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AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation announced today that more than $3.7 million has been awarded to 29 Maine organizations in the final round of the Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance (CORA) Program’s competitive grants. CORA is funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration's (EDA) American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation State Grant to help communities that have been hardest hit by challenges facing these sectors.
“These grants will be awarded to organizations across the state who are doing important work to increase access and sustainability for outdoor recreation in Maine,” said Jeff McCabe director of the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation. “These projects include things like trail planning, materials, signage, and design work, which will expand outdoor recreation capacity, across the state and strengthen our outdoor economy."
The award recipients are:
- Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust: $153,000.00
- Maine Huts & Trails: $45,983.00
- Maine Outdoor Brands: $150,000.00
- Town of Windham: $163,750.00
- Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust: $180,000.00
- Appalachian Mountain Club: $144,000.00
- Northern Forest Center Inc.: $110,000.00
- Saco Main Street: $113,905.00
- Nature Conservancy: $199,909.00
- Coastal Mountains Land Trust: $88,671.00
- Town of Bowdoinham: $93,420.00
- Portland Trails: $181,500.00
- Eastern Maine Development Corp: $180,000.00
- Town of Camden: $160,000.00
- Outdoor Sports Institute: $200,000.00
- Sponsors Inc-Kindling Collective: $125,000.00
- Inclusive Ski Touring: $46,000.00
- Inland Woods & Trails: $170,000.00
- Western Foothills Land Trust: $154,985.00
- DACF/Bureau of Parks and Lands: $200,000.00
- Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments: $72,267.00
- Friends of Quarry Road: $140,000.00
- Heart of Ellsworth: $78,870.00
- Main Street Skowhegan and Skowhegan Outdoors: $120,000.00
- Maine Gear Share: $150,000.00
- Maine Recreation & Park Association: $100,000.00
- Northern Forest Canoe Trail: $46,500.00
- Old Canada Road: $150,000.00
- University of Maine THOR Institute: $70,000.00
“Outdoor recreation is an important and growing component of Maine’s economy. These projects will help strengthen communities, sustain natural assets, and expand travel and tourism while enhancing the resiliency of the outdoor industry,” said Heather Johnson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.
Priority was given to projects with the potential for long-term transformational impacts; campaigns that reach underrepresented and new and diverse communities of visitors; and projects that will create and/or improve recreational assets that will continue beyond the life of the grant term. Projects must be completed by September 2025.
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About Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation
Maine’s Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR) was permanently established in 2019 to leverage Maine’s assets and outdoor recreation heritage to grow the outdoor recreation economy and build Maine’s outdoor recreation brand as part of a coordinated effort with partners from the public and private sectors. Maine is a member of the Confluence of States, a coalition of 21 states working to strengthen the outdoor recreation industry.
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