over $500,000, the allowable threshold for noncompliant products is the lesser of $1,000,000 or 5% of total applicable costs for the project. However, if the noncompliant products include iron, steel, manufactured products, the FHWA’s threshold amount of 0.1% of the total contract amount or $2,500 applies.

Do manufactured products made of iron or steel (such as snow grooming or trail construction and maintenance equipment) still need to go through the waiver process at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/contracts/waivers.cfm?

Re: If the total amount of the grooming or trail construction and maintenance equipment project is below $500,000, the answer is NO. If the amount is over $500,000, the answer is YES.

Based on all the information available to the Agency, DOT finds that it is in the public interest to issue a waiver of BABA's domestic preferences for iron and steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in projects funded under DOT-administered financial assistance programs for iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials under a single financial assistance award for which:

• The total value of the non-compliant products is no more than the lesser of $1,000,000 or 5% of total applicable costs for the project; or
• The total amount of Federal financial assistance applied to the project, through awards or subawards, is below $500,000.

The waiver is applicable only to awards that are obligated or subawards that are made on or after the effective date of the waiver [August 16, 2023]. The waiver is applicable to subawards only if the subawards are made by a pass-through entity for a specific project.

In applying the waiver, the “total value of the non-compliant products” does not include the value of those products subject to a separate Buy America waiver. “Total applicable project costs” are defined as the cost of materials (including the cost of any manufactured products) used in the project that are subject to a domestic preference requirement, including materials that are within the scope of an existing waiver.

Because many DOT-administered financial assistance programs are also subject to program-specific domestic preference requirements, the waiver also applies to those requirements. Specifically, the waiver is also an exercise of DOT's authority to issue public interest waivers under 23 U.S.C. 313(b)(1), 49 U.S.C. 5323(j), 46 U.S.C. 54101(d)(2)(B)(i)(I), 49 U.S.C. 22905(a)(2), 49 U.S.C. 50101(b)(1), and 41 U.S.C. 8301(a)(2), as applied to DOT financial assistance. However, the de minimis cost portion of the waiver ( i.e., the first bullet in the finding above) does not apply to iron and steel subject to the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 313 on financial assistance administered by FHWA.^[6 7]

2023 LWCF WEBINAR IS NOW POSTED!!! The February 16, 2023 webinar can be accessed on State Parks website for those who were unable to attend. 

STATE MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT RATE INCREASE – 

The federal government has recently increased the standard mileage rate for transportation expenses from $0.625 per mile to $0.655 per mile.

1. For an employee using his/her own vehicle for the State's convenience, the mileage reimbursement rate has increased to $0.625 per mile from $0.655 per mile.

2. For an employee using his/her own vehicle for the employee's convenience, the employee will be reimbursed at one-half the standard mileage reimbursement rate, which has been increased to $0.3125 per mile from $0.3275 per mile.

The rates are effective January 1, 2023, and will remain in effect throughout the calendar year. The GSA rate tables are located at: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100715. 

New statewide contract with Public Restroom Company for prefabricated concrete buildings, restrooms, showers, and Park buildings. Available for use on a voluntary basis to state government, local governments, districts, and other public entities in Nevada.

Contract usage instructions can be found at the Nevada Purchasing Division website at:

https://purchasing.nv.gov/Contracts/Documents/Prefabricated_Concrete_Buildings/

NEW statewide contract with CTX Incorporated for prefabricated concrete buildings, cabins, toilets, and sheds. Available for use on a voluntary basis to state government, local governments, districts, and other public entities in Nevada.

Contract usage instructions can be found on the Nevada Purchasing Division website at:

https://purchasing.nv.gov/Contracts/Documents/Prefabricated_Concrete_Buildings/