Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Grant Programs

State Parks, through state and federal funding sources, provides a number of different grant opportunities. From historic preservation to playgrounds and from boating infrastructure to snowmobile trails, we provide grants to a variety of projects that promote recreation, preserve our historic and natural resources and generally improve the quality of life in communities throughout the state.

Please Note: OPRHP never requires a fee to apply for any of our grants.

Open Grant Opportunities

State Funded Grant Programs

A program connecting New York school age children (pre-K through grade 12) with nature, outdoor recreation, and history by reimbursing transportation costs for field trips to eligible locations. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, in the order they’re received.

This program connects New York school age children (pre-K through grade 12) with swimming instruction, by reimbursing transportation costs for travel to facilities in New York State that offer swim instruction through a nationally recognized learn to swim curriculum. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, in the order they’re received.

A matching grant program for the acquisition, planning, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas located within the physical boundaries of the State of New York.

A program for recipients pre-designated by the New York State Legislature. There are no applications for this program. If you have received an award letter packet referencing a "PKS-..." number, please read the Guidelines and get in touch with your Regional Grants Administrator.

A matching grant program to develop new municipal parks and to improve natural, ecological, cultural, and recreational resources within existing municipal parks. Funds are available to municipalities who have fee ownership of the municipal parkland being improved.

RFI to determine interest in a new grant program to fund the design, construction, and renovation of community centers across the state.

A matching capital grant program to acquire, design, construct, rehabilitate or improve swimming facilities and natural swimming areas in underserved communities across New York State.

A grant program that allocates funds to local governments that engage in the development and maintenance of snowmobile trails designated as part of the State Snowmobile Trail System. Funding is allocated on a pro-rated basis.

A program available for eligible local governments and not-for-profit organizations to undertake strategic capital improvements to their ZBGA facilities.

A program for the funding of collections care or special projects at municipal or not-for-profit institutions that house, care for and interpret for the public, systematically organized collections of living things.

Federally Funded Programs

A program of the Department of the Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service.

A matching grant program for the expansion and maintenance of the National Register of Historic Places and support of historic preservation activities, to include survey and inventory. Only Certified Local Governments may apply.

This federal, nation-wide, urban-focused grant program is targeted at projects that will create or reinvigorate parks and other outdoor recreation spaces to encourage people to connect or re-connect with the outdoors.

A matching subgrant program to fund education and historic preservation projects that will preserve sites and objects related to New York’s maritime history.

A matching grant program for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation and maintenance of trails and trail-related facilities.