The application period is open for the fifth round of grant funding for work along Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail. Proposals are due March 15, with selected grant recipients announced in May.
The trail offers two distinct routes for hiking and bicycling that, together, when finished, will cover more than 2,000 miles of trail. Right now, the trail is roughly 70 percent completed.
DNR state trails coordinator Paul Yauk said this latest round of funding will focus on segments ready to go into construction this year or next, as well as project engineering and design, and the purchase of Iron Belle Trail signage.
“The Iron Belle Trail is Michigan’s ‘showcase trail’ – an outdoor recreation gem that takes trail users through many amazing places along both routes,” Yauk said. “These mini-grants go a long way toward bringing together the people and resources critical to completing each new mile of trail.”
Iron Belle Trail partners, communities and eligible nonprofits can submit applications for grant amounts up to $50,000. A funding match, though not required, is strongly recommended.
This is the fifth year the DNR has administered Iron Belle Trail mini-grants. The total amount of funding available for 2019 is still to be determined. Since 2015, though, more than 75 Iron Belle Trail projects have shared over $1.4 million in funding.
The Iron Belle Trail is made possible by federal, state and local units of government and many organizations and partners, including the DNR, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
The mini-grant application and an interactive trail map are available at Michigan.gov/IronBelle.
