The Fish and Boat Commission is encouraging county and municipal governments interested in the planning, acquisition, development, expansion, or rehabilitation of public boating facilities to apply for funding through the Boating Facility Grant Program.

Applications are due June 30.

The program is designed to help local governments provide or improve public recreational boat access facilities in their communities that are open and available for general public use. Private businesses, non-profit, not-for-profit organizations and service clubs are not eligible for direct funding but are encouraged to partner with their local government for funding.

Applicants can seek grants for site acquisition, project design and engineering, development, expansion and major rehabilitation of recreational boat access facilities. Activities must benefit and directly support public recreational boating.

Eligible projects must be constructed on public lands owned in “fee simple” by the project sponsor or where ownership is less than fee simple interest, ownership rights must provide for permanent control of the property commensurate with the proposed development.

Eligible construction projects include: boat ramps, courtesy floats, restrooms, access roads, parking areas, landscaping in direct relation to access development, transient tie-up floats, and signs.

Successful applicants must agree to provide a 25 percent grant match and be willing to enter into a long-term agreement to keep the facility open to free public use for its useful life. The PFBC will give priority funding consideration to applicants that provide more than the required 25 percent match, thereby reducing the total amount of grant funds required to complete the project.

For more information, visit the Boating Facility Grant Program webpage.

1/6/2006