The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for its Federal Recreational Trail Program to encourage the maintenance and development of motorized, non-motorized, and diversified trails by providing funding assistance.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/29/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Recreational Trails program provides financial assistance for the development and maintenance of recreational trails and trail-related projects and provides funding from the Federal Highway Trust Fund in acknowledgment of off-road recreational fuel use.
Priorities
This year’s priorities for funding are as follows:
- Projects that accommodate both motorized and non-motorized uses, including same-season access corridors.
- Projects that involve youth corps workers such as Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa will be given special consideration.
- For all-terrain vehicle, off-highway motorcycle, off-road 4×4 vehicle, and snowmobile projects, priority will be given to trail acquisition and purchase of permanent easements, to trail development and trail linkages to existing systems over equipment purchases.
- For all horse, in-line skate, cross-country ski, hike, and bicycle, priority will be given to trail linkages and restoration to existing trail systems, necessary trail facilities, trail signage to improve safety, and trail maintenance equipment.
- For mountain bicycle projects, the development of new single track trail systems, located in areas of high user demand, in partnership with city, county, and state land managers will be given priority.
- Projects that provide recreational opportunities in underserved areas.
Funding Information
The minimum grant request is $2,500, and the maximum trail grant award is $200,000. Maximum request per equipment grant is $75,000. Equipment grant requests also require a 25% secured match.
Eligible Projects
- Construction of trails on federal (with limitations), state (with limitations), county, municipal or private lands where a twenty year easement for the purpose of the project can be obtained.
- Development of urban trail linkages near homes and workplaces.
- Contracted maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trails.
- Development of permanent trailside and trailhead facilities (e.g., drainage, crossings, stabilization, parking, signage, controls, open-sided shelters, water, and sanitary facilities).
- Provision of features that facilitate access and use of trails by persons with disabilities.
- Land acquisition from willing sellers, where value is established by a licensed and certified federal appraiser (and whose conclusions of value are certified by the State), and only if twenty-year easements for recreation trail purposes is conveyed to the state.
- Purchase of equipment (e.g., trail groomers).
Eligibility Criteria
All projects must be sponsored by a unit of government, preferably in cooperation with a local trail organization.
For more information, visit DNR.
