The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is a small state agency that manages grant programs to create outdoor recreation opportunities, protect the best of the state’s wildlife habitat and working farms and forests, and help return salmon and orcas from near extinction.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund offers two key programs aimed at supporting outdoor recreation spaces. The State Program, established in 1965, provides financial assistance to states for acquiring and developing public outdoor recreation areas open for competition by all communities. The Legacy Program, created in 2014, specifically targets urban communities of 30,000 or more people, offering grants to acquire or develop land for public parks and outdoor recreation areas, with a focus on serving economically disadvantaged areas lacking in such opportunities. Both programs support a range of projects including the renovation of community parks, construction of sports facilities, protection of wildlife habitats, and land acquisition or development for outdoor recreation. Grant amounts vary between the programs, offering from $200,000 to $2,000,000 for the State program and $300,000 to $4,800,000 for the Legacy program.