(RALEIGH) -- Over one-million in grants from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund is being divvied to five local governments.

State parks director Lewis Ledford announced the award of $1.05 million in grants for parks and recreation projects.

“The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund has reached into hundreds of local communities offering new opportunities for recreation and fitness,” Ledford said. “These opportunities for new parks, trails, greenways and recreation facilities go hand in hand with North Carolina’s commitment to conservation, sound environmental stewardship and economic opportunity.”

The matching grants, awarded by the Parks and Recreation Authority, will help fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. Earlier this year, the board awarded 10 grants totaling $1.6 million. During the 2011-12 funding cycle, the authority considered 60 grant applications requesting nearly $13 million. A maximum of $500,000 can be awarded to a single project.

The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund is administered through the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and was established in 1994 when the General Assembly dedicated 75 percent of the state's share of the excise tax on real estate deed transfers to the fund. The revenue is distributed to three programs: 65 percent to the state parks system for repairs, capital improvements and land acquisition; 30 percent for matching grants to local parks and recreation programs for development and land acquisition; and 5 percent to the coastal beach access program.

Since 1995, the Parks and Recreation Authority has received 1,351 grant applications with requests totaling about $286 million. The board has awarded 701 grants for $157 million.

The local governments receiving grants are:
· Cornelius, which received $300,000 for the Robbins Park Phase II project
· Hillsborough, which received $425,000 for Riverwalk Phase II
· Maysville, which received $55,693 for the Frost Park improvements
· Montreat, which received $115,160 for the Assembly Drive Greenway
· Pender County, which received $162,545 for Millers Pond Park.