Utah Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Grant

The Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation (OHVR) Grant is administered by the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, a state-level agency under the Department of Natural Resources. This division manages multiple grant programs that promote responsible and sustainable outdoor activities across the state. The OHVR Grant is designed specifically to support motorized recreation and provides targeted funding in six categories: trail work, access protection, education, search and rescue, snowmobile support, and OHV tourism. A separate year-round funding opportunity for OHV land acquisition is also included under this program. The purpose of the OHVR Grant is to enhance the infrastructure, safety, accessibility, and educational outreach associated with off-highway vehicle use in Utah. Eligible projects include the construction and maintenance of OHV trails, protection of land access points from development or environmental degradation, public education initiatives regarding safe and responsible OHV use, and enhancements for search and rescue capabilities. Tourism development initiatives that promote OHV-related activities, as well as support for snowmobile-related services and programs, are also eligible. Funding amounts vary by category, with trail work, access protection, and education grants ranging from $1,500 to $350,000. Snowmobile and search and rescue projects are capped at $150,000, while OHV tourism projects may receive between $1,000 and $50,000. The OHV land acquisition track offers awards ranging from $10,000 up to $1,000,000, and is open year-round. Applicants for the OHVR Grant must be either municipalities, counties, state agencies, federal agencies, tribal governments, or nonprofit OHV organizations that are incorporated in Utah. There is no matching requirement listed in the program materials. Applications are currently being accepted for the summer cycle, which opened on June 2, 2025, and will close at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on August 4, 2025. If an applicant is requesting more than $350,000 for a trail work project, they are required to participate in an in-person or virtual review meeting that includes a presentation and Q&A session. The year-round OHV Land Acquisition Grant is not subject to this cycle and can be applied to at any time. Applications are reviewed based on criteria that consider the project’s relevance to OHV recreation, its benefit to the public, and its alignment with the program’s goals. Detailed guidelines for eligible requests, the post-award process, and reimbursement forms are available in the 2025 OHVR Program Guide and other downloadable resources on the program’s website. A virtual workshop and presentation slides are also available to support applicants during the preparation phase. Contact information for the program includes Rachel Toker, the Recreation Grant Administrator, and Jorge Vazquez, the Motorized Grant Analyst. The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation is located at 1594 W North Temple, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, and can be reached by phone at (801) 538-5500. Applicants are encouraged to review all program documents, including the 2025 program guide and equipment cost list, before submitting an application. This grant program is recurring and is offered annually. The next cycle is anticipated to open in June 2026, with internal check-ins recommended by July 2026 to prepare for application deadlines. The grant is not offered on a rolling basis, except for the OHV Land Acquisition track, which accepts applications throughout the year.

Applicants are encouraged to submit applications for early review.