Entire RTP Application

Trail Grant Opportunities

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission administers one grant program for trail funding.

The grant program is the Recreational Trails Program fund (RTP), and it is funded through the Federal Highway Administration through a portion of the Federal motor fuel excise tax paid by users of off-road recreational vehicles such as snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, off-road motorcycles and off-road light trucks. This fund is specifically for land acquisition for trails, trail development and construction and trail-related support facilities. This fund is an 80/20 match; where the Commission administers the cost of 80% of the project and the project sponsor provides 20% of the total costs. Sponsors must have ownership or control (lease or easement) of the trail corridor or the property that will be development. Land for trails may be acquired only on a willing buyer/willing seller basis. This grant is for both motorized and non-motorized trail developments, as well as for mixed-use trails. This grant application process is due the first business day of October of every year. Please download application, all forms, policies and fact sheet and review prior to filling out grant application.

The grants are ranked by a Committee made up of trail enthusiast groups from across the state, federal agencies, natural resource districts, and individuals representing communities over 50,000 and under 50,000. These trail groups include both non-motorized and motorized trail advocates. Once the grants are ranked by this voluntary committee, the rankin goes to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Board of Commissioners for their approval. After this has occurred, the grant recipients are notified of their status. Click here for a listing of committee members.

Contact the Game and Parks Commission to request an application form, instructions and additional information or you can print the application form with the instructions off of this web page. Applications should be mailed to Michelle Stryker, Nebraska Trails Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, PO Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503. Please note that the fund requires a Political Subdivision to apply for the funding.

The application and instructions are available in Portable Document Format (PDF). The RTP application is also a locked Microsoft Word document that can be downloaded and filled out online and printed.

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