A group of people walk along a path.
About the Grants
Non-Motorized Trails Grants
The Colorado State Recreational Trails Grant Program funds projects to continue to improve outdoor recreation opportunities, including trail construction, maintenance, planning, and support while protecting wildlife, habitat, and cultural resources. Funded by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and the Federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP), eligible project types include trail construction, maintenance, planning, and support.
1,000
grants awarded
$2
million in grants
$250k
construction, maintenance maximum
$45k
planning maximum
$75k
trail stewardship crews maximum
Two people ride mountain bikes.
About the Grants
Eligibility
Local, county, federal and tribal government agencies, recreation and metro districts, and charitable organizations (tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) are invited to apply.
Examples of trail or trailhead improvements eligible for funding:
- New trail or trailhead construction (Construction)
- Maintenance, re-route or reconstruction of existing trails
- Enhancements or upgrades to existing trailheads (Construction or Maintenance – new versus
improvements) - Trails Stewardship – This pilot program offers one year of funding for trail stewardship crews to
focus on non-motorized trails maintenance. - Trail layout, design, engineering, feasibility or use studies, analysis of existing and proposed trails
and master plans (Planning) - Building or enhancing of volunteer organizations, increasing capacity, training and education
(Support)
Grant Cycle 2024-2025
How to Apply
Project Requirements
- Construction and Maintenance – no minimum, up to $250,000
- Planning and Support – no minimum, up to $45,000
- Trails Stewardship – no minimum, up to $150,000
- 25% of the total grant request must be matched funds, 10% of that minimum amount must be cash
- Grantee insurance – required for non-governmental organizations only. Compliance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations and policies (including Build America, Buy America)
- All permits and clearances in hand before grant award.
- Project completion within 2 to 2.5 years of grant award.
Begin by Emailing Your Letter of Intent
All applicants must send a letter of intent to trails@state.co.us. Include a basic project scope with a high level overview of your project and a project site map that outlines where work will be performed This information will be sent to the appropriate CPW Area Wildlife Manager to initiate a pre-application review for identification of potential wildlife concerns. This process provides time for applicants to consider and begin addressing any concerns raised by CPW before the application deadline in October.
Compile Your Full Application
You will need to include:
- your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
- letters of support (up to 5 in a single PDF)
- a signed letter of resolution
- your application (construction, maintenance, trail stewardship, planning, and/or support)
- any maps or photographs (5 page limit)
- your project budget or multi-project budget
- either the federal environmental form or non-federal environmental form
- a vendor W-9 form (first time applicants only)
- an environmental impact assessment from NEPA (for projects on federal lands only) approved and finalized before grants are awarded
Email your full application to trails@state.co.us.
Application Documents
Having trouble downloading Excel or Word files? Right-click on the link, chose 'Save link as' and download to your desktop or designated folder.
Wildlife Review Process
Read this document for more information on what to expect during the pre-application and full wildlife review.
Download the Wildlife Review ProcessWildlife Impacts Assessment Guidelines
Read this document for more information on what to expect during the pre-application and full wildlife review.
Download the Wildlife Impacts Assessment GuidelinesPlanning Trails with Wildlife in Mind
This guide focuses extensively on collaborative approaches to problem solving to meet both conservation and recreation goals, and includes the current best practices and science to Colorado's land managers, trail advocates, and conservationists engaged in trail planning.
Download Planning Trails with Wildlife in MindConservation Data Explorer
Helpful to applicants as you prepare your applications.
Visit the Conservation Data ExplorerApplication Manual
Detailed information on the program priorities and process of applying for a non-motorized trails grant.
Download the Application ManualVendor W-9 Form
Only first time grant applicants need to fill out this form.
Download the Vendor W-9 FormConstruction Application
Applicants with construction projects should fill out this application.
Download the Construction Application.Maintenance Application
Applicants with maintenance projects should fill out this application.
Download the Maintenance ApplicationTrail Stewardship Application
Applicants with trail stewardship projects should fill out this application.
Download the Trail Stewardship ApplicationPlanning Application
Applicants with planning projects should fill out this application.
Download the Planning ApplicationSupport Application
Applicants with support projects should fill out this application.
Download the Support ApplicationExample Budget Form
An example of a filled out budget form for a project.
Download the Example Budget FormSingle Project Budget Form (.xlsx)
If you are applying for a single project, fill out this budget form.
Download the Single Project Budget FormMulti-project Budget Form (.xlsx)
If you are applying for multiple projects, fill out this budget form.
Download the Multi-project Budget FormFederal Environmental Form
If your project involves federal land, fill out this form.
Download Federal Environmental FormNon-federal Environmental Form
If your project doesn't involve federal land, fill out this form.
Download the Non-federal Environmental FormStatewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
Review the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) while you write fill out your application.
Review the SCORPState Trails Strategic Plan
Review the State Trails Strategic Plan while you write fill out your application.
Review the State Trails Strategic PlanUnique Entity Identifier (UEI)
If you haven't already, register a UEI.
Register a Unique Entity IdentifierNEPA Environmental Impact Assessment
If your project is on federal land, you will need an approved and finalized NEPA Environmental Impact Assessment before grants are awarded to be allowed to accept a grant.
Visit the NEPA Website
Review Subcommittee
Grant Application Review Process
The State Recreational Trails Committee and its grant review and ranking subcommittees meet to review the non-motorized trail grant applications. CPW compiles a group of volunteer reviewers, with significant and diverse knowledge in conservation projects, to serve on subcommittees for three project categories: Construction, Maintenance and Planning/Support. The entire process includes grant review, scoring, public comment periods and then the recommendation of funding.
Grant Deadlines
Key Topic |
Description |
Date |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Application Opens |
August 1, 2024 |
||
|
To help navigate the application process, a 45-minute webinar will be held to cover application requirements and commonly asked questions. |
Thursday, August 8, 2024 |
2:00 p.m. MT. |
|
|
To help navigate the application process, a 45-minute webinar will be held to cover application requirements and commonly asked questions. |
Thursday, August 15, 2024 |
10:00 a.m. MT. |
|
|
Letters of Intent Due |
Pre-application letters of intent are due to the program coordinator. |
September 3, 2024 |
5:00 p.m. MT. |
|
Full Applications Due |
Compile and email all required documents by this date. |
October 1, 2024 |
5:00 p.m. MT. |
|
Presentations |
Applicants are asked to make themselves available in December or January to provide a 15-minute presentation (10 minutes plus a 5 minute question and answer session) to the subcommittee. |
December, 2024 through January, 2025. |
|
|
Projects Reviewed |
Subcommittee scoring, ranking and funding recommendations to the State Trails Committee. |
January, 2025 |
|
|
Projects Recommended |
State Trails Committee funding recommendations to the CPW Commission. |
February, 2025 |
|
|
Grants Awarded |
CPW Commission review and approval to award grants. CPW awards grants. |
March, 2025 |
|
|
Additional Approved Grant Documentation Needed |
Following the approval of the CPW Commission, all projects should be prepared to complete additional documentation for their grant application. In most cases, CPW staff will reach out ahead of the Commission decision to prepare documentation in the case the project is approved. |
March, 2025 |
|
|
Projects Start |
CPW commences contracting. Grantee may begin grant funded work once the contract or purchase order with CPW is finalized. |
April through June, 2025 |
Grant Decision and Award Process
Grant Submissions
2023-2024 grant applications are listed here, but the public comment period has closed.
2024-2025 Public Comment Meetings
Presentation schedules, Zoom registration links and public comment information will be posted prior to the December/January events.
These meetings take place in the Denver area and are open to the public and provide a platform for verbal comments on the applications. The public is invited to review and comment at four separate stages: upon submission and posting of the applications on CPW’s website, before the application review subcommittees, before the State Trails Committee and before the Parks and Wildlife Commission.
- Partnership for Stewardship 2024 - Awarded
- Country Park Trailhead
- Rails to Trails Parking Areas
- Ramp and Stairs Improvement Project
- Maroon Creek Trail
- West Steamboat Trail, Ph. 2 - Awarded
- Blodgett Open Space Development - Awarded
- Palmer Lake Creekside Trail System
- Delta County Miners Trail
- Trail Expansion-Ridgway Area Trails Network - Awarded
- Paths to Mesa Verde
- East Harvard Gulch Trail Resurfacing
- Roaring Creek, Ph. 2
- South Valley Trail Improvement
- CDT Maintenance and Stewardship - Awarded
- Dry Lake Campground and Trailhead Restoration
- Frontcountry Infrastructure Upgrades
- Meadow Creek Trail Maintenance - Awarded
- Meeker Trail System Maintenance
- Burmac Trailhead-Racetrack Trail Improvements
- Leadville RD Trail Crew
- Mount Shavano, Ph. 2 - Awarded
- Oil Well Flats - Awarded
- Devils Playground Trail Reroute - Awarded
- South San Juan Wilderness Trail Maintenance
- Blob Rock Climbing Access Trail, Ph. 1
- Greeley Trail Stewardship Crew
- MRHI Trails Stewardship
- Trail Conservation Services 2024 - Awarded
- Countywide Trail Maintenance Crew - Awarded
- Trail Stewardship Crew Expansion - Awarded
- VVMTA Trail Conservation Crew
- 2024 Crested Butte Conservation Corps - Awarded
- Durango Trails Stewardship Initiative
- Rio Grande NF Trail Stewardship
- Trail Maintenance-San Luis Valley Public Lands - Awarded
Maintenance Specific
- Larimer County Trail Stewardship - Awarded
- RFMBA Seasonal Trail Crew Program 2024 - Awarded
- Gunnison Field Office Trail Stewardship Crew - Awarded
- Wilder Bunch Stewardship Crew 2024 - Awarded
- Coyote Ridge Open Space Planning
- Fall River Trail Final Design - Awarded
- Pike NF Trail Condition and Assessment
- Poudre River Trail - Narrows Planning - Awarded
- Camp Hale Continental Divide National Monument Access - Awarded
- Coffman Ranch River Access
- Future of Kokopelli Master Plan
- GMNC Trail Expansion Planning
- Blodgett Peak - USFS Area Planning
- Cucharas River Trail
- Wormhole Trails System - Awarded
- Regional Trails Connectivity
- Rito Seco Trail Expansion - Awarded
Contact
Please email any questions about non-motorized trail grants to:
Grants Program Coordinator
Pam O'Malley
[email protected]
Trails Grants
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers several trail grants to apply for.
Off-Highway Vehicle Grants
Eligible project types include trail construction, maintenance, planning, support and trail stewardship crews.
About Off Highway Vehicle GrantsSnowmobile Trail Grants
Purchase new or repair existing trail groomers, make trailhead improvements, create new or maintain maintenance facilities, or purchase signs and trail markers.
About Snowmobile Trail Grants