Connecticut Recreational Trail Grants

2024 Grant Round Overview


Recreational Grant Funds in Connecticut - Program History

2007 - 2015

National Recreation Trails Grant Program - Federal Highway Administration

2015 - Present

Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program -Established in 2015, per CGS Section 23-103, as amended by Public Act No. 15-190 - Connecticut Bonding Funds


Connecticut Recreational Trails Grants to be used for:

Devil's Hopyard State Park Bridge funded by CT RTP.

  • Trail Planning & Design,
  • Trail corridor acquisition,
  • Construction, construction administration,
  • Trail Maintenance, equipment,
  • Trail amenities (signage, kiosks, bathrooms, ect.), and
  • Publications/outreach related to bikeways, multi-use trails (including motorized) and water trails (blueways).

Eligible grant recipients include private nonprofit organizations, municipalities, state departments and tribal governments in support of trail projects.

CT Recreational Trails Grants are reimbursement grants (invoices and paid expenses are submitted by the grantee to CT DEEP for reimbursement), which require quarterly reporting and billing. Contract terms are generally for three years from contract execution. Reimbursement CANNOT be made for work completed prior to contract execution through the Attorney General.


CT Recreational Trails Grant - Match Requirement

The grant requires a 20% match which can be accrued up to 18 months prior to your contract document finalization. Match may be provided by municipal, federal, other state, nonprofit or private funds/donations or in-kind services through staff Time, and/or volunteer Labor. (You can determine volunteer hourly estimates via the  Value of Volunteer Time Report | Independent Sector Resources.) 

DEEP Recreational Trails Grant Program provides reimbursement for 80% of the TOTAL project value (grant funds + matching funds).

DEEP Recreational Trails Grant Program requires a minimum match of 20% of the TOTAL project value (again, grant funds + matching funds)

To determine your required match, multiply your proposed grant funding amount by 0.25 - That’s your minimum required match!

Then add the match amount to the grant funds amount to get your total project cost.

Example: Your organization wishes to purchase bridge materials and is requesting grant funds in the amount of $100,000: $100,000 X 0.25 = $25,000 of minimum match required.

Your total project value would then be $125,000 ($100,000 grant funds / $25,000 matching funds)

$100,000 = 80% / $25,000 = 20%


CT Recreational Trails Grant - Information and Application


CT Recreational Trails Grants - Land Ownership & Permission

All projects utilizing CT Recreational Trails Grant funds must be accessible to the public. Proposed trail projects that include property where ownership or land management differs from the applying organization, that permission of recreational access MUST be documented as Attachment A within the Application

CTDEEP managed lands require documented approval for any project proposed. Planning projects in State Parks, require Director of State Park and Public Outreach Division written support. Planning projects in State Forests require support from the Director of Forestry Division and the Director of State Parks and Public Outreach. Any contruction projects including maintenance projects require formal agreement with the CTDEEP Office of Land Aquisition and Management.


CT Recreational Trails Grants -Project Information Tools

Site Suitability Application Part III #4- Most applicable to Planning, Design, Construction Projects. Tools for review and application materials are provided in the mapping below. (Links are active in CT RTP  Application )

The Natural Database State-listed Species review process helps identify potential project impacts on habitats and protected species. Request process and information can be found in the  CTDEEP Requests for NDDB Environmental Reviews webpage .

CT Recreational Trails Grants - Scope Format

CT Recreational Trails Grants - Project Cost Estimates


CT Recreational Trails Grant - Educational Supplement


CT Recreational Trails Grant - Weekly Office Hours

Weekly office hours will occur every Friday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM from January 19 through March 8, 2023:

Meeting ID: 296 890 906 98 Passcode: ZGKETj

Or call in (audio only) +1 860-840-2075,,984455534#    United States, Hartford Phone Conference ID: 984 455 534# Find a local number  |  Reset PIN 


CT Recreational Trail Grant Applications are anticipated to be due by March 11, 2024. Any follow up questions or support please contact:

Kimberly Bradley

CT State Parks Trails & Greenways Program Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127 

P: 860-424-3938|C: 203-915-5201|E:  kimberly.bradley@ct.gov   Recreational Trails Program  

Devil's Hopyard State Park Bridge funded by CT RTP.

Site Suitability Application Part III #4- Most applicable to Planning, Design, Construction Projects. Tools for review and application materials are provided in the mapping below. (Links are active in CT RTP  Application )

CT Recreational Trails Grants - Scope Format

CT Recreational Trails Grants - Project Cost Estimates

CT Recreational Trails Grant - Educational Supplement