Northern Forest Center Supports 19 Projects Across Region
Vermont Business Magazine The Northern Forest Center recently awarded more than $70,000 in grants to 20 organizations across the region to support projects that help get more people involved in outdoor recreation.
“We’re thrilled to support the amazing work being done by communities and organizations across the region to get people connected outdoors and connected to the Northern Forest,” said Joe Fox, outdoor recreation manager for the Center. Fox added that requests for funding outnumbered available funds by a factor of nearly 10 to 1.
The community grant program is part of the Center’s overall outdoor recreation strategy, which aims to foster a regional outdoor recreation economy that generates dynamic business opportunities, helps retain and attract people to live in rural communities, honors local culture, and inspires public appreciation and stewardship of the forested landscape.
The Center awarded grants to support a wide range of strategies that organizations are using to increase youth connections and access to the outdoors:
Vermont Huts and Trails’ “FOREST” Program (Fostering Outdoor Recreation, Education, Sustainability, and Teamwork) is using its grant to reach more students in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Development Director Dani Kehlmann explains that the program helps students learn “about their natural environment, how to care for themselves and others in the woods, and what makes Vermont’s trails and forests special.”
Adaptive Sports Partners, which serves northern New Hampshire and the Northeast Kingdom, is purchasing communication systems that allow blind and visually impaired athletes to communicate safely with guides during activities like skiing, snowboarding, biking, kayaking, and climbing. According to Executive Director Kelly Starr, the units will “allow for smoother and more efficient guidance, while enhancing comfort and safety.”
Outdoor Sport Institute (OSI) in the Katahdin region, uses its grant to support its summer internship program, which offers meaningful employment to young people exploring careers in outdoor leadership. The interns “are collaborating with several organizations to deliver youth programming, trail stewardship, visitor education, and other services,” said OSI Executive Director Mike Smith. This summer's interns are helping to advance several projects that align with a regional outdoor recreation investment strategy that the Center coordinated.
The Center also awarded grants for trail stewardship tools, summer camp transportation assistance, mountain bikes for a growing youth program, and other projects.
“We’re grateful to LL Bean and to the RK Mellon Foundation for helping to fund these grants that enable more people to get involved in outdoor recreation in their communities,” said Fox.
Fox said that the Center hopes to offer another round of outdoor recreation grants in 2026.
Projects Funded in Four States
MAINE
Main Street Skowhegan (Skowhegan, ME): $5,000 — Enhancements to existing youth
outdoor programming through a focused expansion in mountain biking, inclusive
summer camps, and youth leadership development.
Mt. Abram Ski Club (Western Maine): $5,000 — Scholarships for winter snow sports for area youth.
Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen's Association (Rangeley area, ME): $1,200 — Support for their Junior Guides Program, giving kids training and experience in the utdoors.
Island Falls Recreation Department (Island Falls, ME): $3,000 — Support for the River Walk Trail along the Mattawamkeag River.
Town of Medway (Medway, ME): $4,500 — Funing to help launch a brand new youth paddling program.
Schenck High School (East Millinocket, ME): $1,270 — Tools for a program to engage students in stewardship of trails abutting the school’s campus.
Town of Millinocket (Millinocket, ME): $2,500 — Support for an adaptive friendly swing for a town park.
Inland Woods and Trails (Western Maine): $5,000 — Support for a program engaging New Americans in outdoor recreation programming.
Mahoosuc Kids Association (Western Maine): $5,000 — Transportation assistance for youth programming, helping keep costs low and remove barriers for participation.
Outdoor Sport Institute (Katahdin region): $30,000 — Funding to support for four summer interns advancing numerous educational and stewardship initiatives in the Katahdin region
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Adaptive Sports Partners (North Country of NH, Northeast Kingdom of VT): $3,000 — Communication devices for visually impaired athletes to be able to talk to coaches.
Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust (Northern NH): $3,533 — Tools, staff support, and bridge lumber for several trail projects.
Nansen Ski Club (Berlin, NH): $4,940 — Equipment support for a local Nordic and ski jumping team so that anyone interested can try these sports.
Coos Cycling Club (Gorham, NH): $3,000 — Support for a youth mountain biking camp to help subsidize costs for local youth.
VERMONT
Northwoods Stewardship Center (East Charleston, VT): $5,000 — Support for a Clyde River-based, multi-faceted paddling program.
Vermont Huts and Trails (NEK): $4,000 — Series of youth retreats for a Northeast Kingdom –based school district to VT Huts.
NEW YORK
Backcountry Youth Foundation (Crown Point and Moriah, NY): $5,000 — Subsidies for youth in Crown Point and Moriah, NY to downhill ski.
Village of Canton (Canton, NY): $1,320 — Cost offset for a summer hiking program.
Champlain Area Trails (NY’s Champlain Valley): $5,000 — Support of the “CATS for Kids” youth program.
Elizabethtown Social Center (Elizabethtown, NY): $5,000 — Support for the “GRIT” youth program.
The Northern Forest Center is an innovation and investment partner serving the Northern Forest of northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.
CONCORD, NH: The Northern Forest Center
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