Polaris Inc. announced a donation of more than $100,000 to off-road vehicles (ORV), all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and snowmobile organizations across the U.S. and Canada as a part of its TRAILS GRANTS program. The TRAILS GRANTS program focuses on promoting safe and responsible riding, supporting trail preservation, and helping protect the environment and natural resources that are a part of the off-road trail systems. Combined with the 14 2023 Spring TRAILS GRANTS recipients announced in April, Polaris has awarded 25 organizations in 19 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces a total of nearly $250,000 through this year’s TRAILS GRANTS program.   

“The local riding groups are the backbone of the off-roading and snowmobiling communities,” said Steve Menneto, president of Off Road, Polaris. “The joy they find in riding and the work they put in so that others may have a similar experience truly embodies everything that is special about our industry. The collective impact of these organizations is far-reaching. Polaris is proud to amplify their efforts and celebrate those who are helping to preserve the outdoors for the next generation of riders through our TRAILS GRANTS program.”

These 11 organizations were named Fall 2023 TRAILS GRANTS recipients and received awards up to $10,000 each.

• Grand Lake Trail Grooming Inc. (Grand Lake, Colorado): Help support nightly grooming and maintenance on 85 miles of groomed snowmobile and multi-use winter trails in the Colorado mountains.
• Lexington Highlanders Snowmobile Club (Lexington Township, Maine): Help support the club’s project to re-establish a local bridge, enhance safety measures on 40 miles of trail and add culverts to decrease erosion and eliminate water crossings.
• Mollyockett Sportsman’s Club (West Paris, Maine): Help support the removal and replacement of a crucial bridge that connects two trail systems.
• Alborn Sno-Devils Inc (Alborn, Minnesota): Help support the replacement and expansion of an old bridge to promote rider safety and protect natural water areas alongside the bridge.
• Woodtick Wheelers ATV/OHM Club (Hackensack, Minnesota): Help purchase equipment to support safe riding through its youth ATV training.
• Lutsen TrailBreakers Snowmobile Club (Lutsen, Minnesota): Help support the replacement of a main trail system bridge which was washed away in a recent storm. 
• E C Riders Snowmobile Club Inc. (Mora, Minnesota): Creating a new club trail to have a continuous section of trail and provide a more cohesive trail system, as well as help with equipment repair to help complete trail work.
• Great North Woods Riders ATV Club (Pittsburg, New Hampshire): Help repair damaged trails and implement changes to help prevent future flooding damage and erosion.
• Sno-Bees Snowmobile Club Inc (Barre, Vermont): Help support the replacement of 20 culverts and two bridges on a trail system impacted by recent flooding and mitigate future erosion.
• Sno-Eagles Inc. (Eagle River, Wisconsin): Help repair and re-route a local trail system. Projects include installing rocks and a culvert, regrading trails to limit erosion, and fixing fencing and signage where the trails were washed out and in need of repair.
• Thompson Valley ORV Club (Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada): Help replace trail maintenance equipment that was lost in a fire last winter.

“A part of our Club’s mission is to promote safe ATV riding for youths and adults throughout Cass County and surrounding Minnesota communities,” said Paul Vashro, president, Woodtick Wheelers ATV/OHM Club. “In addition to helping enhance education of safe riding overall, the grant will enable us to purchase a youth ATV that we can use as a part of our Youth ATV Safety Training classes, helping us enhance the hands-on learning experience for students.”

“The severe storms and torrential rains this summer wiped out our trails — over 50% of our trail system was devastated. Polaris was there to help with a generous grant. We would not have been able to start fixing our system this year without it,” said Dianne Matott, president, Great North Woods Riders ATV Club.

Since the start of the TRAILS GRANTS program in 2006, Polaris has supported more than 370 ATV, off-road and snowmobiling organizations across the U.S. and Canada with more than $3.3 million in donations.

Awarded twice annually, TRAILS grants support the efforts of nonprofit organizations and local riding clubs who use the grant for trail development, maintenance projects, safety and responsible riding education initiatives, and other projects. 

For more information, including how to apply for a 2024 TRAILS grant, visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/trails-application/.