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Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), administered through state departments of transportation. This federally funded competitive program provides grants for trail construction, restoration, maintenance, and trail-related education projects across the country. Eligible applicants include county governments, municipal governments, and nonprofit agencies.
Grant amounts vary by state, with some states capping individual requests at $200,000. The program supports motorized and non-motorized trail projects and aims to expand access to outdoor recreation through an interconnected national trail network. Rails to Trails Conservancy highlights RTP as a key federal funding resource for trail advocates and local communities seeking to build or improve trail infrastructure.
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Recreational Trails Program (RTP) - Rails to Trails Conservancy | Rails to Trails Conservancy Recreational Trails Program (RTP) - Rails to Trails Conservancy Use TrailLink to Find a Trail Near You TrailLink is your guide to finding, exploring and enjoying the best multiuse trails nationwide.
Top Trails In Every State Great American Rail-Trail Celebrate Trails Day is on April 25, 2026 TrailBlog News & Features Top 10 Trails by State Blogs Explore top 10 trails blogs for all 50 U.S. States, D. C. , and Puerto Rico.
A Trail That Connects The Country The Great American Rail-Trail ® is the nation’s first cross-country multiuse trail, stretching more than 3,700 miles between Washington, D. C. , and Washington State.
Explore The Great American Rail-Trail Advocating For Trails & Active Transportation Securing Public Funding For Trails Supporting Trail Builders Connecting Trail Networks Protecting Trails in the Courts Mapping Trails and Research Great American Rail-Trail TrailNation: Connecting America's Trails Transportation Alternatives Data Exchange Partnership For Active Transportation Help Build A Nation Connected By Trails At Rails to Trails Conservancy, we reimagine public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors.
Membership & Other Ways to Give Support Great American Rail-Trail Become Part of the TrailNation (TM) Collaborative Join RTC's learning community where professionals, advocates, volunteers and public leaders come together to share proven tools and methods to establish and grow trail networks nationwide.
Join the TrailNation Collaborative Federal Funding Resources Transportation Alternatives Data Exchange (TrADE) Playbook for Building Trail Networks TrailLink: Trail Finder Platform Since 1986, RTC has worked to bring the power of trails to more communities across the country, serving as the national voice for the rail-trail movement.
Annual Reports & Finances RTC’s Strategic Priorities We’re working to ensure that trails and trail networks are prioritized as essential for people and places.
Learn more about our strategic priorities Policy and Active Transportation > Federal Funding > Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Recreational Trails Program Hudson River Greenway | Photo by TrailLink user umardrr1225 Funded by gas taxes paid by off-road vehicles, the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is dedicated to the construction, restoration and maintenance of nonmotorized and motorized recreational trails (paved and unpaved) and trail-related facilities.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) allocates funding to states. States must use 30% of their funding for motorized trail uses, 30% for nonmotorized use trails, and 40% for diverse trail uses. Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, annual funding for the program maintains at $84 million annually, despite $281 million in annual gas tax receipts for non-highway recreational vehicle tax.
RELATED: STREETSBLOG│FEDERAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM UNDERFUNDED BY $200M+ PER YEAR Administered By: FHWA which allocates funding and states administer grant programs The following are eligible project sponsors or applicants: The following project types are eligible for funding: Maintenance of existing trails Development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities Construction of new trails Acquisition of easements or property for trail usage Accessibility and maintenance assessments of trail conditions Developing and disseminating publications and operation of educational programs for safety and environmental protection Administrative costs (up to 7% of funds) West Virginia’s Meadow River Rail Trail March 2026 Trail of the Month Reflections at 40: Moments That Moved the Dial for America’s Rail-Trails Best Of: Game-Changing Rail-Trails You May Not Know About Each state has a Recreational Trail Advisory committee and a Recreational Trails Program Administrator.
You can locate your state’s primary contact through this database for more guidance on policies, the application processes, and eligibilities. Additional federal and national resources provide information about the program and insight to the types of projects typically funded. RTP State Profiles Database: https://recreationaltrailsinfo.
org/rtp-state-profiles/ FHWA RTP Overview: https://www. fhwa. dot.
gov/environment/recreational_trails/ FHWA Study of Non-Highway Recreational Fuel Taxes (2021) RELATED: FIVE TOP TRAILS THAT MAKE THE CASE FOR AMERICA’S RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM View all federal funding programs
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: County governments, municipal governments, and non-profit agencies; projects must relate to trail construction, restoration, maintenance, or education. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows varies (maximum grant request $200,000 in some states). Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is funded by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) / State Departments of Transportation (e.g., NYSDEC in NY). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
The Department of Defense FY2026 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) provides funding for U.S. universities to acquire research equipment and instrumentation in areas important to national defense, including AI and machine learning hardware. The program is administered jointly by the Army Research Office (ARO), Office of Naval Research (ONR), and Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), with approximately $34 million available and 95 awards anticipated. DURIP funds the acquisition of specialized computing hardware for AI/ML research (GPU clusters, TPUs, neuromorphic processors), robotics and autonomous systems testbeds, sensor arrays and data collection systems for machine learning training, high-performance computing infrastructure for defense-relevant AI research, and laboratory equipment for human-AI interaction studies. The program specifically supports equipment that enhances research-related education in DoD-priority disciplines. While general-purpose computing is not eligible, computing equipment directly supporting DoD-relevant AI research programs qualifies. No cost sharing is required.
Vinnova, Sweden's national innovation agency, funds projects developing applied AI solutions for Swedish industry through its Advanced Digitalization Programme. Each project can apply for between 2 and 10 million SEK (approximately $190,000 to $950,000 USD) covering up to 50% of eligible project costs. The total call budget is 60 million SEK. Projects run for 12-24 months and focus on two key areas: Intelligent Edge (AI for real-time application in the sensor chain) and AI-based decision support. All projects must address industrial needs and integrate gender equality and climate change perspectives. Scientific publications must be open access. A parallel call also funds AI and cybersecurity projects at 1-10 million SEK per project with a 50 million SEK total budget.
Inside FEMA's FY2026 Homeland Security Grant Program sit two transportation-specific programs that ferries, transit agencies, and port authorities keep leaving on the table. Here is what the $95M Port Security and $88.4M Transit Security programs actually fund, who is eligible, how the cyber-threat expansion changes the calculus, and how to build a July 24 application that survives risk-based review.
Read articleThe Department of Transportation's FY26 SBIR Phase I solicitation opened June 3 and closes July 7 — a 34-day window across FHWA, FRA, FTA, NHTSA, and PHMSA topics ranging from AI trip planning to thermochromic hazmat coatings to high-voltage battery discharge for rail. Awards land in September. The strategy for which topic to chase depends on infrastructure most teams underestimate.
Read articlePlanning applications close June 15; Bridge Project applications close June 29. Approximately $3.0 billion remains across the FY25–26 envelopes of a $9.62B four-year program — but the IIJA's September 30 authorization expiration converts this cycle into the last reliable BIP application window before a contested reauthorization fight.
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