ODNR details NatureWorks, Clean Ohio Trails and federal LWCF grant rules, deadlines

Dolores “Dee” Burleson, a staff member in the grant section of the Office of Real Estate at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, presented an overview of state and federal outdoor‑recreation grant programs and answered audience questions about eligibility, timelines and requirements.

Burleson said the main programs covered were NatureWorks (state), the Clean Ohio Trails and Recreational Trails programs (state and federal trail funding), and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, and she described how each program differs in award size, required local match and compliance periods.

The presentation matters because local governments and eligible sponsors must align planning, matching funds and environmental reviews to short project windows and long compliance obligations if they expect state or federal reimbursement for parks and trail work.

Burleson told attendees that NatureWorks is a state grant program funded through the biennial capital budget and distributed to counties with an initial even allocation plus additional funds by county population. For the most recent round she said the NatureWorks appropriation totaled about $3,500,000; smaller counties receive allocations that can be as little as $15,000 while larger counties may receive six‑figure sums. The local match for NatureWorks is 25 percent, with rules limiting how much of that match can come from outside…