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Summary of NC Park and Recreation Trust Fund The Trust Fund was established in 1994 to aid in development of recreation facilities throughout North Carolina. The goal of the program is to equalize the provision of recreation resources on the state level while providing funds to applicants with diverse backgrounds and needs . An eleven ( 11 ) member Authority is selected by the Governor, Speaker of the House , and President of the Senate . The Authority selects the grants each year from a pool of completed local government applications . According to Eric Gulledge, the Regional Coordinator for our region, several objective and subjective measures are used to select grant applications for funding . In addition to the objective point criteria, a one-page submission from the applicant, Regional Coordinator analysis, and preferences by Authority members are all used in the selection process . Mr . Gulledge stated that the intent of the program is to redistribute funds to rural areas who have less opportunity to develop recreation resources . Thus , a specific County is not intended to receive back all funds which are ` paid into ' the fund . Information included in the Regional Coordinator analysis include a summary of noteworthy project features , park characteristics , applicant history of program funding, adjacent land use impact analysis , and evaluation of project ' s ability to meet the community ' s need . The subjective preferences stated by Authority members are also influential elements considered . The specific agendas of these members largely drives the priority given to particular projects . Since July 1996 , the program has been funded at the local level through the Register of Deeds Excise Stamp Tax . 75 % of these moneys generated by local governments are allocated to the Trust Fund, with the remaining 25 % dedicated to a related program, the Natural Heritage Fund . Of the 75 % generated for the Park and Recreation Trust Fund locally, only a designated portion (30 %) is available for grants j back to local governments for projects such as facility upgrades and parkland acquisition . Orange County has contributed $ 1 , 351 , 727 through the excise tax since July 1 , 1996 . The total amount available for return to the County from the Park and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) is $ 304 , 139 and from the Natural Heritage Trust Fund, $ 338 , 932 . Of this total , $ 31 , 500 has been received back into the County through grant awards . Thus , 4 . 9 % of contributed funds were returned through the Park and Recreation Trust Fund. The sole grant recipient in Orange County was the Town of Hillsborough, receiving funds for Occoneechee Park development. i II,