Grants To Build and Protect Hiking Trails

From The Foundation Center...

Hiking Society Seeks Applications for Trail Grants

Deadline: August 15, 2008

The American Hiking Society ( http://www.americanhiking.org/ )
2009 National Trails Fund is open for applications. The National Trails Fund is the only privately funded, national grants pro- gram dedicated solely to building and protecting hiking trails.
Now in its eighth year, the fund has awarded nearly $382,000 to 105 grassroots organizations all over the United States working to establish, protect, and maintain foot trails in America.

American Hiking will be awarding two different types of National Trail Fund grants in 2009: 1) American Hiking Society Trail Grants, which will range from $500-$4,999 each; and 2) Nature Valley Trail Grants, which will be for $5,000 each. Twenty app- licant organizations for the Nature Valley Trail Grants will be selected as prospective grant recipients and will be featured on Nature Valley's Web site ( http://www.wheresyours.com/ ). Nature Valley Trail Grant award winners will be chosen by public vote from October 1 through 31, 2008. The top ten projects will each receive $5,000.

Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Projects that will be considered for the 2009 grants are as follows: projects that have hikers as the primary constituency, though multi- ple human-powered trail uses are eligible; projects that secure trail lands, including acquisition of trails and trail corridors and the costs associated with acquiring conservation easements; projects that result in visible and substantial ease of access, improved hiker safety, and/or avoidance of environmental damage; and projects that promote constituency building surrounding specific trail projects -- including volunteer recruitment and support.

Visit the American Hiking Society Web site for complete program guidelines and the online application system.

RFP Link:
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15013896/americanhiking