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 National Park Service (NPS) awarded $4.39 million to the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism (Parks Heritage & Tour Dept) under the Outdoor Recreation Acquisition, Development and Planning program (CFDA 15.916) to fund park development at Hobbs State Park. The award, obligated on October 1, 2025, with a completion target of September 30, 2028, provides matching grant funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program to support outdoor recreation infrastructure improvements. The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism will serve as the primary recipient and issue a subaward to the Arkansas State Parks Division for direct project implementation at the state park facility.

This grant supports the development of publicly accessible recreational amenities and infrastructure at Hobbs State Park to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities for the general public. Consistent with LWCF program objectives, the project advances Arkansas's outdoor recreation priorities as outlined in the state's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. The funding, derived from offshore oil and gas lease revenues rather than federal tax dollars, supports the state's efforts to expand and improve park facilities and public recreational access in accordance with established state outdoor recreation goals.

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 arkansas department of parks and tourism will make a subaward to the arkansas state parks for developments at hobbs state park. This project will benefit the general public.