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Trail Construction Grant Application

The 2024 Trail Construction Grant Program is currently open to receive applications for funding trail projects under the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund. All municipalities in Morris County are qualified and encouraged to apply for funding.

Please note the Trail Construction Grant funds two separate types of projects, including either Design & Permitting or Construction projects. There are separate applications for each. Be sure to download the correct type of application for your grant submission.

Each type of application includes three components. The first is the application form, which is completed as a fillable form. A complete application includes one comprehensive document that is submitted as a single electronic document and original hard copy.

The second component of the application are instructions that provide specific directions as to what is being requested and what should be provided in each section of the application. Do not submit the instructions with your application.

The third component of the application is a checklist that outlines all sections of the application and can be used as a way to verify all the required information and materials have been provided. This is for your purposes only. Do not submit the checklist with your application.

We encourage all applicants to attend the Program Workshop on Tuesday, May 14 to learn more about these changes and the 2024 Trail Grant application process.

How to Apply

Step 1.Pay attention to the deadlines

These deadlines must be met for consideration for the 2024 Trail Grant Program:

Current Design & Permitting Grant Awardees

Please be reminded, Projects that received Trail Grant funding for the Design & Permitting Phase must have reviews and final approvals of bid documents completed as follows, in order to be eligible for a Construction Grant:

By May 31, 2024 (Friday) – 60% Documents must be delivered to Morris County Park Commission for review and comment.
By June 28, 2024 (Friday) – Final approvals obtained and 100% Documents must be delivered to Morris County Park Commission. Please submit one set of paper & electronic documents to:

Karl Klingener, Special Projects Manager
Morris County Park Commission
P.O. Box 1295, 300 Mendham Road
Morristown, NJ 07962-1295

Projects failing to meet the submittal deadlines will not be considered for Construction funding in the 2024 funding round.

All Prospective Applicants

Schedule and attend Pre-Application Meeting prior to July 12, 2024.
By June 28, 2024 (Friday) at 4:00 PM – submit 2024 Letter of Intent(PDF, 448KB) along with all supporting documentation.
By July 31, 2024 (Wednesday) at 4:00 PM – submit completed application specific to type of project, by utilizing the instructions listed in step #5 below.

Step 2.2024 Trail Grant Program Workshop Details

The Morris County Trail Construction Grant Program held the 2024 Application Workshop on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

You may find the Presentation PowerPoint at: 2024 Workshop Presentation.pdf(PDF, 73MB)

See the Presentation Recording below:

2024 Trail Grant Fact Sheet(PDF, 212KB)

Step 3.Attend a Pre-Application Meeting - REQUIRED

All applicants are required to attend Pre-Application Meetings so that staff can guide your application accordingly, and familiarize you with details of the program. Pre-Application Meetings will be scheduled from May through July 12, 2024. Contact the Special Project Manager Karl Klingener at 862-325-7739 or MCTrailGrantProgram@Morrisparks.net to schedule. Please be prepared to provide several dates/times for availability.

Step 4.Fill out and submit Letter of Intent

Submit the Letter of Intent(PDF, 448KB) to MCTrailGrantProgram@Morrisparks.net by Friday, June 28, 2024 by 4:00pm. The Letter of Intent documents ownership of the property where proposed project will be constructed and provides an initial estimate of project costs and grant requests. Deed verification is required.

Step 5.Fill out the application that applies to you

Download the correct type of application to your computer, then fill out in Reader or Acrobat. Utilize the instructions provided to complete each section of the application. Also use the checklist provided to verify all sections of the application are complete before submission. Do not submit instructions or checklist with your application.

Follow these instructions for Design & Permitting Applications

2024 Design & Permitting Grant Application(PDF, 295KB) (for design and permitting phase)
2024 Design & Permitting Grant Instructions(PDF, 382KB)
2024 Design & Permitting Grant Checklist(PDF, 197KB)
Construction Cost Estimate(XLSX, 26KB) (use for ALL grant applications)
Sample Resolution(PDF, 10KB)

Follow these instructions for Construction Grant Applications

2024 Construction Grant Application(PDF, 283KB) (for minor or major construction projects)
2024 Construction Grant Instructions(PDF, 353KB)
2024 Construction Grant Checklist(PDF, 263KB)
Construction Cost Estimate(XLSX, 26KB) (use for ALL grant applications)
Sample Resolution(PDF, 10KB)

Use these resources to complete your Trail Grant Application.

Step 6.Submit the Grant Application

Submit 1 electronic copy of the application by Wednesday July 31, 2024 at 4:00 PM.

Contact MCTrailGrantProgram@Morrisparks.net for a Dropbox link to submit electronic applications.

Step 7.Answer questions from staff

The Program Staff may contact applicants to clarify information submitted with your application. Applicants should be prepared to respond to questions and provide additional information as requested.