For the Grantee:
Trail Grant Project Administration

Trail grant programs

This page is designed to assist grant recipients in the administration of grants funded through the following programs:

Documentation required prior to grant contract/agreement

Prior to beginning any construction or accruing any costs that are expected for reimbursement as part of a grant, the required documentation must be completed. No grant agreements will be issued until all of the requirements outlined in the grant award letter are completed. The first link below is a sample of the "required documentation checklist" that is sent out with the grant award letter.

DO NOT spend any money on your trail project that you expect to be reimbursed until you have a fully signed contract with the State of Minnesota in front of you!

Local trail connections and regional trail grant programs

  • Required documentation checklist sample
    Summary of documentation requirements before a grant contract will be issued and thus before a project may begin.
  • Sample resolution/legal certification
    Sample resolution, which 1) accepts the grant, 2) names a fiscal agent, and 3) assures that the facility will be maintained for no less than 20 years.
  • Required certification form
    This form must be signed by all administrators of public land crossed or utilized by the trail project.
  • Minnesota Natural Heritage Data request
    Used to request environmental review by DNR for impact on state endangered species. Submit review requests through the Minnesota Conservation Explorer. Environmental review of your project by USFWS is required to determine if there are any federal-listed endangered, threatened or special concern species that may be affected by the project. Visit the IPaC Information for Planning and Consultation webpage to initiate review of your project.
  • State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) 
    SHPO and the Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA) must be contacted to review your project to determine if the site is a potential location for historical or archeological findings. If there is a determination that a survey is required, the survey would need to be completed prior to any site disturbance for development projects and prior to the final reimbursement of the grant funds for projects. The Minnesota State Historical Inventory Portal (MnSHIP) is a new online application with geospatial capabilities, developed by the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo) for SHPO. Please visit MnSHIP and the OSA portal to perform research yourself. You can also visit https://npgallery.nps.gov/nrhp to obtain National Register of Historic Places nominations and information. 
  • Minnesota local/state/federal application forms for water/wetland projects
    Used to receive evidence of compliance with water and wetland regulations. A determination is required. The link will take you to an online joint application process when DNR, Board of Water and Soil Resources and U.S. Army Corp of Engineer permits are needed.
  • Guidance document for Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) review rules
    Information on the EQB review rules for compliance for trail projects.
  • Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) form
    This form is required for all grant projects and is a checklist of environmental impacts as well as a certification of concurrence from the grantee and governmental jurisdictions that the project impacts.

Federal recreation trail program

Prior to beginning any construction, purchasing any equipment, or accruing any costs that are expected for reimbursement as part of this grant, an environmental assessment of the project must be completed. This environmental review assessment has been updated to comply with FHWA requirements. The new form, Categorical Exclusion for 23 CFR 771.117c (CE Form) replaces previously used materials and will need to be completed fully prior to submission to DNR. Letters received from environmental reviews must be included with CE 23 CFR 771.117c submittal.

  • Categorical exclusion for 23 CFR 771.117c (CE Form) | Form guidance
    This form is required for all grant projects and is a checklist of environmental impacts as well as a certification of concurrence from the grantee and governmental jurisdictions that the project impacts.
  • Cultural, noise, T & E request form | Form guidance
    This form is required for all grant projects and is to request review for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. This form also is a request for federal laws: Endangered Species Act (Section 7), Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Bald and Golden Eagle Act (BAGEA) and Noise Analysis.
    • Equipment projects: Provide a map of the trail the equipment will be used on and describe the equipment to be purchased.
    • Trail projects: Provide details about the trail construction - amount and depth of ground disturbance, level of clearing (approx. quantities of trees), timing of project, etc. Also provide a KMZ (GIS/Google map coverage) of the construction limits for the trail.
  • Minnesota Natural Heritage Data request Required for trail projects. 
    Used to request environmental review by DNR for impact on state endangered species. Submit review requests through the Minnesota Conservation Explorer.
  • Wetlands: State and federal impacts on wetlands. Provide evidence of compliance with water and wetland regulations. Required for trail projects. 
    • A)  Wetland impact assessment is required. Complete the two tier evaluation. Provide documentation if project has impact to wetlands. 
      AND
    • B) Use this online joint application process with DNR, Board of Water and Soil Resources and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or provide a letter from county Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Provide wetland determination.
  • Guidance document for Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) review rules Required for trail projects. 
    Projects need to be evaluated for applicability of environmental review under Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4410. Mandatory EAW categories are described at Minnesota Rules, 4410.4300. Exemptions from environmental review are described at Minnesota Rules, 4410.4600. Provide a letter from the local RGU - the local unit of government - officially making the determination that your project can proceed and is in compliance with all EQB rules.
  • Required certification form Required for trail projects.  
    This form must be signed by all administrators of public land crossed or utilized by the trail project.
  • Disadvantaged business enterprise Required for trail projects.  
    Meet the current special provisions. See the disadvantaged business enterprise forms for both race and gender neutral and numerical goals.
  • Buy America requirements Required for all grant projects. 
    All projects must abide by the Buy America provision requirement grants through FHWA policy.
Please see the program manual for additional information.

Grant expenditures and requests for reimbursement

Any costs incurred as part of the grant must be in accordance with the approved grant application and contract, outlined in the program manuals as eligible costs (see the specific program web page for the manual), and have been incurred during the period of the grant. Any costs accrued prior to the date of the fully executed contract will not be reimbursable as part of the grant. For specific information regarding reimbursement, please see the reimbursement manuals below.

For the federal recreational trail program only:

Contact information

Dan Golner, Recreation Program Coordinator, 651-259-5599 
[email protected]

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 
Parks and Trails Division 
500 Lafayette Road, Box 39 
Saint Paul, MN 55155

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