Extra $1 Million Available for Recreational Trail Program Grants
Recreational trail construction and maintenance efforts in Alaska could be bolstered by an additional $1 million this year, according to the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (DPOR).
Under its Recreational Trails Program (RTP), the division typically offers grants of about $1.2 million a year for trail work in Alaska, says Director Ricky Gease.
Each $1 a grant recipient provides is matched by $9 from the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA). Eligible applicants include nonprofits; educational institutions; Native corporations or tribal governments; and local, state, and federal government agencies.
With additional FWHA money recently becoming available to the state, the division is currently accepting a second round of applications in 2021 for grants totaling approximately $1 million.
“This grant money will be doubly helpful in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gease says. “Not only will it stimulate our economy with an additional $1 million dollars in spending, it will also support the trails so many Alaskans are using for relief from isolation and social distancing.”
Current Issue
August 2026
The division is especially interested in using this year’s additional money to fund grants of up to $300,000 for projects supporting motorized uses and up to $150,000 for non-motorized uses, Gease says. However, under the grant rules, projects supporting trail safety and education will not be eligible for this second round of grants.
Grant applications must be delivered to the division by 4 p.m., on Friday, April 30. Application packages are available at: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/grants/trails.htm.
FY2021 Second Round Program Schedule
- March 1 – The current application becomes available online at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/grants/trails.htm.
- March 30 – Deadline for mandatory public notice of the grants.
- April 30 – Applications are due.
- May 17 – Qualified applications are sent to the Outdoor Recreational Trails Advisory Board (ORTAB) for review.
- June 8-9 – ORTAB meets to do scoring of qualified applications.
- June – Applications recommended for award are forwarded to FHWA for review.
- June – August: Award and grant agreements are signed and implemented.
