
filed under: federal legislation
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on March 27, 2020, provides the Economic Development Administration (EDA) with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to strengthen communities.
by Liz Thorstensen, Vice President of Trail Development, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)
Iron Ore Heritage Trail - Marquette County, Upper Peninsula of Michigan; Photo by J. Birdie
The team at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and American Trails is closely tracking relief and funding opportunities related to COVID-19 that may be appropriate for trail development.
On May 7, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the availability of $1.5 billion in CARES Act funds in response to the pandemic. This funding will provide investments that support construction, non-construction, planning, technical assistance and revolving loan fund projects under EDA’s existing Public Works program. The funds are intended to aid regions across the country experiencing severe economic dislocations and hardship brought about by the pandemic.
The EDA’s funding announcement encourages “initiatives that present new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities.” While EDA programs are not a traditional source of trail funding, we believe trail and active transportation applications that make a strong economic impact and recovery case could very well be competitive in this program. EDA will accept applications for grants to support a wide variety of assistance, including:
We encourage you to explore this funding opportunity by:
While the submission timeline is on a rolling basis, our expectation is that these funds will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Similar to other programs implemented under the CARES Act, demand will likely be very high. We encourage you to explore this opportunity as soon as possible.
If you do decide to formally apply, please email RTC to let us know so that we can track the success rate of trail-related applications and share that information with the trails community.
Published May 13, 2020
2020 Annual CRT Achievement Awards
The Coalition for Recreational Trails is pleased to announce the winners for the 2020 Tom Petri Annual Achievement Awards in recognition of outstanding use of Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funds.
30 New National Recreation Trails Have Been Designated
On October 22, 2020 U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced 30 new national recreation trails in 25 states, adding more than 1,275 miles to the National Trails System.
Recreational Trail Program Funds Help Create Sign Language Program
Kartchner Caverns State Park provides tours that see over 150,000 people annually and the information that rangers provide on the tours is crucial to the experience. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing community has been missing out on a vital part of the experience, until now.
This Comprehensive Management and Use Plan / Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails is shaped, in part, by the planning requirements found in section 5(f) of the National Trails System Act. It focuses on the trails’ purpose and significance, issues and concerns related to current conditions along the trails, resource protection, visitor experience and use, and long-term administrative and management objectives. Elements of the proposed plan have been developed in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as nonprofit trails organizations — the entities that form the core of any partnership for national historic trails.