RCO Grant Match-Reduction Proposal

Recreation & Conservation Office (RCO) Votes to Reduces Local Match Requirements

A Message from WRPA Lobbyist Doug Levy

On Tuesday, May 21, 2020, the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (RCFB), which is the RCO’s policy-making body and the final stop on program funding approvals, voted unanimously to support an RCO staff proposal that reduces the local match requirement during this COVID-19 pandemic period we’re in – from 50 percent to 25 percent. This is for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), Youth Athletic Facilities (YAF), and Aquatic Lands Enhancement Act (ALEA) programs that RCO has authority to make administrative revisions to. WRPA Legislative Chair Roxanne Miles, North Bend senior planner Mike McCarty, Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition Exec. Dir. Christine Mahler, and I spoke in general support – with Mike McCarty as a small-city speaker offering particularly strong support.

RCO Match Reduction
Policy & Guide


Upcoming Stimulus Package – RCO’s Lists
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While the governmental responses to COVID-19 to date have been heavily focused on immediate relief and help to displaced workers, businesses, and economic sectors, a future question will be what the state and federal governments will do to spur economic recovery. During Tuesday’s meeting (RCO Executive Director Kaleen Cottingham), and during a Wednesday conference call I participated in with Governor Inslee, the notion of an infrastructure investment “stimulus” package was discussed. The Governor has one of his three Governor’s “Leadership Groups” assessing this idea, and the Senate Democrats have a Work Group dedicated to infrastructure and economic stimulus/recovery.  All of you should bear in mind that, should the 2021 Legislature look to build a “stimulus” package, RCO and its assembly of grant applications could well be utilized as a convenient set of “shovel-ready” project lists for parks and rec.  I suggest all of you take that into account as you submit your requests for WWRP, ALEA, YAF, and other grant programs.

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