Community Conservation Partnership Program

Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program

The Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program (PRTP) provides funds to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail related facilities for motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail use. Federal funding for the program is through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Recreational Trails Program(RTP)..

In Pennsylvania, the Recreational Trails Program is administered by the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR), Bureau of Recreation & Conservation (BRC) in consultation with the Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Advisory Board (PARTAB), which is composed of both motorized and non motorized recreational trail users.

Funding

For this grant round the Department has approximately $1 million available for grants. This funding must be distributed among motorized, nonmotorized, and diverse trail use, as follows:

• 40% minimum for diverse trail use
• 30% minimum for motorized recreation
• 30% minimum for nonmotorized recreation

Match requirements for Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program Grants are 80% grant money, up to a maximum of $100,000, and 20% project applicant money.

"Soft match" (credit for donations of funds, materials, services, or new right-of-way) is permitted from any project sponsor, whether a private organization or public agency.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include federal and state agencies, local governments and private organizations.

Eligible project categories are:

• maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trails;
• development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities and trail linkages;
• purchase and lease of recreational trail construction and maintenance equipment;
• construction of new recreational trails (with restrictions on new trails on Federal land);
• acquisition of easements or property for recreational trails or recreational trail corridors.

The Commonwealth may also use up to 5 percent of its funds for the operation of educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection related to the use of recreational trails.

The Department will also give consideration to projects that provide for the redesign, reconstruction, nonroutine maintenance, or relocation of recreational trails to benefit the natural environment.

Project sponsors are encouraged to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with qualified youth conservation or service corps to perform trail construction and maintenance.