The land and water conservation fund (lwcf) state and local assistance program provides matching grants to develop parks owned by states and local communities

The Department of the Interior's National Park Service awarded $750,000 in Project Grant funding under the Outdoor Recreation Acquisition, Development and Planning program (CFDA 15.916) to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on July 10, 2025. These funds support the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program, which provides matching grants to states and local communities for park and recreation facility development. The award will be completed by September 30, 2028, and is funded through offshore oil and gas lease revenue rather than general tax appropriations.

Through a subaward to the City of Ironwood awarded on September 12, 2025, the Michigan DNR will support developments at Pat O'Donnell Civic Center Ice Arena in Ironwood, Michigan. This project will deliver outdoor recreation infrastructure improvements and public facility enhancements that benefit the general public in the community. The partnership between the state agency and local municipality leverages federal funding to advance community recreation priorities identified in Michigan's outdoor recreation planning efforts.

Based on its outdoor recreation priorities, the state has selected grant projects to receive lwcf funding. Lwcf grants are made pursuant to 54 U.S.C. 2003 and are funded by offshore oil and gas lease revenue, not tax dollars. In this project, the michigan department of natural resources will make a subaward to the city of ironwood for developments at PAT o donnell civic center ICE arena. This project will benefit the general public.