Boating Infrastructure Grant

The Boating Infrastructure Grant program provides financial support to marinas for the development, renovation, and maintenance of facilities intended for transient recreational boaters operating vessels that are 26 feet or longer. The program is designed to enhance access to recreational boating by funding infrastructure that supports safe and convenient docking and related services for non-trailerable boats. The program prioritizes projects that serve the transient boating community and are open to the public. This grant is administered by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, which serves as the state-level implementing entity for this federally funded program. Funding originates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act. Revenues for the program are generated from excise taxes on fishing equipment, motorboat fuels, trolling motors, and import duties on boats. The program supports two funding tiers: Tier 1, which is non-competitive and allows state agencies to apply for up to $100,000 for qualifying projects, and Tier 2, a competitive national process typically used for larger projects exceeding $1,000,000, although there is no stated minimum. Eligible applicants include both public and private marinas, boatyards, and local or state parks that intend to develop or upgrade transient boating infrastructure. Facilities must meet specific criteria to qualify, such as offering a minimum water depth of six feet at low water, being open to the public, accommodating boats of 26 feet or longer, being located on navigable waters, and being within two miles of a public pumpout facility. The program encourages collaborative applications between local governments and private facilities to optimize resource use and expand public benefit. The scope of eligible projects is broad, covering a range of infrastructure that supports transient boating. These include mooring buoys, day docks, navigational aids, transient slips, floating docks and piers, breakwaters, dinghy docks, restrooms, bulkheads, dockside utilities including electric and water service, and pumpout stations. Facilities funded through this program must limit transient stays to no more than ten consecutive days. While there are no specific limitations on the fees marinas may charge, they must be reasonable and comparable to local rates. To apply, potential applicants must first contact the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department by phone to confirm project eligibility and obtain updated guidance. Applications may be submitted at any time, but the program has a single annual deadline of August 15, or the following Monday if the date falls on a weekend. Applications submitted by this deadline are evaluated and submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the end of the calendar year. Award notifications are typically issued by January of the following year. Federal funds awarded under this program can reimburse up to 75 percent of total approved project costs. The remaining 25 percent must be provided as matching funds by the applicant or through partnerships. This cost-sharing arrangement underscores the importance of local investment and stakeholder engagement in enhancing recreational boating infrastructure. The program does not provide funds directly to applicants; all funding flows through the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, which manages the award and reporting processes with federal authorities.