(The Center Square) — The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism awarded more than $770,000 in federal dollars to eight trail projects.
The money is part of the federal Recreational Trails Program, and grant recipients must pay for an item’s entire cost before submitting a reimbursement request for 80% of eligible costs. The state selected the eight recipients to receive money in the 2023 grant cycle out of a pool of 23 applicants.
“Outdoor recreation is booming as communities around the state are putting a higher priority on preserving our natural treasures and enhancing public access to these places,” SCPRT Director Duane Parrish said in an announcement. “The Recreational Trails Program is helping projects come to fruition from the mountains of Greenville to the beaches of Sullivan’s Island, and that’s good news for our citizens and for our visitors.”
The state is accepting entries for the 2024 grant cycle until Sept. 15.
Meanwhile, SCPRT wants to dole out additional federal dollars for the 2024 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant cycle. The federal program provides matching grants ranging from $50,000 to $300,000 for acquiring or developing outdoor recreation areas and facilities.
In the most recent LWCF grant cycle, 13 projects received more than $4.2 million in federal funding. The state is accepting applications for the 2024 cycle until Sept. 20.
