Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program
Readiness and Recreation Initiative (RARI)
State
Grant Funding
Single Fixed Date
Provides $250,000-$3 million for land acquisition and outdoor recreation projects in eligible areas near military installations. Projects may also include recreation development, compatible land use, conservation, and resilience improvements, but every project must include land acquisition.
Next funding deadline
October 16, 2026
Timing Notes
For Kentucky applicants, the completed federal application package must be emailed to the Kentucky Department for Local Government by 10/16/2026. Questions and applications should be emailed to pamela.jordan@ky.gov. Kentucky applicants should not submit directly to NPS/Grants.gov. The federal RARI NOFO was posted 06/08/2026 as a recurring five-year opportunity. NPS indicates selections are generally made within 180 days of application review.
Max Award Amount
3000000
Cost share/match Required
Yes - RARI generally funds up to 50% of eligible project costs, requiring a 1:1 match. Eligible non-federal contributions may include land, cash, in-kind contributions, and volunteer services. Department of War REPI funds are specifically authorized to satisfy the RARI/LWCF cost-share requirement, meaning a qualifying project may potentially combine RARI and REPI funding to cover 100% of project costs.
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RARI generally funds up to 50% of eligible project costs, requiring a 1:1 match. Eligible non-federal contributions may include land, cash, in-kind contributions, and volunteer services. Department of War REPI funds are specifically authorized to satisfy the RARI/LWCF cost-share requirement, meaning a qualifying project may potentially combine RARI and REPI funding to cover 100% of project costs.
Eligible applicants
State Government
County Government
City or Township Government
Special District Government
Eligibile Geographies
Specific Kentucky Counties
Eligibility Notes
Not all locations within these counties are eligible. A project must fall within an active REPI Partnership Opportunity Area or a designated Sentinel Landscape, as confirmed using the REPI Interactive Map. Kentucky's relevant military/REPI geography is associated with Fort Knox and Fort Campbell. The REPI project list includes both installations; Fort Knox is in Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties, while the Kentucky portion of Fort Campbell is in Christian and Trigg counties. The mapped REPI boundary—not the county boundary—controls eligibility. Applicants also must obtain a Letter of Support from a Military Installation or Range commander.