MassTrails Grant Program

The MassTrails Grant Program is a collaborative initiative administered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Designed to enhance the state's trail network, MassTrails supports the development and maintenance of recreational trails and shared-use paths across Massachusetts. The program offers matching grants to public entities, Native nations, and nonprofit organizations, aiming to strengthen outdoor recreation, improve connectivity, and expand access to natural resources throughout the Commonwealth. The program funds projects that support planning, design, engineering, permitting, construction, and maintenance of trails and associated amenities. Applicants may pursue funding for recreational trails projects, with a general maximum grant award of $100,000, or shared-use path projects demonstrating significant regional or statewide connectivity, with a maximum of up to $500,000. These grants operate on a reimbursement basis, meaning recipients must first expend project funds and subsequently request reimbursement with appropriate documentation. A minimum cost share of 20% of the total project cost is required, which may be fulfilled through cash or in-kind contributions. MassTrails grants draw on both state and federal funding sources. The Commonwealth Trails portion is funded through the Massachusetts Capital Investment Plan, focusing on long-distance, multi-use pathway networks that connect key residential, commercial, educational, and recreational nodes. The federally funded Recreational Trails Program (RTP), administered at the state level through the Federal Highway Administration, supports both motorized and non-motorized trail development and maintenance, further expanding the program's scope and impact. Projects must secure documented landowner permission at the time of application submission and must comply with all relevant local, state, and federal regulations. The grant review process is conducted by the Governor’s Inter-Agency Trails Team and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB), ensuring that selected projects align with state priorities and demonstrate community benefit, feasibility, and readiness. The 2026 MassTrails Grant cycle is currently open, with applications due by 11:59 PM on Monday, February 2, 2026. Submissions must be completed via the MassTrails online application portal, and paper or emailed applications are not accepted. The application portal allows for saving progress, though applicants are advised that uploaded documents will not be preserved if the session is exited before final submission. The application process does not require login credentials but does require an email address to save and retrieve application drafts. Primary contacts for applicants include Amanda Lewis, MassTrails Director, located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and Senior MassTrails Planners Guadalupe Garcia and Jeffrey Mast, based in Boston and Northampton respectively. The program is issued annually, and based on its recurring nature, applicants who miss the current cycle can anticipate a subsequent opportunity in early 2027. The MassTrails Grant Program continues to play a pivotal role in building and maintaining trail infrastructure that fosters outdoor recreation, public health, and environmental stewardship across Massachusetts.

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