Utah Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Grant

The Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation (OHVR) Grant is administered by the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, a state-level agency dedicated to promoting safe, accessible, and sustainable outdoor recreation. The grant is part of Utah’s commitment to supporting motorized recreation across public lands and designated trails. This funding opportunity is designed to support a wide array of OHV-related activities, including trail maintenance and construction, educational initiatives, search and rescue operations, snowmobile programs, tourism promotion, and land acquisition for OHV use. The OHVR Grant program operates through multiple categories with tailored funding limits. Applicants can receive between $1,500 and $350,000 for trail work, access protection, and education. Smaller caps apply for search and rescue and snowmobile programs ($150,000 each), and for OHV tourism ($50,000). A distinct category for year-round OHV land acquisition allows awards from $10,000 up to $1,000,000, with no set application deadline. Projects requesting over $350,000 in any category must include a mandatory in-person or virtual presentation and Q&A at the review meeting. Eligible applicants include municipalities, counties, state and federal agencies, tribal governments, and OHV nonprofits incorporated in Utah. The grant supports a broad range of public-serving organizations with a demonstrated commitment to responsible OHV recreation. All applications must demonstrate alignment with program priorities and show readiness to manage funds effectively, especially for large-scale or multi-phase projects. The OHVR Grant follows a biannual cycle. The Spring 2026 cycle opens Thursday, January 15, 2026, and closes Friday, March 2, 2026. These dates may shift slightly if they fall on weekends or holidays. The Summer cycle is currently closed, and the land acquisition grant remains open year-round without fixed deadlines. The recurring nature of the Spring cycle allows potential applicants to anticipate future openings with adequate planning. Application materials and submission instructions are detailed in the official program guide and available online. A variety of support documents are provided to assist applicants, including reimbursement forms, timesheets, and cost guidelines. Previous recipients and reporting expectations are also accessible for review. The grant administrators for 2025 are Rachel Toker and Jorge Vazquez, who serve as the primary points of contact for program inquiries. Applicants are encouraged to review the 2026 OHVR Program Guide and attend grant workshops to improve their understanding of the submission process and evaluation criteria. Resources such as workshop slides, FAQs, and post-award guidance are available online to facilitate successful applications and ensure transparency in fund distribution and project performance.

Projects exceeding $350,000 require mandatory presentations; early workshop attendance is encouraged.