The LWCF State and Local Assistance program is operated by the NPS in partnership with designated lead agencies in each of the 50 States plus American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands.
Each fiscal year Congress allocates
money from the LWCF for this program, which is in turn allocated to the States based on a legislative formula.
To be eligible to submit applications for funding, States must have a current Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, or SCORP, in place that assesses demand and need for outdoor recreation resources and among other things sets priorities for the use of LWCF funds.
LWCF grants are available to the States to comply with this legislative requirement.
The NPS must review and approve each State’s SCORP.
A new or updated SCORP must be prepared at least once every 5 years.