Recreation and Outdoor Access
Grant Program
No funding available in 2024.
This page reflects the last active grant round.
This program supports the planning and implementation of projects that enhance access to public lands, and low impact recreation and tourism opportunities throughout California’s Sierra-Cascade region.
Program goals include improving access to nature and outdoor recreation opportunities, reducing impacts of overuse on natural and cultural resources, and supporting the development of sustainable recreation economies.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants:
- public agencies, including federal agencies
- qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
- tribal entities recognized on the current United States Federal Register or the Native American Heritage Commission as a California Native American tribe
Eligible projects:
- are located within, or provide services to, California’s Sierra-Cascade region
- are consistent with the goals of this program, defined in the grant guidelines (pdf)
- result in a clear, demonstrable, and enduring public benefit
- meet California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements
Example Projects
- The development of a recreation and tourism collaborative or partnership that identifies and prioritizes site-improvement projects across a large geographic region
- Studies necessary for the implementation of a future on-the-ground recreation project
- Implementation of priority projects identified through a collaborative process
- Trail building and/or maintenance
- Accessible trails or recreation access points
- Site improvements that minimize impacts to natural resources, including food storage lockers, campsite improvements, toilets, re-routing trails around sensitive areas, and trailhead improvements that protect resources