How Montana Clubs Apply for Trail Money

A Montana OHV club planning trail work may be able to apply for state grant funding, but the first challenge is knowing which program fits the project and when to apply. The Summer Motorized Trail Pass program supports a range of trail-related work, with applications submitted through WebGrants. Here’s how to prepare a focused request and avoid mixing it up with another OHV grant program.

Choose the grant program that fits your project

Montana has grant funding for OHV recreation, but the programs do not all share the same funding source or administration. Start by identifying the program you intend to apply to; that helps your club shape its proposal around the right purpose and follow the correct application cycle.

The Summer Motorized Trail Pass, or SMTP, program provides grant funding to OHV clubs and organizations. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the funding comes from revenue from the sale of the OHV Resident Trail Pass. Montana State Parks administers the program, and the Off Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee, or OHVAC, assists with grant allocation.

The eligible SMTP work described by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks includes trail maintenance, trail improvements and trail reroutes. Other listed examples include signage and trail markers, brushing and delimbing, noxious weed control on trail corridors, and mitigation of motorized resource impacts. A club can also request funding for a hired trail steward to clear and maintain trails.

A separate Off-Highway Vehicle Grant Program also funds projects that enhance and maintain OHV recreational opportunities. Montana State Parks administers that program using funds appropriated by the State Legislature. Applications for it are also accepted through WebGrants, and its application cycle closes on February 1 each year, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

The similar names and shared application system can make the two programs easy to confuse. Do not assume the programs use the same funding source or have identical criteria just because they both support OHV recreation and accept applications through WebGrants. Check the current program information before drafting, and make sure the proposal is entered in the program that matches the project.

A useful first step is to describe the work in plain language: what is damaged or missing, what work the club proposes, and how it will support motorized trail use. Then compare that description with the listed SMTP project types. A request for trail signs, maintenance, a reroute or weed control along a trail corridor has a clear connection to the SMTP examples. If your project does not fit the SMTP list neatly, check with the program before treating it as eligible.

For context on how permit revenue supports this work, see Where Montana Trail Pass Money Goes. If your club is still developing a project, Montana OHV Clubs and Trail Adoption and Montana Trail Adoption and Volunteer Days can help frame the broader work of organizing trail care and volunteer effort.

Build a specific, workable project request

A grant proposal is easier to assess when it describes a defined trail problem and connects the requested work to a practical result. “Improve the trail system” is too broad to explain what a grant would pay for. Instead, identify the location, the work to be completed and the reason that work is needed. The exact material and application requirements must come from the current program guidance, but a club can prepare a clear project description before opening the form.

Start with the need. Describe what riders or trail stewards are encountering: for example, a section that needs brushing, unclear route markers, maintenance needs, a proposed reroute, or noxious weeds along the corridor. Be as precise as you can about the affected area without claiming that a project has approval from a land manager unless the club has confirmed it.

Then connect the work to an SMTP-eligible activity. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, eligible projects include signage and trail markers, trail maintenance and improvements, trail reroutes, mitigation of motorized resource impacts, brushing and delimbing, noxious weed control on trail corridors, and funding for a club-hired trail steward to clear and maintain trails. Describe the proposed work in terms that make the connection easy to see.

A strong project description answers practical questions:

• What trail issue needs attention?
• What work does the club propose to complete?
• Where will the work take place?
• Who will carry it out?
• What will be different once the work is done?

Those questions are planning prompts, not a substitute for official grant instructions. Follow the current application’s fields and requirements, and contact the program if an important part of the project is unclear.

Make the scope realistic. A proposal that combines several unrelated needs may be harder to explain than one with a defined task and outcome. If the club wants to request funds for more than one kind of work, explain how the parts fit together. For example, trail markers and brushing might both address safe, legible passage on the same corridor; a proposal should make that relationship clear rather than leave reviewers to infer it.

Be careful with work that depends on land access or coordination. A club should identify the trail and confirm what permissions, approvals or cooperation it needs before committing to a schedule. The facts about SMTP eligibility do not specify which land-manager approvals or supporting documents an application must include. Check the current WebGrants instructions and ask the relevant program contact about any project-specific conditions before submission.

If the proposal includes a hired trail steward, explain the intended responsibilities in concrete terms: clearing, maintaining, or both, as applicable. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks lists funding for a club-hired trail steward to clear and maintain trails as an eligible SMTP project. The application’s current instructions should determine how the club documents that work and what supporting information is required.

Clubs can also make the need easier to understand by keeping concise records as they plan: notes from trail visits, a description of observed problems, and a record of the work the club believes is needed. Do not assume that any particular photo, map, estimate or attachment is formally required; confirm that in the program instructions. The point is to make the project description specific enough that the application is coherent and the proposed work is understandable.

For projects focused on clearing, maintenance or volunteer capacity, Montana Trail Crews and Summer Repairs and Reporting Trail Damage in Montana may help your club think through the work to describe. For a broader explanation of state funding for trails, see Montana State Parks Grants for Trails.

Prepare and submit through WebGrants

Applications for the Summer Motorized Trail Pass grants are accepted through WebGrants, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The separate OHV Grant Program also accepts applications through WebGrants, so confirm the grant program selection before completing the application.

Before starting the form, gather the information needed to describe the project and its purpose. Review the current instructions first, then prepare a concise project summary and make sure the details you enter match each other. If the application asks about location, work activities, timing, costs or partners, use the current form’s wording and requirements rather than relying on assumptions.

A practical preparation checklist:

• Confirm that the project is a fit for the selected grant program.
• Identify the trail location and the specific work proposed.
• Explain the problem the work is meant to address.
• Describe how the club expects to complete the work.
• Check what supporting information the application currently requests.
• Review the completed application for consistent descriptions and accurate details.
• Submit through WebGrants and keep a copy of the application and any confirmation.

This checklist is a planning aid, not a list of official application requirements. The available facts do not specify which attachments, approvals, budget fields or organizational documents are required. Those details can affect whether an application is complete, so verify them directly in WebGrants or with the program administrator.

The formal roles are worth keeping straight. Montana State Parks administers the SMTP program, while OHVAC assists in allocating its grants, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. A club with a question about the program should use the current official grant information to identify the right contact. Seth McArthur is the Montana Snowmobile and OHV Program Manager, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; check current program guidance for the appropriate way to direct a question.

If your club already works on trails with a land manager, volunteers or other organizations, make sure the proposal describes those relationships accurately. Do not imply that another group has agreed to provide labor or approval unless it has. Clear, consistent information helps avoid confusion during review and gives the club a better basis for planning if the project receives support.

Once submitted, retain the final version and note any follow-up the program requests. If the application is incomplete or the reviewer asks for clarification, respond using the official instructions and keep the project description consistent with what was submitted. Avoid changing the scope informally without checking whether the grant program needs to approve a change.

Track the application cycle and plan for the decision

The SMTP grant cycle follows a recurring schedule. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, applications open on November 15 each year and close on February 1 each year. Funding decisions are announced in late April. These dates are the key planning markers for a club preparing a request.

Work backward from the closing date rather than waiting until the application is nearly due. A club can use the earlier part of the cycle to settle on a project, confirm the work location, clarify the proposed activities and check WebGrants instructions. Leave time to review the submission and address questions about program fit. The dates do not guarantee that every application will receive funding, and they do not replace checking the current application cycle’s official information.

After submitting, plan around the announced decision period. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, SMTP funding decisions are announced in late April. If your club receives an award, follow the program’s instructions for next steps, project delivery and any reporting or documentation. The facts available here do not specify award conditions, payment procedures or reporting deadlines, so confirm those details with Montana State Parks before beginning work based on a grant.

If a request is not funded, the club can still use its project planning to guide volunteer work, future proposals or coordination with trail partners. Review any feedback provided through the program, then revisit whether the project scope, description or program selection should change before applying again. Do not assume that an unsuccessful request can be rolled over automatically; check the program’s current process.

It can also help to keep trail-maintenance planning separate from grant assumptions. A club may identify several needs, but the grant program’s eligible activities and current rules determine which work can be proposed. For an SMTP application, stay grounded in the examples listed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and make the connection between the work and the trail need explicit.

Grant funding comes from rider pass revenue and supports trail work, but the grant application still has to fit the program and arrive through the required channel within the cycle. A well-defined project, an accurate WebGrants submission and early attention to the deadline give a Montana club a clearer path from trail problem to funding request. For related background, Montana Trail Grants to Local Clubs offers a starting point for understanding local trail funding.

Sources

• Montana State Parks — ohv-brochure_2021_final.pdf (checked November 3, 2026)
• Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Summer Motorized Trail Pass Grants | Montana FWP (checked November 3, 2026)
• Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Off-Highway Vehicle Program Grants | Montana FWP (checked November 3, 2026)

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.