Recreational Trails Program
Recreational Trails Program supports Vermont communities in building, restoring, and maintaining public trails for motorized and non-motorized recreation near people who live in and visit the state.
Funder: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Due Dates: November 20, 2026 (Pre-application) | January 31, 2027 (Full application, by invitation)
Funding Amounts: $50,000 maximum ($7,500 recommended minimum), with a minimum 20% match; implementation July 13, 2027–December 31, 2028
Summary: Supports the development, restoration, and maintenance of public recreational trails across Vermont for motorized and non-motorized recreation.
Key Information: Reimbursement funding: grantees must finance expenditures upfront after a grant agreement is fully executed.
Description
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides annual funding to Vermont communities for public recreational trails. Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, the program is administered in Vermont by the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR). It supports motorized and non-motorized recreation, with the goal of developing and maintaining trails near people who live in and visit Vermont.
Supported work includes maintaining and restoring trails, constructing new trails, improving trailhead and trailside facilities and parking, acquiring trail easements or property, and trail-related education. Amenities may include signage, kiosks, composting toilets, recycling receptacles, and trail structures. Projects must advance the goals, objectives, and priorities of Vermont’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
