Outdoor Recreation Trails+ Grant

Grant Cycle Now Open

Now accepting applications for 2024-2025. Apply today!

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Trails+ Grant Guide

Please review our Grant Guide to learn more about the application process and eligibility requirements.

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Access to the outdoors should be low-cost and ubiquitous for all New Mexicans. That’s why lawmakers created the Outdoor Recreation Trails+. This grant program supports projects that enhance communities’ outdoor recreation opportunities. Trails, river parks, wildlife viewing areas, and more contribute to economic development, prosperity, and wellness. This grant funds shovel-ready projects that directly add to that access.

In fall 2021, ORD awarded over $500,000 to 25 organizations to fund outdoor infrastructure projects across the state. On March 1, Trails+ reopened with $7 million in funding. This investment enables ORD to broaden the scope and ambition of the grant, with local awards of up to $99,999 and regional awards of up to $500,000.

On June 10, 2022, ORD announced the first 15 recipients of the award, whose grants total $2.74 million. In September, 20 additional awardees were announced with projects at a total of $2,015,565 throughout the state. The third round of 19 awards totaling $1,809,946 million brings the 2022 total in Trails+ funding to $6,559,352 million for 54 projects. A fourth round of 5 recipients was announced on March 14, 2023.

The 2023-24 funding cycle opened in July with $10M in funding! For round one, ORD awarded $2.3 million to 20 projects to build or maintain more than 600 miles of trails and generate over 250 new jobs in 12 counties. In December, ORD awarded another $1.74M to 12 new outdoor infrastructure projects with, nearly 70% in Tribal and rural areas. In March, ORD awarded $1.6M to 12 new exciting projects, with 75% in Tribal and rural communities. ORD awarded nearly $2 million in a fourth round of funding through the Trails+ Grant in May 2024.

The Outdoor Recreation Division has now awarded 164 Trails+ Grant projects worth over $18 million to 30 New Mexico counties and 11 Tribal communities since program inception in 2020.

The 2024-2025 application opened July 1, 2024. Apply today!