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Applications due in January for state Land and Water Conservation Fund
The Paseo del Bosque Trail in 1977 received funding for outdoor recreation purposes.
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The state is accepting applications for its Land and Water Conservation Fund, and this year's application cycle comes with expanded eligibility and prioritizing Native and rural applicants.
Senate Bill 169, dubbed "Land and Conservation Fund Changes," passed in the 2024 state Legislature and amended a state fund dating back to 1965. The fund helps meet federal financial match requirements and sends money to entities around the state to go toward local projects, like outdoor trails or recreation centers.
Advocates of the bill said it lifts barriers for Native American and rural communities to access money for outdoor recreation purposes, even without its original $10 million allocation request.
The legislation requires the state prioritize funding requests from Indian nations, tribes and pueblos as well as rural communities.
The bill also expanded the population size eligibility of incorporated municipalities, increasing it to a population of less than 65,000 people. It removed a financial match requirement for political subdivisions, too.
The legislation also outlined that state parks can receive money to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to Indian nations, tribes and pueblos and political subdivisions of the state. State parks can get up to 7% of New Mexico's annual apportionment of federal land and water conservation money for this.
The application for money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund can be found online at www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/land-and-water-conservation-fund/. The application requires project details, including financial requests, planning and the community benefit.
The deadline to apply is Jan. 3.
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