The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) announced 2026 Trail Accelerator Grant (TAG) opportunities. The first application period for planning and design services ran from Jan. 15 to March 15.
The second application period, for education programs, will open from April 1 to 30. Entities that may apply include local, municipal, state or federal government agencies, 501(c)(3) non-profits that actively manage parks and trails, mountain bike/trail clubs and IMBA local membership organizations. Each grant is an award for IMBA planning, design or educational programming, and awardees will supply matching funds.
Awardees of this year’s first TAG round chose from conceptual plans for trail networks, detailed design and field flagging of trail alignments, assessment of existing trail networks, community-wide feasibility studies or planning/design of urban bike parks.
The second TAG round of the year will focus on education services for mountain biking and trail organizations. Awardees may choose from IMBA Trail Care Workshops for volunteers and land management staff, fundraising education services to coach and guide fundraising and capital campaigns or strategic planning for leaders of grassroots mountain bike/trail organizations.
Planning and design grant awards typically range from $10,000 to $30,000, while education awards typically range from $3,000 to $10,800, depending on the specific grant and project.
“IMBA [TAG] has traditionally funded professional planning and design of trail systems, because professional plans unlock funding and accelerate progress,” said David Wiens, IMBA executive director. “Last year’s TAG program added a range of education options to help organizations professionalize and increase their fundraising capabilities. These expanded offerings were well-received, so IMBA’s 2026 TAG program will continue to include assistance with planning, design and education opportunities to amplify the work of trail champions.”
Complete guidelines, eligibility and applicant toolkit can be found at imba.com/trail-accelerator-grants.
