Grants

The Bureau of Parks and Lands administers state and federal grants to provide services, resources and personnel to nonprofit groups, municipalities and other agencies. Grants are available through the Bureau to improve and enhance programs offered in Maine.

ATV Trail Development
ATV use is becoming a popular activity in Maine and around the nation. Grant money is available to municipalities and registered ATV clubs to help defray trail development and maintenance costs.

Boat Access Grants
Funded by the state gasoline tax, the Public Boat Access grant program enables private organizations and municipalities to acquire, develop and improve local public boat facilities.

Land and Water Conservation Fund
The Land and Water Conservation Fund
is a federal grant-in-aid program that provides up to 50% reimbursement for the acquisition and/or development of publicly owned outdoor recreation facilities. While the total varies year to year, on average $400,000 is distributed to recipients.

Forest Legacy
The Forest Legacy Program is a voluntary private land conservation program between the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, States, land trusts, private landowners, and others. The goal of the FLP is to effectively protect and conserve environmentally important forest areas that are threatened by conversion to nonforest uses. The program uses conservation easements and other acquisition mechanisms to protect these lands forever.

Maine Trails Funding Program
Linking trails, acquiring easements and maintaining existing trails are just some of the uses of the Recreations Trails Program funds. Each year the Division of Grants and Community Recreation awards grants to non-profit organizations, municipalities, or state agencies.

Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund
The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund conserves wildlife and open spaces through the sale of instant Lottery tickets. With proceeds from ticket sales, grants are awarded twice a year, totaling approximately $1.5 million annually. The seven-member Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund Board chooses projects in four categories that promote recreation as well as conservation of Maine's special places, endangered species and important fish and wildlife habitat.

Snowmobile Trail Grants
Maine boasts a 12,000 mile network of groomed snowmobile trails. As thousands enjoy this growing winter sport, maintaining this system is becoming more of a challenge for volunteer-driven clubs each year. The Snowmobile Division awards grants annually to help defray costs to municipalities and registered snowmobile clubs. Contact: Scott Ramsay by phone (207-287-4957) or email.