OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Green Acres
Green Acres Mission
To achieve, in partnership with others, a system of interconnected open spaces, whose protection will preserve and enhance New Jersey’s natural environment and its historic, scenic, and recreational resources for public use and enjoyment.
The Green Acres Program was created in 1961 to meet New Jersey’s growing recreation and conservation needs.
Whether in rural, suburban, or urban areas, Green Acres is committed to preserving New Jersey’s rich natural, historic, and cultural heritage. Over the years, voters have authorized $3.3 billion in Green Acres funding, approving every bond referendum put before them.
Together with with public and nonprofit partners, as of June 2022 the Green Acres Program has directly protected 681,234 acres of open space and parkland and has funded 1,256 local and nonprofit park development and stewardship projects in communities around the state. Overall, the Green Acres Program has helped to plan and grow the state’s protected lands, with the total preserved open space in New Jersey reaching 1,626,108 acres.
News and Notices
Nonprofit Open Space and Recreation Plan Guidelines
As discussed in recent stakeholder meetings, beginning with our 2026 funding round, nonprofits applying for Planning Incentive grants (to acquire multi-site / regional / statewide properties) will be required to submit an Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP). Nonprofits applying for single-site projects, or solely to implement a local government partner’s OSRP, are not required to submit an OSRP.
Green Acres has drafted an OSRP guide (available here). We also have scheduled a Q&A session for 10:00 AM on February 25, 2025, when we will discuss the OSRP guidelines. The link to the meeting is below. We hope you can join us!
Join the meeting online
Meeting ID: 285 248 048 959
Passcode: v9Zb2eW3
Dial in by phone
+1 856-338-7074,,566673339# United States, Camden
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 566 673 339#
Green Acres Announces 2025 Funding Round
The Green Acres Program is pleased to announce its 2025 funding round. Applications for land acquisition, park development, stewardship, Jake’s Law (Completely Inclusive Playgrounds), and Urban Parks projects will be accepted. The deadline is February 5, 2025. Supplemental funding requests for active projects are also due on February 5, 2025.
Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Grants
National Park Service announced Round 8 for ORLP grants to support acquisition and park development projects in underserved urban communities. There are two preliminary application deadlines per year for the next 5 years. To be considered for the June 1st deadline, please submit project proposal by March 7th. For more information, please visit the NJ ORLP site.
