The Park District of Ottawa County Parks and Trails Improvement Grant Program is back for its fourth round of awards, and up to $200,000 is available to distribute amongst deserving Ottawa County political subdivisions, and public schools and libraries.

The Parks and Trails Improvement Grant Program Application, including grant information, eligibility and requirements, can be found on the Park District of Ottawa County website, www.ottawacountyparksoh.org.

Jannah Wilson, executive director of the Park District of Ottawa County (PDOC), will host a free webinar at 10 a.m. Oct. 17 discussing the 2025 Parks and Trails Improvement Grant Program and answering questions live from attendees. Preregistration for this optional virtual meeting is required. To receive a meeting link to the free live webinar, please email jwilson@ottawacountyparksoh.org by Oct. 14. The webinar will be posted to the PDOC website followings its live broadcast.

Eligible applicants may request up to $50,000.00 to be used for permanent improvements to public outdoor recreation spaces/facilities/trails or equipment to maintain spaces/facilities/trails. Grant funding may also be used for planning, public surveys and engineering if the plans correlate with an outdoor recreation improvement on property owned or under long-term lease to the entity applying for the grant, Wilson said.

To view a complete listing of grant funded projects, visit the Grants tab at ottawacountyparksoh.org.

“The goal of the grant program is to improve access to outdoor spaces, aid in the development of active transportation routes to parks and points of interest, and bolster public outdoor recreation opportunities within Ottawa County,” Wilson said. “It was the consensus of the Board of Park Commissioners that a program of assistance to Ottawa County political subdivisions would increase benefits from tax dollars and provide greater access to outdoor recreation opportunities in Ottawa County.”

Applications will be accepted through Jan. 10, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Judging will take place the week of Jan. 20, 2025. A grant panel comprised of local professionals and community members will review the applications and make award recommendations to the park board. In reviewing the applications, the panel will consider priority projects, collaboration with current park district project planning, conformance with application requirements, safety issues, cost/benefit ratio, maintenance, and population served. Grants must be for future purchases. Grant award letters and contracts will be emailed Feb. 14, 2025.

Contact Park District of Ottawa County Executive Director Jannah Wilson at jwilson@ottawacountyparksoh.org or 419-707-4051 with any questions related to the 2025 Parks and Trails Improvement Grant Program.