The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) aims to develop and wisely use the state's natural resources to promote the health, happiness, and wholesome enjoyment of life for the people of Ohio. ODNR is responsible for managing over 800,000 acres of land, including state parks, forests, nature preserves, and wildlife areas, overseeing more than 120,000 acres of inland waters, licensing hunting, fishing, and watercraft, monitoring dam safety, managing water resources, mapping geologic structures, permitting mineral extraction, and providing outdoor grant programs to communities.
The BIG Program is designed to support the construction of facilities that improve boating experiences for non-trailerable recreational boats, specifically when they are transient, meaning staying for 10 or fewer consecutive days. It focuses on large, non-trailerable vessels, which are defined as 26 feet or longer. The grants are aimed at facilities located on federally navigable waters. The program has two tiers of projects, both requiring a 25% funding match from the applicants: Tier 1 projects can receive up to $200,000 and are competitive at the state level, while Tier 2 projects can receive up to $1,500,000 and are competitive nationwide.