KVCOG can provide technical assistance for these, and other grant projects of interest to your municipality. For assistance, please reach out to Jessie Cyr, Economic & Community Development Director at  or (207) 453-4258, Ext 220

• Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program- USDA
• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) 
• Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) Grant Programs
• Shore and Harbor Planning Grants
• Coastal Community Planning Grant Programs

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program-USDA

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. 
Read more about the program at the USDA Website.

For additional information for areas within:
Kennebec County: Jessie L. Archer, Area Specialist (207) 753-9400
Somerset County:  Nathan Persinger, Area Specialist (207) 900-3676

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Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)

The following programs are available to Maine Communities and in certain instances, Counties through the Office of Community Development. For specific information on applications dates and program eligible activities, refer to the individual application packages and the current Program Statement.

Full program descriptions and application materials are available on the Maine DECD website.

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Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) 

Catalyst Program 

Catalyst Program Overview

The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is making available up to $50 million in grant funds to be competitively awarded through the Catalyst Program. The Catalyst Program stimulates economic growth and inspires partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. The Catalyst Program supports a broad range of economic development initiatives that modernize and expand water and wastewater systems; revitalize transportation infrastructure; establish workforce development programs and facilities; grow outdoor recreation infrastructure and economies; and construct new childcare and healthcare facilities.

Forest Economy Program

Forest Economy Program Program Overview

Approximately $4 MM is available for the 4-state NBRC Region, up to a $1,000,000 maximum award to eligible projects.  The purpose of this program is to support the forest-based economy and assists in the industry’s evolution to include new technologies and viable business models across the 4-state NBRC region. The Forest Economy Program is distinct from other programs in two important ways: 1) the Forest Economy Program emphasizes the potential for impact across the entire NBRC region; and 2) Infrastructure projects (defined by Congress in NBRC’s authorizing language to be inclusive of transportation, water and wastewater, telecommunications, and energy) must directly support the forest industry.

Timber for Transit Program

Timber for Transit Program Overview 

Approximately $25 MM is available over the next 3 years to eligible projects.  This program advances the use of domestic forest products in transportation infrastructure projects across Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont to showcase the capabilities of wood in these applications. Highly competitive projects will demonstrate and widely promote the utility of high value forest products (e.g. glued laminated timber, cross laminated timber, composite materials, etc.) in transportation infrastructure and commit to enhancing climate resilience in rural communities.

2025 Spring Round Timeline 

• Materials available: January 2025
• Pre-Applications (required) Due By: March 2025
• Application portal open: April 2025
• Applications (by invitation only) Due By: May 2025
• NBRC notice of awards & notice to unsuccessful applicants: June 2025

2025 Fall Round Timeline

• Materials available: January 2025
• Pre-Applications (required) Due By: September 2025
• Application portal open: September 2025
• Applications (by invitation only) Due By: October 2025
• NBRC notice of awards & notice to unsuccessful applicants: December 2025

 Visit NBRC's website for more information.

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Shore and Harbor Planning Grants

The Shore and Harbor Planning Grant Program supports municipal and regional projects in Maine’s Coastal Zone.  This provides resources on a competitive basis for shoreline access planning, waterfront and harbor planning, identification and resolution of waterfront use conflicts, and planning, feasibility, and design efforts for resilient waterfront infrastructure. Shore and Harbor Planning Grant projects are often well prepared to compete for construction funding through other sources.

Information pertaining to the next round of funding (Fiscal Year 2026) will be available in Early 2025 

View more details about the Shore and Harbor Planning Grant Program on the State of Maine Department of Marine Resources page here. 

FY24 Grant Program Statement

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Coastal Community Planning Grant Programs

The Coastal Community Planning Grants opportunity for FY25 

The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) is seeking applications for a new round of Coastal Community Grants (CCG). FY25 CCG details and the program statement are found on the MPAP website. 

Open to counties, municipalities, unorganized territories, tribal governments, and Regional Planning Organizations in Maine's coastal zone, CCG competitive grants include projects in Maine's coastal zone with a focus on the following priority coastal issues, as identified by the Maine Coastal Program and the Maine Climate Council's Maine Won't Wait: A Four-Year Plan for Climate Action

CCGs are an important element of the MPAP mission to foster innovative and effective approaches to land use management by providing technical and financial assistance to Maine municipalities.

The Municipal Planning Assistance Program anticipates making multiple CCG awards ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. Total funds available for the FY 2025 program are approximately $165,000. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides funding for these grants in cooperation with the Maine Department of Marine Resources Maine Coastal Program.

This CCG statement is being released to coincide with the second round of Community Action Grants from the Community Resilience Partnership in the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. CCG applicants are encouraged to examine opportunities for coordinating these two grant programs to maximize project scope and efficiencies. As non-federal funding, CCGs provide an eligible match for the federal Coastal Community Grant opportunity.

Applications are due:  TBD

View the grant program statement and more information on MPAP's website. 

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