GENERAL OVERVIEW

Funds for trails come from various sources, including federal appropriations, state funds, grants, and private donations. Regardless of administration or funding source, most trails are founded on public-private partnerships and include some form of cost-sharing or leveraging.

In addition, volunteer contributions both through labor and direct funding are critical to trail construction, protection, and continued maintenance.

PUBLIC FUNDING

A Trail Advocate's Guide to the Federal Budget Cycle
Find out how the federal budget process works and how you can help your favorite trails, parks and forests.
• A Trail Advocate's Guide to the Federal Budget Cycle for FY 2006 (PDF 92KB)

Federal Appropriations
Congress directs funding for trails on federal lands. The National Scenic and Historic Trails receive funding through line items in the National Park Service's operations budget, the Forest Service's Recreation Management and Capital Improvement accounts, and the Bureau of Land Management's Recreation Management account. Other trails in National Parks, Forests, and BLM lands fall under these and related accounts. For more information, visit our Federal Funding for Trails page.

Land and Water Conservation Fund
The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been a cornerstone of conservation and recreation for more than 30 years. Federal and state land managers use the fund to buy land to preserve wilderness, create parks, and protect trails. For more information visit our Land and Water Conservation Fund page.

National Park Service Challenge Cost-Share Program
Through the Challenge Cost-Share Program (CCSP), the Park Service supports the participation of communities, local agencies, and organizations to preserve natural, recreational, and cultural resources on NPS lands in support of NPS programs. NPS contributes a maximum share of 50%; the required match consists of non-federal cash or in-kind services. Numerous types of projects funded through CCSP benefit the National Trails System, including resource management, resource inventory and monitoring, scientific research, interpretive exhibit enhancement, historic site restoration, trail segment reconstruction, stabilization, rehabilitation, and trail safety improvements. Get more information or call (202) 343-9575.

Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program
The RTCA mission is to help citizens and community leaders plan and advance locally-led conservation projects that range from protecting waterways from pollution and misuse to converting old railways into trails. Projects also involve maintaining greenways to connect neighborhoods and beautify towns, introducing greenery to urban areas, planning and constructing trails, and beautifying open spaces.

Rivers & Trails does not direct or fund projects, but when citizens and community leaders have decided to conserve close-to-home landscapes, Rivers & Trails can help them get started. More information.

SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users)
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration is the nation's largest single source of funding for multiple use trails and related projects. The new transportation law (SAFETEA-LU) includes significant funding for trails through programs including Transportation Enhancements and the Recreational Trails Program - that fund trails. Get more information; also consult the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse and the Federal Highway Administration.

States Sites Offering Funding for Trails:
(excerpted from the National Trails System Funding Sourcebook)

Alaska: www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/grants/trails.htm

Arizona: www.pr.state.az.us/partnerships/grants/grants.html

California: www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21355#PageTop

Florida: www.tampagov.net/dept_parks/trails/

Georgia: www.dca.state.ga.us/grants/index.html

Indiana: www.state.in.us/dnr/outdoor/grants/wabash.htm

Massachusetts: www.magnet.state.ma.us/dem/grants.htm

Pennsylvania: www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/grants/

South Carolina: www.sctrails.net/trails/TRAILSPROGRAM/GRANTS/grants.html

Virginia: www.state.vipnet.org/dhr/homepage_general/finance.htm

Also see the related links for State and Local Parks & Trails for state information.

GRANTS AND FOUNDATIONS

Guy Waterman Alpine Stewardship Fund
The Guy Waterman Alpine Stewardship Fund's objective is to strengthen the human stewardship of the open summits, exposed ridgelines, and alpine areas of the Northeast. The fund annually awards grants between $1,000 and $5,000 to nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies responsible for these areas.

National Trails Fund
Created in 1998, the National Trails Fund (NTF) is the only privately supported national grants program that provides funding to grassroots organizations working to establish, protect, and maintain foot trails in America. To date, American Hiking has granted more than $240,000 to 56 different organizations across the country for land acquisition, constituency building campaigns, and traditional trail work projects.

The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Alliance was founded to fund grassroots conservation organizations and their efforts to protect rivers, trails, and wild lands for muscle-powered outdoor recreation. The Conservation Alliance has awarded almost $2 million in grants since its formation in 1989. For more information contact: Casey Sheahan
Kelty Pack, Inc.
6235 Lookout Road
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 262-3322
Fax: (303)262-3343
Email: csheahan@kelty.com

The Foundation Center
The mission of the Foundation Center is to foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects. The audience includes grantseekers, grantmakers, researchers, policymakers, the media, and the general public. This database is updated several times a year and allows for keyword searches by subject or state.

Environmental Grantmakers Association
The EGA exists as a voluntary association of foundations and giving programs concerned with the protection of the natural environment. Membership in the EGA is open to all foundations and giving programs which act primarily as grantmakers, not as grantseekers, and whose philanthropic purposes include the protection of the natural environment.

OTHER RESOURCES

American Trails
A comprehensive resource for information on fundraising, grant acquisition, researching lending sources, establishing youth programs, federal assistance and community involvement.

Environmental Support Center
The (ESC) works to strengthen the organizational effectiveness of local, state and regional nonprofit organizations that work on environmental issues. Typical areas of capacity building include: board development, marketing, fundraising, leadership development, etc. Check out www.envsc.org or call 202-331-9700 with questions about the application process or help in determining capacity building needs.

Grants.gov, the electronic storefront for Federal grants.

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