Applications are available for federal Recreational Trails Program grants

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has begun accepting grant applications from private organizations and municipal, state and federal agencies for the Fiscal Year 2011 grant round of the federal Recreational Trails Program.

Eligible project categories include development of new trails, construction, maintenance and restoration. All grants are awarded on a reimbursement basis; a minimum 20 percent match is required for projects. Applications must be postmarked by June 13, 2011. More than $700,000 in grants is expected to be awarded in this round.

The Recreational Trails Program is funded through the Federal Highway Administration as part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). Missouri receives approximately $1 million per fiscal year from this federal program. In 1993 and from 1996 through 2010, the program funded 267 grants totaling more than $15 million. In Fiscal Year 2010, $2.3 million was awarded to 32 trail projects across the state. All states received an appropriation that had to be obligated between Oct. 1, 2010 and March 4, 2011. The department was proactive in assuring its funding was obligated to Missouri and therefore could not be rescinded due to the uncertainty of the federal budget.

The grants are awarded based on the results of a competitive scoring process and are based on recommendations from the Missouri Trails Advisory Board. The eight-member advisory board represents diverse trail interest groups including hiking, bicycling, all-terrain vehicle, off-road motorcycling and equestrian.

To assist potential project sponsors with the application process, Department of Natural Resources staff is planning three grant application workshops in Jefferson City, Kansas City and St. Louis during the months of April and May. The schedule for the workshops follows:

April 20 – Jefferson City, 10 to 11 a.m., Missouri Department of Natural Resources Conference Center, Roaring River Room, 1738 E. Elm St.

May 3 – St. Louis, 11 a.m. to noon, East-West Gateway Council of Governments, One Memorial Drive, Suite 1600.

May 10 -- Kansas City, 11 a.m. to noon, Mid-America Regional Council, Heartland Conference Room, 600 Broadway, Suite 300.

For more information on the Recreational Trails Program or to request an application, contact the Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks, Grants Management Section, 1659 E. Elm St., Jefferson City, MO 65101, call 573-751-3442 or go to mostateparks.com/page/55065/outdoor-recreation-grants.