Education and Enforcement-Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities Program

The Education and Enforcement Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities Program is administered through a state-level recreation and conservation funding system designed to support outdoor recreation and responsible land use. The program is funded through a portion of state gasoline tax revenues and off-road vehicle use permits, reflecting a reinvestment of user-generated funds into recreation infrastructure and stewardship. It focuses specifically on nonhighway and off-road vehicle (NOVA) activities, supporting both motorized and non-motorized recreational uses across public lands such as forests and parks. The primary purpose of this grant program is to develop, maintain, and manage recreational opportunities that occur on non-highway roads and trails. These include a wide range of activities such as cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, sightseeing, and the use of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and four-wheel drive vehicles. In addition to recreation development, a portion of funding is explicitly allocated for education and enforcement efforts aimed at promoting environmentally responsible outdoor behavior and reducing conflicts among different user groups. Funding may be used for projects such as building, renovating, or rerouting trails; maintaining trails, campgrounds, and trailheads; operating off-road vehicle parks; and conducting education programs for trail users. Eligible enforcement-related activities include employing law enforcement personnel and purchasing equipment dedicated to NOVA education and enforcement. However, except for off-road vehicle facilities, funded activities must be accessed via non-highway roads, defined as public roads not constructed or maintained with gasoline tax funding. The program does not require a matching contribution, but applicants who include match funding may receive additional points during the evaluation process. Acceptable match contributions include cash appropriations, bonds, donations of land or materials, labor, equipment, and funding from federal, state, local, or private sources. This optional match structure incentivizes leveraged investment without creating a barrier to entry for applicants with limited resources. Eligible applicants include a broad range of public and nonprofit entities such as local government agencies (cities, counties, park districts), state and federal agencies, Native American tribes, and nonprofit off-road vehicle organizations. Special purpose districts are also eligible if they are legally authorized to acquire and develop public recreation or conservation lands. This inclusive eligibility framework ensures that a wide variety of organizations responsible for public land management and recreation can participate. The application process opens with a webinar and application release on August 4, 2026, followed by a submission deadline of November 3, 2026. Applications undergo a technical staff review, followed by a technical completion deadline and a written project evaluation phase. A mandatory virtual question-and-answer session with the advisory committee is required in March 2027. Final preliminary rankings are expected to be approved by the board by April 30, 2027. The program operates on a biennial cycle, awarding funds every other year. Evaluation criteria emphasize project quality, public benefit, environmental stewardship, and in some cases, the inclusion of matching funds. Applicants must complete required forms such as authorization resolutions, scope acknowledgements, and certification documents as part of the submission process. While specific contact information is not provided in the source material, applicants are encouraged to use available application resources and guidance documents to prepare competitive proposals.

Include match contributions to increase evaluation score; emphasize environmental responsibility and conflict reduction; clearly define project scope and public benefit