Contact: Charlie Peek, 919/715-8709
Date: May 21, 2003 Distribution: Targeted
Local Governments To Receive Parks And Recreation Trust Fund Grants
RALEIGH ? The NC Parks and Recreation Authority has awarded matching
grants to 38 local communities to develop parks and improve recreation
facilities through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.
The grants, totaling $6.52 million, were approved May 16 during the
authority’s quarterly meeting held at Lake Waccamaw State Park.
The trust fund was established in 1994 as a dedicated funding source
for local and state recreation initiatives and is supported by a portion
of the state’s tax on real estate deed transfers. Since its creation,
the fund has supplied $46.61 million in grants to 306 local governments
in 96 of the state’s 100 counties.
The amount of the grants in the 2002-03 funding cycle range from
$10,579 to the maximum allowed request of $250,000.
“This year we had 57 applicants with $15.5 million available in
matching funds, and that reflects how popular this program has become in
only eight years,” said Phil McKnelly, director of the NC Division of
Parks and Recreation, the state agency that administers the program.
“I think that for many small towns and cities, the Parks and Recreation
Trust Fund has become the best avenue to develop parks, greenways and
recreation programs. It certainly is the only state program that can
help local governments tackle more than $1 billion in land acquisition,
renovation and development needs for recreation,” McKnelly said.
During this funding cycle, 10 of the applications were for land
acquisition and 11 came from local governments that were already
developing trust fund projects. Fifteen local governments were
participating in the grants program for the first time. Three of the
grants went to recreation programs in counties that had not received
trust fund grants in the past ? Scotland County, Snow Hill in Greene
County and Jonesville in Yadkin County.
The authority will meet again in July to consider the remaining 19
applications in this funding cycle. As much as $2 million in additional
grants could be awarded depending on fourth quarter revenues to the
trust fund.
The 11-member authority represents all areas of the state and is
appointed by the governor (3 members), the Senate Pro-Tem (4 members)
and the Speaker of the House (4 members). The authority also allocates
trust fund monies to state parks land acquisition and capital projects.
The 38 local governments awarded grants in this cycle are:
Kernersville, Mayodan, Apex, Kannapolis, Dunn, Scotland County, Cabarrus
County, Union County, Canton, Monroe, Polk County, Asheville, Weldon,
Catawba County, Snow Hill, Granite Falls, Lake Waccamaw, Oakboro, New
Bern, Greensboro, Huntersville, Columbus, King, Cornelius, Yancey
County, Mooresville, Morganton, Pembroke, Liberty, Emerald Isle, Maggie
Valley, Lucama, Cherryville, Gastonia, Swain County, Mars Hill,
Jonesville and Belwood.
(EDITORS: A complete listing of the grant awards and further background
on the grants program can be found on our website www.ncsparks.net.
Click “Discover Our Programs/Parks and Recreation Trust Fund/Apply for a
Grant/Listing of Past Grant Recipients.”)
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