The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program continues its contributions to recreational boaters and local communities through this year’s award of $20.6 million in grants to states and U.S. territories to support recreational boating.

Grantees use BIG funds to construct, renovate and maintain marinas and other facilities with features for transient boats (those staying 15 days or less), that are 26 feet or more in length and are used for recreation. Grantees may also use funds to produce and distribute information and educational materials about the program and recreational boating.

Funding for the BIG program comes from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which boaters and manufacturers support through excise and other taxes on certain fishing and boating equipment and gasoline. Since its inception in 2000, the BIG program has awarded $215 million to projects for large transient recreational boats, including funding the construction of more than 5,400 berths and other amenities for boaters across most states and U.S. territories.

Click here for a list of projects funded by this year’s BIG grants.