RCO Grants Supporting County Parks

Kitsap County is grateful for generous RCO and National Park Service support of our public park system since 1966.  See the complete list of RCO Park grants below. The majority of significant grant funds for park acquisition and development are provided through various programs administered by Washington State's Recreation and Conservation Organization (RCO), formerly known as the Inter-Agency Commission (IAC). National Park Service programs, including the Land & Water Conservation Fund, also offer significant park funding and are administered by the RCO.  Any grant applications on Kitsap County Parks Department land must be coordinated through the Parks Department.  In many cases, the application will fail without Parks Department consent/sponsorship.  In most cases, the granting agency will want to see a letter of approval by the land owner regardless of the funding partner/sponsor mix. Some granting agencies/categories will want proof that the proposed project is consistent with the County’s Comprehensive Plan - Parks, Recreation, and Opens Space (PROS) Element. Many grants require matching funds.  The Parks Department allocates its cash for matching funds through the annual Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) process.  Grant match requests must be coordinated with the current Parks Department CFP budget. All grants have requirements associated with the gift.  Before applying for any grants, the Parks Department researches the long-term commitments required if the grant application is successful.  Such requirements may include:  keeping the land only for specified recreational uses in perpetuity; not allowing the installation of non-recreational facilities under penalty of invoking an expensive and time-consuming “conversion”; prohibiting motorized vehicle access; installing signs acknowledging the donor/gift; etc.  If a community member or group is interested in applying for a grant to be spent on Kitsap County Park properties, we ask that they find out what requirements may be associated with a potential grant.  Please work with County Parks Department staff to find out if pre-existing grant restrictions may conflict with new grant opportunities. Successful grant applications on Parks Department land mean that grant administration, compliance, annual audits, and penalties/conversion actions must be undertaken by Parks Department staff.  These can be time-consuming and expensive processes that involve other County Departments, the Board of County Commissioners, as well as state and federal agencies.  Therefore, let’s coordinate our efforts to ensure we are spending public funds efficiently. Thank you for your support of your Kitsap County Parks! Recreation and Conservation Organization (RCO) Grants Awarded to Kitsap County Parks & Recreation             1966-Present RCO provides an interactive mapping feature for all RCO grants in Washington State.  Click here to learn more. Note: The list below does not include numerous grants awarded to Kitsap County to enhance salmon habitat on public lands that are not fully accessible for park/recreation activities. Park Name                                       Grant # Anderson Landing  78-062 Anderson Point   02-1370 Buck Lake County Park 73-008, 93-171 Carpenter Creek  00-1444 C Kitsap Greenway (Newberry Hill) 04-1457 Clear Creek Trail 98-1208 Clear Creek Wetlands   91-137 Gordon Park Fields 77-045, 99-1209, 02-1348 Gorst Estuary Wildlife Preserve 03-1181 Guillemot Cove  92-316 Hansville Greenway Trail   96-115, 04-1458 Harper Waterfront 66-030, 70-501 Horseshoe Lake Park 69-067, 72-054 Illahee - Lost Continent 02-1352 Indianola Waterfront 98-1168 Island Lake Park 84-065, 92-143 Kingston Village Green 06-2053 Laughlin Cove 00-1579 Long Lake Park 77-044 Newberry Hill (C Kitsap Greenway) 04-1457 North Kitsap Heritage Park 04-1456 Norwegian Point Park 04-1484 Old Mill Park 96-063, 97-1161, 97-1327, 01-1444 Off Road Vehicle Study 80-041 Pilot Point 07-1029, 07-1766 Point No Point 98-1030 Salsbury Point Park 73-079, 74-068, 92-314 Silverdale Waterfront Park 77-018, 77-048, 85-045 South Kitsap Regional Park 91-138, 08-1337 Stavis Estuary Preservation Project 00-1804 Veterans Memorial Park 78-035, 01-1160 Village Greens Golf Course 75-020 Wicks Lake Park 69-011, 02-1349 Wildcat Lake County Park 70-009, 73-036     Updated March 2010