The summer application cycle for Utah's Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Grant is scheduled to open on July 15, 2026, providing a window for state and local agencies to secure funding for motorized recreation projects through August 31, 2026.
Available Grant Categories
The Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation (OHVR) grant program, managed by the Division of Outdoor Recreation, offers financial support for a wide range of motorized activities. According to the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, the summer cycle is one of two annual opportunities available to eligible applicants.
Available funding categories within the grant include trail work, access protection, education, search and rescue, snowmobile initiatives, and OHV tourism. Additionally, a separate year-round grant exists specifically for OHV land acquisition, which does not follow the standard spring or summer application windows.
Funding Thresholds and Limits
Funding amounts vary significantly depending on the specific category of the request. For trail work and access protection, applications can request between $1,500 and $350,000. However, the program requires a 10-minute presentation followed by a five-minute question-and-answer session at the review meeting for any requests that exceed the $350,000 threshold.
Other categories have more restrictive funding limits. Search and rescue and snowmobile projects are eligible for amounts ranging from $1,500 to $150,000 per application. The OHV tourism category offers smaller grants between $1,000 and $50,000, while the year-round land acquisition grant can provide between $10,000 and $1,000,000.
Eligible Project Scopes
The grant program is designed to fund specific infrastructure and safety needs. Trail work funds may be used for the construction, improvement, operation, or maintenance of publicly owned or administered OHV facilities. This includes developing trailhead facilities, purchasing trail maintenance equipment, and assessing trail conditions. The state notes that projects consisting predominantly of trail work are scored more competitively during the recommendation process.
For access protection, funds can support efforts by counties or municipalities to document public rights-of-way, as well as legal advocacy to protect existing public land access for off-highway vehicles. The program specifies that access protection does not include lobbying or political advocacy.
Safety and Tourism Support
The OHVR grant also addresses safety and economic development. Education grants can support the development of publications and programs that promote safety, courtesy, and resource conservation. Search and rescue (SAR) funding is intended for goods and services necessary for effective responses to OHV-related incidents, though it cannot be used for non-motorized items, employee or volunteer pay, law enforcement, or fuel.
To support rural economies, the OHV tourism category aims to encourage visitation in local communities. However, this specific category does not allow for administrative costs to be used as an eligible match, and applicants are prohibited from using other state grants, such as the Office of Tourism grant, as a matching source.
Matching Fund Requirements
To be successful in the application process, organizations must demonstrate financial commitment through matching funds. The program encourages applicants to provide at least a portion of these funds directly from the project sponsor. Projects that offer more than 25% in matching funds are scored more competitively.
While cash contributions are not strictly mandatory, they are strongly encouraged. The state prefers projects with higher cash contributions over those relying solely on in-kind donations. Furthermore, for projects that are not 100% motorized, applicants must provide cash to offset the non-motorized aspects of the project.
Eligibility and Timelines
Eligibility for the OHVR grant is limited to specific entities. Applicants may include federal agencies, state agencies, political subdivisions of the state, and municipalities or counties. Additionally, off-highway vehicle organizations may apply if they are incorporated as non-profit corporations within the state of Utah under the Utah Revised Nonprofit Corporation Act.
Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants directly. All approved projects are subject to a 28-month timeline.
