Recreational Trails Grants (KS)

The Recreational Trails Grants offered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks aim to enhance and maintain trails for both motorized and non-motorized recreational activities. Administered by KDWP, the program allocates funds to various projects that promote outdoor recreation, ensuring a sustainable connection between communities and nature. With a commitment to conservation, these grants support diverse recreational uses, encouraging collaboration among trail enthusiasts to create vibrant outdoor spaces for all to enjoy.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is a cabinet-level agency with a Secretary appointed by the Governor. KDWP dates back to 1905 when fish and game laws were first organized under the Kansas Fish and Game Department and a new state law required a license to hunt. The agency has had many names over the years and has grown into a multi-faceted agency that touches the lives of every Kansan.
From hunters and anglers to birdwatchers and adventurers, KDWP offers sustainable outdoor recreation that fosters a deep connection between people and the natural world.
KDWP employs approximately 460 full-time employees across multiple divisions including Licensing, Fisheries, Wildlife, Public Lands, Law Enforcement, and State Parks.
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funds to the states to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses. The RTP is an assistance program of the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Federal transportation funds benefit recreation including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles.
The RTP encourages all kinds of trail enthusiasts to work together to provide a variety of recreational trail opportunities. In Kansas, the Department of Wildlife and Parks administers the RTP with guidance from the RTP Advisory Council. The RTP legislation requires states to use 30 percent of funds for motorized recreation, 30 percent for non-motorized recreation and 40 percent apportioned in a fiscal year for diverse recreational use. Diversified projects may include motorized and non-motorized uses or a combination of uses from either category. Diversified projects that include both motorized and non-motorized uses generally score higher than other projects.The RTP is intended to be a program through which states provide grants to trail project sponsors through an open competition process based on the merit of project proposals. KDWP will award grants to private, non-profit organizations, municipal agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, and other governmental entities.The program provides 80 percent reimbursement to selected outdoor recreation projects. Projects that provide for motorized recreation activities are encouraged, as 30% of the funding is to be devoted to motorized projects.