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