The Trail Stewardship Grant Program (TSP) is a state program that provides funding for the development, renovation, and maintenance of motorized and nonmotorized recreational trails and trailside facilities throughout Montana.
Donor Name: Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks
State: Montana
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Reimbursement
Deadline: 01/31/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
In 2019, the Montana Legislature passed Senate Bill 24 which generates about $950,000 per year to fund projects that benefit small communities, urban centers, and backcountry landscapes. Funding for TSP comes from a portion of Montana’s $9.00 light vehicle registration as well as tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales. TSP has awarded approximately $5.6 million in its first four grant cycles (2021-2024) to 140 different trail access and improvement projects across the state.
Eligible Funding Areas
- New trail and shared-use path construction
- Rehabilitation and maintenance of trails and paths, including winter grooming
- Construction and maintenance of trailside and trailhead facilities.
Funding Information
The amount of available funding for the 2025 cycle is approximately $2 million. Applicants may request a maximum of $100,000 in grant funds, and there is no minimum request amount. The number of $100k awards made in the grant cycle will depend on the number of applications received and the overall scoring/quality of the applications.
Eligible Project Types
- Construction of new trails and paths
- Rehabilitation and maintenance of existing trails and shared-use paths, including grooming of trails for motorized and nonmotorized winter recreation
- Construction and maintenance of trailside and trailhead facilities, including but not limited to bridges, fencing, parking, bathrooms, latrines, picnic shelters, trail signs
- Provision and integration of features to assist individuals with disabilities
- Maintenance orstorage of equipment, including winter grooming equipment
- Restoration of areas damaged by trail use
- Trail projects on routes legally designated or otherwise appropriately approved by the land managing agency
- Weed management inside established trail corridors
- Development of urban trail linkages near homes, workplaces, and commercial centers.
Eligibility Criteria
Grant applicants may include tribal, state, county, municipal or federal agencies, school districts, and nonprofit recreational organizations and clubs. An organization can submit one (1) grant application per grant cycle.
For more information, visit Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
