The Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR)

An excerpt from Saving Your Piece of the Planet: A Citizens' Guide to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program, published in June, 2001 by Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation and The Wilderness Society.

BEGINNING WITH THE STUDY of the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (ORRRC) in 1961, every national assessment of recreation has identified the importance of recreation opportunities, particularly for residents of densely populated urban areas. The Land and Water Conservation Fund state matching grants program was established in part to address the pressing needs of urban areas. But subsequent studies, such as the National Urban Recreation Study in 1978, revealed that critical urban recreation resource needs extended beyond land acquisition to the conservation of the built environment. The study recommended creation of a grants-in-aid program to restore the built environment (parks and playgrounds), help recreational authorities plan for future development, and provide recreational services to economically stressed neighborhoods.

While progress was being made in creating park and recreation opportunities in the suburbs and on the urban fringe, billions of dollars' worth of older city park structures and infrastructure were at risk.

While progress was being made in creating park and recreation opportunities in the suburbs and on the urban fringe, billions of dollars' worth of older city park structures and infrastructure were at risk because government incentives favored the development of new areas over the revitalization of existing resources. City activists grew concerned over the potential urban losses, from downtown parks established in the nineteenth century to neighborhood playgrounds and sports centers built between the 1920s and the 1950s.

To address the needs of inner city recreation, Congress passed the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPARR), authorizing $725 million to provide matching grants and technical assistance to economically distressed urban communities. The purpose of the program was to provide direct federal assistance to urban localities for rehabilitation of critically needed recreation facilities. The law also encouraged systematic local planning and commitment to continuing operation and maintenance of recreation programs, sites and facilities.

Two types of competitive matching grants have been available through the UPARR program:

• rehabilitation grants (70 percent federal/30 percent local) provide capital funding to renovate or redesign existing close-to-home recreation facilities; and
• innovation grants (70 percent federal/30 percent local) underwrite new and cost-effective ways to enhance recreational opportunities. Only 10 percent of the funds Congress appropriates for UPARR annually can be used to fund innovation grants, so the majority of these grants will be monetarily small.

UPARR grants may also be used for two other purposes:

• Recovery Action Program (RAP) planning grants (50 percent federal/50 percent local) are not competitive and are evaluated separately by the National Park Service. To be eligible to receive either a rehabilitation or innovation grant, the jurisdiction must have a current RAP plan. This plan serves as both a guide to local action planning and as a statement of a community's commitment to the revitalization goals of the UPARR program.
• "At-risk youth recreation grants" were authorized as an amendment to UPARR in the 1994 crime bill. Grants can be used to provide continuing support for programs of demonstrated value or success in providing constructive alternatives to at-risk youth, including recreation programs and services. These grants can also be used to improve security in urban parks. (Note: Because of the lack of funding for UPARR during the authorized life of the crime bill, no funds have been appropriated for these grants.)

UPARR and the Federal Appropriations Process

UPARR funding follows the same general appropriations course as LWCF, although neither the administration nor Congress specifies projects. Instead, they identify the total available funding for the coming year. Shortly after the appropriations bill is enacted, the secretary of the interior will announce the timetable for municipalities and recreation programs to compete for that round of funding for specific projects.

How Municipalities Get UPARR Funding

UPARR monies are made available to eligible cities and counties through a national competition. Notice of the grant application deadline is published in the federal Register, which is available in all public libraries. Using set criteria, the National Park Service determined a list of hundreds of eligible cities. Jurisdictions not on this list but located within a Metropolitan Statistical Area-and are otherwise eligible-may compete for UPARR assistance. Only 15 percent of the annual appropriation may be granted to such discretionary applicants.

The process requires submission of a pre-application that includes data, maps and drawings of the proposed project. Applicants must certify that they have control of and tenure over the property and assume responsibility for the property and/or continued delivery of recreation services. Also included is a description of the source and availability of the matching funds which may include state, local or private funds. HUD Community Development Block Grant funds are the only federal funds that can be used as part of the local match. In-kind contributions may also be considered.

The pre-applications are reviewed and ranked by project. A national selection panel makes the final decision, which is forwarded to the director of the National Park Service for approval. Successful applicants are required to complete the final, formal application within 120 days of notification. It takes approximately eight to nine months to receive a UPARR grant. Construction must begin on the project within one year of the award and be completed within three years.

How the National Park Service Prioritizes UPARR Projects

The goal of UPARR is to establish national ideals for urban recreation that every eligible community can strive to attain. How do you know if your proposed project meets the standards set by the law? Here are some criteria the National Park Service uses to select UPARR projects:

• Does the community served by your project demonstrate deficiencies in access to neighborhood recreation opportunities, particularly for minority and low-to-moderate-income residents?
• Did your community use adequate public participation in determining rehabilitation or development needs?
• Does your project support or complement the local government's overall community development and urban revitalization program?
• Does your project provide employment opportunities for minority and low-to-moderate-income residents in the neighborhood?
• Will your project involve neighborhood, nonprofit or tenant organizations in the proposed rehabilitation activity or in subsequent maintenance, staffing or supervision of recreation areas?

Other factors, including population of the serviced community, condition of existing recreation facilities in the area. and the commitment of other non-federal resources to the project are taken into consideration in determining which UPARR projects are selected for a matching grant.

Accessing UPARR Funding: How You Can Help

Whether you are helping a municipality to restore an inner-city playground, set up an urban environmental education program or renovate a community recreation center, it is important to follow these basic steps:

• Meet with your local public officials to gauge the level of interest in your site or sites and to identify which eligible government should apply. These officials should include the mayor or equivalent top elected official and the director of the parks and recreation department or authority, among others. Remember that UPARR grants can be used only for existing facilities, not new ones
• Contact the appropriate National Park Service regional or field office to obtain information about the UPARR process, including application deadlines, project criteria and municipal needs and priorities.
• Arrange for the necessary funding match from the local municipality. The project must be in the municipality's budget first before a request for matching funding through UPARR can be submitted. A certificate authenticating that matching funds are available for the project is necessary for approval.
• Develop an information packet to help explain the need for conservation funding for your project. Include photographs, maps, land use or recreation plans, and other materials that will attract the attention of government officials, local politicians, members of Congress and the media.
• Meet with newspaper editorial boards, place opinion editorials and letters to the editor in local newspapers, and take other steps to publicize your initiative (see more publicity tips in Making LWCF/UPARR Work for You).
• Organize a meeting with the local or state parks and recreation association to help advocate for your project.