Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD)

The Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Grant Program is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and offers financial assistance to eligible local units of government to acquire or develop land for public outdoor recreation. For Fiscal Year 2026, this annual, state-funded program will allocate a total of $35 million sourced from a portion of Illinois’ Real Estate Transfer Tax. The OSLAD program is non-federal and operates through a competitive grant cycle, with funds distributed statewide. Funding is provided as either a reimbursement of up to 50% of eligible project costs or, for development projects, an optional 50% advance payment, with the remainder reimbursed upon completion. Distressed communities may qualify for up to 100% funding in this cycle, although no more than 10% of the total appropriated funding can be allocated to distressed applicants overall. The program supports both land acquisition and development projects focused exclusively on public outdoor recreation. Acquisition projects may include parkland, greenways, waterfronts, and natural resource protection, while development projects may involve constructing or renovating playgrounds, trails, courts, fields, water facilities, restrooms, and related amenities. Combination projects involving both acquisition and development are eligible only when the land is donated and meets specific criteria. However, indoor recreation facilities and certain ineligible land uses such as professional sports venues, golf courses, or amusement facilities are excluded. All supported facilities must be ADA compliant and remain in public recreational use in perpetuity. Only certain local government entities are eligible to apply, including municipalities, park districts, counties, townships, conservation districts, and forest preserve districts. The agency must have statutory authority to acquire or develop land for outdoor public recreation and must register through the state’s Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) portal. Universities and schools are explicitly ineligible. Project costs incurred before grant approval are generally ineligible unless they relate to certain planning or engineering services. Applications are limited to one acquisition and one development project per cycle, except for entities serving over 2 million people. All applications must be submitted electronically via the AmpliFund Grant Management System, using the specific opportunity listing for FY2026. The current application window closes at 5:00 PM on September 30, 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline will be ineligible for review. Projects will be evaluated based on statewide recreation priorities, local needs assessments, community planning, site feasibility, and public input. Scoring also considers whether the project introduces new recreation services to underserved areas or demonstrates significant third-party support, such as donations. The maximum award for land acquisition projects is $1,125,000, and for development projects, it is $600,000. However, entities serving populations over 2 million may qualify for up to $3,450,000 in combined funding, though still limited to 10% of the program’s total annual funding per project. Grantees must complete their projects within two years and comply with strict reporting and billing procedures, including quarterly progress updates and a final billing submission within 45 days of the project’s end date. All awarded projects must install signage acknowledging OSLAD support, and the project sites must remain open and accessible to the public without discriminatory practices. For assistance or inquiries, applicants are advised to contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Grant Management and Assistance, at dnr.grants@illinois.gov or by phone at (217) 782-7481. Further information, including planning guides, forms, and timelines, can be accessed through the AmpliFund portal or IDNR’s official website. Notification of awards is typically made within the first half of the year following application submission, though awards may be announced earlier in FY2026.

Ensure GATA registration and contact IDNR for complex eligibility scenarios or land donations.