Funding opportunity: Federal Recreational Trails Program

Greenways Trails Council Moraine Hills. Image courtesy if the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The Illinois DNR cannot award grants resulting from these applications until a State budget is approved; submittal of an application will allow the review process to proceed up to the point of award and avoid delays when a budget is in place. Bicycle Path, Off Highway Vehicle, SNOW and STEF grant programs remain suspended until further notice. Click here for more information or to get the application and guidelines. Application is due April 3, 2017

Examples of eligible project activities include: 

1. trail construction and rehabilitation

2. restoration of areas adjacent to trails damaged by unauthorized trail uses

3. construction of trail-related support facilities and amenities

4. acquisition from willing sellers of trail corridors through easements or fee simple title.

Grant assistance from this program cannot be used for the following purposes:

1. condemnation of any kind of interest in property;

2. construction of any motorized use trail on U.S. Forest Service lands designated as wilderness or currently not authorized for such use by an approved management plan; or

3. upgrading, expanding or otherwise facilitating motorized use or access to trails predominantly used by non-motorized trail users, and on which, as of May 1, 1991, motorized use is either prohibited or has not occurred.