2025 Office of Outdoor Recreation (ORec) Grant Awards
TDEC’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Announces $22 Million in Parks and Recreation Grants
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Office of Outdoor Recreation today announced $22,059,191 in grants from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) program, the Tennessee Recreation Initiative Program (TRIP), and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) for 31 communities across the state.
The LPRF program provides state funding to match local government investments for projects and the purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreational facilities. All grant projects must be on publicly owned land.
The TRIP is a state funded program that provides grant money to cities and counties who lack professional park and recreational directors and do not provide a comprehensive recreation delivery system in their community to assist with the establishment of the first Parks and Recreation Department.
The RTP program provides federal funding to match local government investments for land acquisition for trails, non-routine trail maintenance, trail construction, trail rehabilitation, and trail head support facilities.
“Local parks are an important aspect of outdoor recreation, and we are glad these grants will help communities across the state,” said Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner of Conservation for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. “This makes parks affordable for local governments, and we look forward to the results of this assistance.”
“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with our local communities to help enhance enjoyment of the great outdoors,” said Brian Clifford, director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation. “These projects will directly improve health and strengthen economies, helping Tennessee thrive through parks and outdoor recreation.”
2025 Office of Outdoor Recreation Grants Awarded
The table provided is fully searchable and allows sorting by any column.
| Awardee | County | Amount | Awarded program | Project |
|---|
Award Details
City of Ardmore – Establishment of Parks and Recreation Department and hiring of director
Town of Atoka – ADA compliant concession stand, staff offices and maintenance shop, ADA pathway upgrades/repaving, paved park entry.
Bedford County – Duck River signage and equipment such as for water rescues.
City of Bells – Additions to theater including dressing area, prop storage, ADA restroom for cast office space, and backstage area for cast and storage. Heating and air, lighting, and commercial refrigeration for catering events for the theater
City of Bolivar – Trail improvement asphalting approx. 5,584 linear feet of 10-ft wide trail utilizing the existing gravel pathway.
City of Johnson City Parks & Recreation Department – Inclusive playground with diverse features such as slides, swings, climbing walls, balance beams, and sensory elements; poured-in-place surface with ramps and transfer platforms.
City of Crossville – Playground upgrades for inclusivity, ADA compliant walkways, and ADA parking spaces.
City of Decherd – Establishment of Parks and Recreation Department and hiring of director
City of Gallaway – Land clearing and grubbing, construction of an access drive and ADA parking area, seating area.
City of Goodlettsville – Widening of driveways, additional parking, ADA access pathways.
Great Smoky Mountains Institute, Inc. - Trail rehabilitation.
Town of Greeneville – ADA playground equipment and surfacing upgrades, repaving basketball/tennis courts (tennis courts to be converted to pickleball courts), new basketball goals, pickleball equipment, site prep. fencing.
City of Hendersonville – Various renovations of facilities, including ADA improvements, at Drakes Creek Park, Veterans Park, Memorial Park and Mallard Point Park.
City of Huntingdon – Ball field and parking lot improvements, lighting for 2 existing fields, grading and development for 2 new fields, additional parking area.
Town of Jonesborough – ADA pedestrian walkway connection from Jonesborough to Johnson City corporate limits to create pedestrian connections to parks and other recreation areas in Jonesborough, development of an ADA compliant restroom facility, ADA parking, trail head with bike track.
City of Lafollette – Development of a LaFollette Sports Complex including one access road, the initial parking lot with ADA spaces, 3 ball fields, a restroom/concession building, and ADA compliant walkways.
City of Lakeland – 6 pickleball courts and fencing; ADA compliant parking; a 19x10x8ft-8-in. restroom building; amenities such as shaded seating areas, picnic benches, and food truck stalls with electrical hookups; landscaping, lighting and utilities, and signage and branding.
City of Lebanon – New poured-in-place surfacing at the existing playground and ADA site improvements around the playground.
Town of Louisville – Renovate existing shaded seating area with new 30x60 pavilion, ADA parking improvements, sidewalk improvements, new park entrance.
City of Luttrell – ADA playground equipment and surfacing upgrades.
Meigs County – Improvements at East View Park and Ten Mile Park.
Town of Oneida – One mile ADA multi-use trail with ADA parking lot.
City of Piperton – Walking trail, trail lighting, landscaping.
Tennessee Division of Natural Areas – Ghost River State Natural Area - Rehab and replacement of sections of the boardwalk including adding steel footers and pressure treated wood. 10-foot extension will be required to link the entire trial together.
Tennessee State Parks - Cumberland Mountain State Park – Hiking trail rehab complete with signage, trailhead, and creek crossings.
Tennessee State Parks - Johnsonville State Historic Area – Installation of new toilet units to replace existing portable toilet units and create greater accessibility.
Town of White Bluff – New entrance road, parking, trail system, outdoor classrooms, outdoor event facilities, and restoration of existing pump house and windmill at the new Nature Park.
White County – Establishment of Parks and Recreation Department and hiring of director
City of White House – 3 lighted pickleball courts with fencing and restrooms.
City of Whitwell – Resurface tennis courts, seating upgrades, replacement of basketball court with new goals and fencing.
Williamson County – College Grove Park: expansion of 40 acres of undeveloped property added to the current 7.5 acre park, to include lighted baseball/softball fields, pavilions, picnic tables, an ADA walking trail, among other features; Wilkins Branch Mountain Bike Park: expansion of 81 acres of undeveloped property connected to the current 53-acre park, installing various features, including new biking trails and a pavilion with restrooms.
2025 Office of Outdoor Recreation Grants Funding Map
Provided here is the map of the awardees that received a grant.
2025 Grant Cycle Dates
2025 TRIP Grant Cycle
The TRIP program is a state funded program that provides grant money to cities and counties who lack professional park and recreational directors and do not provide a comprehensive recreation delivery system in their community to assist with the establishment of the first Parks and Recreation Department. TRIP grants are a three-year commitment, $25,000 grant matched equally by the communities in year one, $25,000 grant matched equally in year two, and $50,000 for year three being 100% funded by the Awarded Organization.
- Application Workshop: March 17, 2025 at 10:00 am CST
- Application Opens: March 17, 2025 at 12:00 pm CST
- Application Closes: April 17, 2025 at 12:00 pm CST
- Announce Awards by end of May 2025
- Target start date for Contracts: July 1, 2025
2025 Planning Grant Cycle
The Planning grant program is a state funded program that provides money to cities and counties that do not currently have a Parks and Recreation Systemwide Plan and would like to complete one. This is an 80% state and 20% community matching grant. The maximum request total project amount for cities and counties applying individually is $60,000. City(ies)/county partnership or a multi-city partnership maximum request is $80,000. A multi-county/regional partnership maximum request is $90,000.
- Application Workshop: April 3, 2025 at 10:00 am CST
- Application Opens: April 3, 2025 at 12:00 pm
- Application Closes: June 12, 2025 at 12:00 pm CST
- Announce Awards by end of July 2025
2025 Public Recreation Grants Cycle
- December 4, 2024 - 2025 Intent to Apply/Pre-Application Workshop
- January 14, 2025 - 2025 Intent to Apply Application Deadline
- January 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM CST - 2025 Application Type Workshop (LPRF/RTP/LWCF) and Full Application Opens
- February 25, 2025 - 2025 Grantee Deadline for Preliminary Review Items (Budget, Title VI, Land, etc.)
- April 1, 2025 - 2025 Deadline for Full Application to be Submitted