Recreational Trails Program Grant Applications for 2021 Available

04/08/2020

The New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation, Bureau of Trails Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant applications for 2021 are now available.

RTP is a competitive grant program that offers funding for quality public trail projects throughout New Hampshire.

Grants are available for motorized, non-motorized, and diversified trails. Eligible projects include maintenance and restoration of existing trails, purchase and lease of trail construction and maintenance equipment, construction of new trails, development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities, trail linkages, and acquisition of easements or property for trails. Applicants may be non-profit organizations, private groups or government entities.

Applications are due June 19, 2020. For an application and more information, visit the Recreational Trails Program page.

Usually there is a mandatory workshop requirement for applying to the RTP grant however, this requirement is waived for this year due to the ongoing situation. The RTP Information Presentation (shown at the workshops) is available on the webpage. The RTP guidelines are attached to the application. Please read them carefully and email Alexis.Rudko@dncr.nh.gov for any questions you may have.

More than $20 million has been invested in NH trails since 1993. “There would not be a public trail system in NH without these funds being available for new trail construction and maintenance of existing trails.” Said Chris Gamache, chief of the NH Bureau of Trails. “It is one of the only public sources of trail funding available in the State.”

Funding for the Recreational Trail Program is generated from federal gas tax dollars paid on fuel purchases for off-highway recreational vehicles and snowmobiles. These funds are appropriated to the states by the Federal Highway Administration as authorized through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST) of 2015. The program in New Hampshire is administered by the Division of Parks & Recreation’s Bureau of Trails.