This Legislature-authorized grant helps build tourism in communities around the state through the construction and expansion of outdoor recreation amenities.
In 2013, Utah became the first state to create an Office of Outdoor Recreation. Since then, the office has become a national leader working to broaden the economic value of Utah’s outdoors through collaboration with various business and community partners.
In 2015, the office helped communities build trails and other recreation infrastructure by awarding matching grants through a pilot program. Funding for the program increased the following year. Its success led to the Utah Legislature creating a longer-term funding source to continue the grant program, now called the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant.
Building Communities & Improving Lives
Outdoor Recreation Grant at Work
Joe’s Valley is an iconic bouldering destination in Emery County, where little to no infrastructure existed, leading to concerns over environmental impacts and damage. The Access Fund worked alongside partners at Emery County, USFS, BLM, and the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, while also receiving a Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG) to initiate a sustainability and recreation improvement project for the climbing areas in Joe’s Valley. This initiative is a valuable project to the climbers in the area and the Emery County towns and cities see the economic benefits of the area’s improvement.
National Ability Center
Founded in 1985 and based in Park City, Utah, the National Ability Center (NAC) believes that individuals with disabilities should enjoy the full range of activities life can offer. Through these experiences, individuals can gain the self-confidence, self-esteem, and motivation necessary to become active participants in all aspects of community life. With support from the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG), NAC made improvements and increased the variety of adaptive elements on their challenger course to provide a greater range of experiences and attract more individuals of all abilities to this outdoor recreational activity. Their work continues to provide a model for how we can better support adaptive recreation.
Iron Hills Biking Trails
The Trails Alliance of Southern Utah and the Bureau of Land Management, with support from a Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG), partnered to add 6 miles of quality trail to the Iron Hills Trail System in Cedar City, solidifying its role as one of the state’s premier mountain biking destinations. With expanded recreation infrastructure and higher visitation, this trail system now supports riders of all skill levels, local mountain bike teams, and clubs. The updated trail system also helps Cedar City’s economy.
Learn More
UORG Advisory Members
UORG Annual Reports
Purpose
Grant Size
Please note, a Regional Asset Tier will be available in 2022. Regional Asset Tier UORG funding of $500,000 will be available for large outdoor recreation projects that will cost more than $2,000,000. For rural counties, a 50/50 match is sufficient for the Regional Asset Tier. The UORG Scoring Committee has discretion in the number of Regional Asset Tier projects and the awarded amount. The most competitive projects will focus on using UORG funds to support outdoor recreation elements rather than surrounding infrastructure, such as bathrooms or parking lots.
Grant Time Period
The 2022 UORG cycle was open from January 18 to March 18, 2022.
Make sure to sign-up for the Utah Outdoors newsletter to receive email alerts and updates about the grant and our office.
General Eligibility Requirements
Match Component
Given as a 50/50 match. Up to 25 percent of the total match may be an in-kind match.
Please note, the match component differs for a Regional Asset Tier grant; information regarding the Regional Asset Tier can be found on page 7 of the 2022 Program Guide.
Contract & Reporting Requirements
Past Grant Recipients
The Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation’s (OOR) seventh grant cycle of the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG), awarded $7.5 million in grant funding to 98 different outdoor recreation infrastructure projects throughout the state. This year marks the highest amount of grant funding given. These funds will create an estimated impact of over $54.4 million statewide, including grants, matching funds and private investments. The 2021 UORG cycle generated a 7-to-1 return-on-investment for state funds and awarded 70% of its funds to rural counties. To see all of the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant projects mapped and summarized, check out our map.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We’ve got answers. Here’s a selection of Frequently Asked Questions in response to inquiries on policies and specific aspects of our grant programs.
If you have questions that aren’t answered below, please email us. We will answer your questions by email and add them to this page as well. Contact Tara McKee (tmckee@utah.gov) or Patrick Morrison (patrickmorrison@utah.gov) with questions about the grants.
Who can apply? Municipalities, county governments, tribal governments or non-profit organizations that meet Utah code requirements are all eligible to apply for a Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant.
How much grant funding can we apply for? Various amounts of awards for grants are offered and will be given as matching funds between $1,000 and $200,000 in 2022. The larger grants will be more competitive as fewer of them will be given. Please note, a Regional Asset Tier will be available in 2022. Regional Asset Tier UORG funding of $500,000 will be available for large outdoor recreation projects that will cost more than $2,000,000. Rural counties will only need to show at 50/50 match for Regional Asset Tier funding. The UORG Scoring Committee has discretion in the number of Regional Asset Tier projects and the awarded amount. The most competitive projects will focus on using UORG funds to support outdoor recreation elements rather than surrounding infrastructure, such as bathrooms or parking lots.
Our city has a couple of great infrastructure projects we’d like to do. Can we send in more than one application?
Yes, but the review committees will be factoring in the geographic diversity of all grant projects. It is highly unlikely that the review committees will choose more than one infrastructure project from the same entity for the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant. If your organization plans on submitting more than one application, please prioritize which one you would like to see funded among all the rest.
Please keep in mind we have three additional grants in 2022 which may be better suited to your community’s outdoor recreation needs:
The UORG Mini-Grant funds smaller outdoor recreation and trail projects and provides grants between $500 and $10,000. The application is shorter and more straightforward, but the eligibility requirements are similar.
The Recreation Restoration Infrastructure Grant (RRI) funds the restoration or rehabilitation of existing and developed recreation areas and trails so the public can safely access them.
The Utah Outdoor Classroom Grant funds permanent, built infrastructure that can support student learning and funds up to $10,000.
Our project is a large one and the final costs will be quite high. Can we apply to receive a second grant the following year or later to help us finish our project? The legislative intent of the grant funds is to provide funding to projects that will be completed. The ability to demonstrate a project is truly ready and will be completed as specified in your application is required. A possible exception would be a project for a trail segment within a large trail project with a long-term master plan. The trail segment that has been funded by our grant must be completed, accessible to the public, and able to be used on its own before an organization could apply for additional funding from the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant to build another trail segment within a large trail system. Also, you may wish to note that much more funding will be available beginning in 2022, and make all the necessary preparation now to put together a very competitive grant proposal for next year.
We’ve never done a grant before. Can we get some help? Of course! We’d like to make resources available that will help you in the process of filling out the grant applications:
- 14 grant workshops were held across the state in November 2019. Here is a recording of the workshop presentation.
- Access three online grant webinars: 2019 Step by Step Application Help Webinar, 2019 Budget Spreadsheet Webinar and 2020 Grant Workshop Presentation.
- The downloadable 2022 Program Guide provides information as to which projects and programs are eligible for a grant, and provides tips that will help the applicant with the grant application.
If you have a question about the eligibility of your project or a similar question, email tmckee@utah.gov or patrickmorrison@utah.gov and you will receive an answer to your questions in an email and on this page so that it is visible to the public.
When do we get our funding? The Outdoor Recreation Grant for infrastructure projects will be given as a post-completion reimbursement. Projects must be completed within 24 months of the date the contract is signed. Funding is given after the applicant’s spend. Up to 75% of the matched monies may be given before the completion of the project. Once all necessary documentation has been submitted, you can expect to receive the funding within 2-3 weeks. The final funding will be contingent upon inspection of the completed project.
What are the key criteria for how projects are evaluated? The grant applications have sections that have been given scoring values to allow fair evaluations. The infrastructure grants will be evaluated by the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant Advisory Committee, which is comprised of knowledgeable experts from the outdoor recreation and economic development industries in Utah. Please see 15 of the 2022 Program Guide for more information about the UORG Advisory Committee.
The infrastructure grants will be evaluated for: project readiness and a feasible schedule, community need and economic impact, recreational value, improved physical and recreational access, budget and project costs, and special considerations for area deficiencies.
Since we are a city who will be building and maintaining this infrastructure on our own property and are under the City and not County jurisdiction for such projects, must we have county approval and endorsement in order to apply, or would the City’s endorsement be OK to substitute in place of the county? Since you are under your City and not County jurisdiction for such projects, yes, in your case, it would be okay to get the City’s endorsement in lieu of the County’s endorsement.
Can we apply for funding for a Pickleball Court? Or Rodeo Grounds? Or Fairgrounds? Or soccer fields? The Utah Outdoor Recreation Grants are meant to fund outdoor recreation amenities and we’ve had to draw a line between outdoor recreational activities and recreational sports (the latter of which do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of Outdoor Recreation). Sports courts, athletic fields, rodeo grounds, and fairgrounds are ineligible infrastructure for the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant.
The online application for infrastructure projects asks for two attachments that prove the project readiness, what exactly needs to be attached here? There can be several documents that show project readiness such as permits, conceptual drawings or engineered plans, environmental documentation, even documentation as to the status of pending permits is helpful. Submit whatever you have along those lines that are pertinent to your project. On the list of attachments, you are asked to provide two maps, one location map showing where it is located in the community and one recreation site map (or conceptual drawing) of the project site.
Grant Webinars
Additional Grants From The Office Of Outdoor Recreation
The UORG Mini-Grant funds smaller outdoor recreation and trail projects and provides grants between $500 and $10,000. The application is shorter and more straightforward, but the eligibility requirements are similar.
The Recreation Restoration Infrastructure Grant (RRI) funds the restoration or rehabilitation of existing and developed recreation areas and trails so the public can safely access them.
The Utah Outdoor Classroom Grant funds permanent, built infrastructure that can support student learning and funds up to $10,000.
Resources
- Grants Overview Table
- 2022 UORG Program Guide
- UORG Checklist of Required Attachments
- UORG Timeline
- UORG Budget Spreadsheet & Example XLS
- UORG Statement of Responsibility
- UORG Landowner Agreement
- First Steps in Planning Your Trail or Infrastructure Project
- 2022 Sample UORG Application
- 2021 Grant Reimbursement Packet
Contact Us
Pitt Grewe
Director
Tara McKee
Associate Director, Grants and Planning
India Nielsen Barfuss
Associate Director of Operations
Patrick Morrison
Grant Program Manager