The Trust Fund, established in 1998, is a dedicated program supporting open space land acquisition, recreation development, as well as historical preservation and farmland protection throughout Bergen County. In 2013 the Trust Fund added the Floodplain Protection program.
   
The Trust Fund is divided into two separate programs, each having its own distinct goals and objectives.  The County Program uses Trust Fund dollars on a countywide basis for projects involving any of the five areas: Land Acquisition, the development of new and/or the rehabilitation of existing County Park facilities, Historic Preservation, Floodplain Protection and Farmland Preservation.  Eligible applicants include County departments, Bergen County municipalities, and qualified non-profit organizations.  Seventy-percent of the Trust Fund goes towards this program. 

The remaining 30% of the Trust Fund goes towards the Municipal Park Improvement Program. Each of Bergen County’s seventy municipalities is eligible to apply to this program for help to improve their municipal open space and recreation facilities.  This program is designed to supplement local efforts and therefore requires a dollar-for-dollar match from the municipality.  

The Bergen County Board of County Commissioners annually reviews the tax rate and may set the tax anywhere from $0.00 to $0.01. 

The levy for 2024 is one cent per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) of total County equalized real value, as approved by County Commissioner Resolution #011-24, adopted January 3^rd, 2024.

The Trust Fund is administered by a Program Statement

The Open Space Trust Fund Program Summary 1999-2022

For program applications, please view the program-specific webpages:

• Floodplain Protection Grant Program
• Historic Preservation Grant Program
• Land Acquisition Grant Program
• Municipal Park Improvement Program