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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM ANNOUNCES NEXT WAVE OF GRANT FUNDING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">UNDER 2016 GREEN ECONOMY BOND<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><i><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">$3 million available to help R.I. communities improve recreational areas
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">PROVIDENCE – As part of continued efforts to grow Rhode Island’s green economy and promote healthier communities, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management (DEM) today announced the availability of $3 million in matching grants to help local communities invest in recreational spaces. The grants will be funded by the $35 million Green Economy Bond, approved by voters last year. The grant application
period is open through December 1, 2017. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">"Rhode Island abounds with beautiful outdoor spaces. And as Rhode Islanders, we know the value of these assets to our economy, health, and way of life,” said Governor Gina
Raimondo. “It’s important we continue to invest. The Green Economy Bond is funding critical improvements to our state and local recreational facilities and allowing us to expand this vibrant part of our economy that attracts tourism and people and businesses
to locate in Rhode Island. Our goal is to move swiftly to get this money into the community and get projects underway and completed, so we can continue to create jobs, support our families, and spur economic opportunities.”
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">According to the Outdoor Industry Association, nationally, outdoor recreation generates $887 billion in consumer spending each year. In Rhode Island, outdoor recreation generates
$4 billion annually in consumer spending and supports 37,000 jobs. A recent study by the University of Rhode Island found that the state’s 22 major recreational facilities alone attract some nine million visits each year, generating over $300 million in consumer
spending and supporting more than 3,700 jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;background:white">Last year, Governor Raimondo took executive action to create the Rhode Island Outdoor Recreation Council, with the goal of exploring and acting on opportunities to grow
the state’s outdoor recreation economy. The Council issued its <a href="http://www.ri.gov/press/view/29191">
report</a> in December, recommending further investments in recreational facilities across the state. Since 1988, DEM has awarded over 500 community recreation grants, investing $70 million across all 39 Rhode Island cities and towns.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">“The value and importance of community parks cannot be overstated,” said DEM Director Janet Coit. “They beautify our neighborhoods, connect us
to each other and with nature, and nurture our health and environment. The work we are doing, together with many partners, to improve these facilities and provide meaningful opportunities for families to be active and enjoy the outdoors matters. And we must
keep going. I encourage cities and towns to take advantage of this grant funding made possible by the Green Economy Bond.”
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;background:white">Community recreation grant funding – with a maximum of $100,000 for small grants and $300,000 for large grants – requires a 20 percent community match for development
projects and a 50 percent match for acquisitions. Projects that promote healthy aging for older adults or include investments in green infrastructure and/or stormwater control are encouraged. Applications will be evaluated and scored by the Rhode Island Recreation
Resources Review Committee, consisting of government and non-profit members, using the Open Project Selection Process (OPSP) developed under the 2009 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Grant awards will be announced in spring 2018. For more
information or to apply, visit </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/plangrants">www.dem.ri.gov/plangrants</a><span style="background:white">.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">For more information on DEM programs and divisions, visit
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov" target="_blank"><span style="background:white">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white">. Follow DEM on Facebook at
</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM" target="_blank"><span style="background:white">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white"> or via Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM).
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">Rose Amoros Jones, MBA</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"> | Chief Public Affairs Officer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">235 Promenade Street, Providence RI 02908<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">401.222.4700 x 7273 (O); 401.340.0182 (C)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="mailto:rose.jones@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:blue">rose.jones@dem.ri.gov</span></a> (E);
<a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="color:blue">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a> (W)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
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