The New Hampshire Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a federally funded competitive grant program administered by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails (BOT), a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). It is supported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and draws its funding from federal gas taxes on non-highway recreational fuel used in off-highway vehicles such as snowmobiles, ATVs, and trail motorcycles. The RTP provides reimbursement-based grants for the construction, maintenance, and development of recreational trails for both motorized and non-motorized uses across the state.
Eligible projects under the RTP are categorized by type and use: maintenance and restoration of existing trails, development and rehabilitation of trail facilities, purchase or lease of construction and maintenance equipment, construction of new trails, land acquisition for trails, and trail-related safety and environmental education. The program prohibits funding for feasibility studies, general project planning (beyond 10% of total project cost), sidewalk construction, most paving, unrelated equipment, and projects already in progress or completed. Grants range from $8,000 to $80,000 for most project types and from $3,000 to $10,000 for educational projects. A maximum of two applications may be submitted per sponsor each year, with an aggregate request not exceeding $80,000.
Applicants must provide a 20% match of the total project value, which can include cash, in-kind donations, volunteer labor, or materials. All applications are placed into one of three funding categories—motorized, non-motorized, or diversified—and compete against others in the same category. Extensive documentation is required, including landowner permissions, environmental and historical analyses, budget details, and visual documentation. Additional regulatory compliance includes adherence to the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act, especially for equipment and materials exceeding $500,000 in federal funding.
Eligibility is open to private organizations, non-profits, educational institutions, municipalities, and state and federal agencies, all of which must be registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. A designated project administrator is required for each application, distinct from the authorizing party, and will serve as the sole point of contact for all grant-related matters.
Applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the last Friday of May or the first Friday of June, depending on the year. A hardcopy submission is required, along with specific numbers of duplicate documents for certain materials. Attendance at a spring RTP workshop is mandatory for grant consideration. Selected projects are notified in the fall, and work may begin the following spring after receiving a formal “Notice to Proceed.” Project activities must be completed by the contract end date, typically December 31 or the following August, with potential for extensions if requested at least 60 days in advance.
For further information, applicants may contact RTP Coordinator Brianna Leone via email at Brianna.h.leone@dncr.nh.gov or by phone at (603) 271-3254. Additional resources, forms, and updates are available on the RTP website.
