RTP grant applicants (sponsors) can include federal, state, county or municipal agencies, private associations and clubs. Reimbursement of RTP funds will only be approved for project expenditures incurred after the date of the signed project agreement between the project sponsor and FWP. Not all activities are eligible for funding. The following is a list of eligible and non-eligible projects.

Eligible

• Operation of trails-related environmental protection and safety education programs.



• Trails information, ethics education and enforcement.



• Development of urban trail linkages near homes and work places.



• Trail projects on routes legally designated or otherwise appropriately approved by the land managing agency.



• Trails that are not currently under litigation in a court of law.



• Construction and maintenance of trails:
  • Clearing/brushing on federal lands will only be allowed to the standard clearing widths identified in the appropriate federal agency trail guidelines.
  • On federal lands, grants will only be approved for trails legally designated by the appropriate federal agency that are included in recognized forest plans, resource area plans, or travel plans.
  • Broad scale maintenance will require specific trail identification and specific description of work to be accomplished.
  • Weed control related to a trail or trail projects.


• Restoration of areas damaged by trail use.



• Development of trailside and trailhead facilities.



• Providing features to assist disabled individuals.



• Acquisition of easements and fee simple title of property for trails.



• Signs and other traffic control devices. However these devices must conform to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.



• Buildings and facilities that are newly constructed or altered with federal funds are subject to the accessibility requirements contained in the Uniform Accessibility Standards.

Not Eligible

• Land acquisition by condemnation.



• Construction of new trails on federal lands.



• Projects that displace fish and wildlife species or reduce habitat effectiveness; cause irreparable damage to vegetation, soils, water and wild public lands or substantially increase conflicts.



• Trail projects on routes not legally designated by the appropriate land managing agency.



• Trails, or any project pertaining to that trail, currently under litigation in a court of law.



• Projects that have the potential to substantially alter legal use patterns or make the trail substantially less desirable for the spectrum of current users.



• Projects that destroy or compromise the special characteristics of roadless lands.



• Projects managed as profit making entities.



• Upgrading, expanding or facilitating motorized use or access to recreational trails predominantly used by non-motorized recreational trail users and on which, as of May 1, 1991 motorized use was prohibited or had not occurred.



• Conversion of rural/backcountry single track trails to double track trails or the conversion of double track trails to routes wide enough to accommodate motor vehicles (cars, trucks).



• Motorized projects in wilderness study areas or inventoried roadless areas except for projects that rehabilitate areas damaged by use including trails.



• The following will not be funded: equipment to be used on a short-term basis (or seasonally) and that is available by:
  1. rent or lease, or from
  2. a land managing agency; equipment that is
  3. typically owned by the applicant requesting its purchase, or
  4. available through contract.