Trail Accelerator Grants- Spring Cycle Planning and Design

The Trail Accelerator Grants aim to enhance mountain bike trail communities by providing essential planning and design services. With funding between $10,000 to $30,000, these grants support local organizations in creating sustainable trail systems. The initiative encourages projects that increase access and promote community engagement, particularly focusing on diversity and inclusion. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to match funds, ensuring collaborative efforts to improve trail networks and experiences for all riders.

Trail Accelerator Grants provide a jump-start to communities that have the interest and political support to develop trail systems but need assistance to get projects up and running, or need further education and resources along the way.
The spring grant window will award professional trail planning and design consultation services. Planning is a key first step in trail development that sets the stage for all future work while often leveraging additional investment from local, regional, and national partners.
Round 1 - Spring Cycle Planning and Design
Grants awards typically range from $10,000-$30,000, and this is a one-to-one matching grant. For example, if you are awarded a $10,000 grant, you are required to match that with $10,000, for a total project cost of $20,000. If you are awarded a $30,000 grant, you are required to match that with $30,000 for a total project cost of $60,000. To determine the specific grant amounts, finalists will receive a call from IMBA Trail Solutions staff to discuss the scope of work, associated tasks, and define the final deliverables of the potential Trail Accelerator Grant project. This phone call does not indicate that a grant has been awarded. For grant awardees, the agreed-upon trail project process can be different for each site based on the desired outcomes and will be clearly documented in a contract between the applicant and IMBA. Project deliverables may include trails and facility concept plan reports, map graphics, field visit based trail design, and trail advocate education.
What Types of Projects Will Be Considered?
Projects that will serve mountain bikers as the primary users, though multi-purpose human-powered trail uses are viable as well.Projects that will result in a visible and substantial increase in access, improved mountain bike experiences, and greater community benefit.Projects where the Trail Accelerator grant stands to leverage additional resources to ensure the success of the project.Projects that promote community development, volunteer recruitment, new rider development, youth riding, and engaging under-represented community members. Typical project outcomes: Conceptual plans for new or expanded trail networks; detailed design and field flagging of trail alignments; assessment of existing trail networks reviewing trail sustainability, trail improvements, and/or network expansion;community wide feasibility studies analyzing multiple land parcels or large landscapes; planning/design of urban bike parks.A declined request does not imply that the project is not needed or valued. Those who do not receive a grant award may apply again in subsequent rounds.
Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Eligibility

Who Can Apply?Local, municipal, state, or federal government agencies, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits that actively manage parks and trails may apply. This can include land managers, chambers of commerce/economic development departments, community health organizations, land trusts/conservancies, etc.Mountain bike clubs and IMBA Local Member Organizations with the capacity to match and manage a grant of this scale are eligible to apply. The organization applying must be able to provide the matching funds.Projects which are primarily based on private land must be fully open to the public and free of charge.

Ineligibility

Private organizations including ski resorts, HOAs, or property developers are not eligible to apply.Religious organizations for religious purposes, private foundations, and political causes/candidates/legislative lobbying groups are not eligible to apply.