Trail Bond Grant News

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry sent this bulletin at 03/30/2025 03:30 PM EDT

View as a webpage  /  Share

Grants and Community Recreation

Maine Trails Bond Updates

This past November a strong majority of the people in Maine voted to approve the Maine Trails Bond and to make available $30 million dollars to begin to address the development, and restoration needs of Maine's trail network. It is our goal to make this funding available to the people of Maine as soon as reasonably possible.

Managing a new grant program of this scale is a formidable challenge. Part of this challenge is the discovery that by Maine's constitution, bond funding can only be used for capital improvement projects. We will be unable to use the proposed 3% of bond funding to help administer this new opportunity, and only trail construction and renovation projects can be funded.

The Department has been working hard to overcome these setbacks and is now happy to announce the opening of this new trail funding program.

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Money

On March 31, 2025, the Maine Trail Program will open for the inaugural grant cycle. Application information has been posted on Maine Trails Program for your use. The application deadline is 5pm, Friday, September 26.

Maine Trail Program Workshops

Multi-Use Trail

To help introduce how this program will work and how you can apply for this funding, a series of workshops will be held. The first of these will be virtual and are set for April 10 and 11. In person workshops across the state will be scheduled for later in April and into May to further promote the program and provide an opportunity for those interested to learn more.

To register for one of the virtual workshops listed below click Maine Trails Program Workshop Registration.

  • Thursday, April 10
    • 9:30 - 11:00am
    • 3:00 - 4:30pm
    • 5:30 - 7:00pm
  • Friday, April 11 
    • 10:00am - Noon
    • 2:00 - 3:30pm

So what about the Recreational Trails Program?

RTP sign

For this inaugural grant cycle, we will limit local applications to just the Maine Trails Program, which has more funding and higher percentage cost sharing.

RTP will be reserved for state agency projects only.

After the first grant cycle we will adjust this split to accommodate the greatest needs. 

To learn more about the current status of RTP, please check out American Trails.

For more information about funding for trails in Maine, please contact

Douglas Beck, Outdoor Recreation Program Manager & State Trail Administrator

Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands - Grants & Community Recreation Program