Recreation Economy for Rural Communities Planning Assistance

receconomy@epa.gov

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering planning assistance where an EPA team will help communities bring together local residents and other stakeholders to decide on strategies and an action plan to grow the local outdoor recreation economy. The planning assistance process will take place over 8-12 months, with a focal point being a facilitated community workshop. At the workshop, participants will work together to identify a vision, goals, and specific actions to realize the locally set goals.

Partner communities are encouraged to pursue activities that foster environmentally friendly community development and main street revitalization through the conservation and sustainable use of public or private forests or other natural resources.

Examples could include:

• Ensuring local residents, including young people, have connections and opportunities related to nearby outdoor assets to foster community pride, good stewardship, physical activity, and local economic benefits
• Creating or expanding trail networks to attract overnight visitors and new businesses and foster use by local residents
• Developing in-town amenities, such as broadband service; electric vehicle charging; housing; or shops, restaurants, or breweries, to serve residents and attract new visitors and residents with an interest in nearby outdoor assets
• Marketing local downtowns and main streets as gateways to nearby natural lands to capture and amplify outdoor recreation dollars
• Developing a community consensus on the management of outdoor assets to reduce potential conflicts and ensure sustainable use of resources
• Engaging in stewardship of outdoor recreation assets and mitigating and adapting to climate change and other environmental challenges
• Ensuring that all residents and visitors, particularly those who have not historically been engaged in outdoor recreation and main street revitalization efforts, have equitable access to and can benefit from the growing outdoor physical activity and recreation economy

Eligible applicants:

• Local governments
• Tribes
• Nonprofit organizations
• Local colleges and universities
• Extension agencies
• Regional organizations, including councils of governments

Special consideration will be given to:

• Small towns and rural communities
• Economically disadvantaged communities
• Tribal and Alaskan Native village communities
• Communities located in the northern border region
• Communities located in the Appalachian region
• Communities in the Denali region

This is a technical assistance opportunity. Most communities incur little to no cost aside from staff and volunteer time devoted to planning and participating in the workshop.

A link to the online application is available on the program website.

Applicant webinar recording