2027 Mass Trails Grants

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announces the availability of grant funds for support to municipalities, non-profit organizations, federally- or state-recognized Native nations, and state and federal agencies through the MassTrails Grant Program. MassTrails grants are funded through two funding sources. “Commonwealth Trails” funds are authorized through the 2018 Environmental Bond Bill and supported by the state's annual Capital Investment Plan. “Recreational Trails Program” funds are authorized by the U.S. Transportation Bill through the Federal Highway Administration and administrated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

MassTrails seeks to expand and connect the Commonwealth’s networks of off-road, shared-use pathways and recreational trails for all users of all abilities across Massachusetts by providing matching grants, technical assistance, and resources to individuals, municipalities, non-profits, federally- or state-recognized Native nations, and other public entities to plan, design, construct, and provide maintenance for high quality trail networks in Massachusetts.

Eligible grant activities include project development, design, engineering, permitting, construction, and maintenance of recreational trails, shared-use pathways, and the amenities that support trails.

For the purpose of this RFR, a “trail” is defined as an off-road linear corridor with varied surface type, width, length, and terrain. Sidewalks and/or road improvements are not eligible as trail projects under this program.

Eligible project activities include:

1. Trail planning, design, engineering, and permitting.
2. Construction of new trails.
3. Maintenance and restoration of existing trails.
4. Development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead amenities.
5. Purchase and lease of trail-related construction and maintenance equipment.
6. Acquisition (in limited cases) of easements and fee interest in property for trails and trail corridors.

Grant amounts are dependent on the project and its needs, with a minimum grant award of **$5,000** and a maximum grant award of **$100,000** for Recreational Trail Program (RTP) projects (generally most local natural surface trails) and **$500,000** awarded to regional shared-use path projects. MassTrails grants require that proponents provide a minimum match of **20%** of the total project cost.

Deliverables

The Grantee shall submit a Grant Close-Out and Project Summary along with their final Request for Reimbursement. These reports shall document the project’s goals, accomplishments, barriers encountered, and lessons learned. A map indicating the location of the project and pictures should also be included.

The Grantee shall submit Biannual or Quarterly Project Progress Reports for the term the grant is active, or upon request at any time. The Grantee shall display formal and permanent recognition/acknowledgment of MassTrails at the project site or affixed on equipment purchased through the program.

Submission

Applications must be entered and submitted online through the MassTrails application portal at www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-masstrails-grant. Any application received after the deadline will be rejected.

Evaluation

Each Applicant will be scored using the following measure. MassTrails seeks strong projects that:

• Plan, Design, or Construct off-road, shared-use pathways, and recreational trail connections between where Massachusetts residents live, learn, work, shop, and recreate (Connect)
• Serve the diversity of Massachusetts residents (Equitable)
• Effectively address accessibility guidelines (Accessible)
• Allow for efficient use of grant funds (Efficient)
• Are ready for the proposed phase (Ready)
• Effectively incorporate safety (Safe)
• Create diverse, high-quality recreational experiences and connect users to the natural and cultural wealth of Massachusetts (Experiential)

Contract term

The contract time period associated with an awarded grant will vary from one- to two-year contracts, depending on the scope, budget, and source of funds for the project. The earliest start date for contracts resulting from this RFR is July 1, 2027.