The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a federal 80-20 matching reimbursement program for building and rehabilitating trails and trail-related facilities. The Federal Highway Administration and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds make the program possible and mandate allocations to non-motorized, diversified and motorized trail categories.
Funding may be awarded to city, county, town, tribal or other government entities. Registered nonprofit groups partnered with a government body are also eligible. The Recreational Trails Program and Virginia Recreational Trails Program Advisory Committee steer project selections after a competitive call for applications.
The program currently accepts applications for new trail construction in even-year grant rounds (2022, 2024, etc.). Existing trail maintenance and amenity project applications are accepted every grant round but are most competitive in odd-year grant rounds.
The 2025 RTP grant round is pending funding notification from the Federal Highway Administration. It is anticipated to be held in Spring 2025 with only maintenance, repair, and amenity projects on existing trails eligible for funding.
Applications were accepted for the 2024 RTP grant round from March 12-May 7, 2024. Read the press release announcing the grant recipients from the 2024 RTP grant cycle. Both new trail construction and improvements to existing trails were eligible for funding in this grant round.
Applications were accepted for the 2023 RTP grant round from March 16-May 9, 2023. Read the press release announcing the grant recipients from the 2023 RTP grant cycle. Only trail maintenance, repair and amenity projects on existing land and water trails were eligible for funding in this grant round.
Contact Recreation Grants staff at recreationgrants@dcr.virginia.gov, or call Recreation Grants Coordinator Kellie Seaton at 804-786-1119.
Please email recreationgrants@dcr.virginia.gov if you would like to be added to the contact list for grant round announcements.