Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $8.6 Million in Grants for Trail Improvements Across the State

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced more than $8.6 million will be awarded through the MassTrails grant program to support the creation, expansion and maintenance of public trails throughout Massachusetts. This year’s grant program funds trail projects in 65 municipalities, as well as statewide efforts to improve trail networks. Leaders from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) celebrated the announcement and this year’s grantees this morning along local officials and Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust members at an event this morning at Rauscher Farm in Clinton, abutting the future Mass Central Rail Trail. 

The program funds the efforts of municipalities, public entities, non-profit organizations, and Native communities. Trails receiving funding are used for a variety of activities, including hiking, running, cycling, skiing, horseback riding, and off-road vehicle use.  

"Each Massachusetts community is home to at least one public trail that gets residents outside and brings in visitors that help support small businesses," said Governor Maura Healey. "These grants will help improve and expand access to trails across our state so more people can enjoy the outdoors, stay active and explore new places. We're proud to invest in projects that strengthen local communities and support our economy." 

"These projects are driven by local communities that know how important trails are to quality of life, tourism and economic development,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “MassTrails helps communities improve and expand these spaces so more people can enjoy the outdoors safely and comfortably. We're grateful to the local partners and volunteers who make this work possible." 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Mass Ready Act will further support the state’s trail network by funding improvements to trails across Massachusetts. 

“Our trails foster a sense of appreciation for the natural world,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “When people are able to truly immerse themselves in nature, they not only come to appreciate it better but also realize they play a role in helping take care of it.”  

“Whether you are taking a short walk close to home, setting out on an adventure, or using them as part of your daily commute to work, school or other key destinations, trails invite people to experience Massachusetts in new ways,” said DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle. “Across the state, trails create opportunities to connect with nature, explore local communities, and enjoy recreation and wellness. Our MassTrails grants help communities improve and expand trail networks, making them more welcoming, accessible, and connected, and inviting more people to get outside.” 

This year’s grant recipients are working on projects in the following municipalities: Becket, Belchertown, Berlin, Billerica, Boxford, Carver, Clinton, Concord, Dover, Dudley, East Bridgewater, Easthampton, Erving, Everett, Falmouth, Florida, Framingham, Gardner, Georgetown, Grafton, Great Barrington, Hancock, Hardwick, Hawley, Holliston, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Monroe, Monterey, New Bedford, New Braintree, Newbury, Northampton, Northborough, Norwood, Orleans, Otis, Pittsfield, Quincy, Revere, Rochester, Sandisfield, Sandwich, Saugus, Savoy, Shrewsbury, Southampton, Stoneham, Sturbridge, Swampscott, Tolland, Topsfield, Wareham, Washington, Webster, Westborough, West Springfield, Westfield, Westport, Winchendon, and Windsor. A complete list of all projects, as well as the total funding awarded to each, can be found on the MassTrails website. 

All grant applications are reviewed by the inter-agency MassTrails Team, which is comprised of representatives from MassDOT, EEA, DCR, and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB). Projects related to recreational trails are eligible for up to $100,000 in funding while share-use path projects can receive up to $500,000. 

For more information on the MassTrails Grant Program and updates on trail development across Massachusetts, visit the MassTrails Grants webpage. 

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