Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) opened a grant opportunity to help rural communities grow their local economies and make them more resilient through outdoor recreation.
These grants are made possible through funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation and ensure ORR can continue its charge to provide support, information and resources to rural communities seeking to create economic opportunities through outdoor recreation.
ORR’s grant program debuted in 2021. This new round increases grant size to $10,000 and provides in-kind technical assistance from ORR members to rural communities with compelling recreation economy plans. For communities with big plans and limited bandwidth, these grants can unlock federal, state and local matching dollars.
ORR’s grant program will award four of the 25 Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) Program communities. The communities are a partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency, Forest Service, Northern Border Regional Commission and Appalachian Regional Commission.
Said Jessica Wahl Turner, president of ORR: “Rural communities all across the country are recognizing the strength and resiliency that investment in outdoor recreation can bring to local economies. Thanks to the ongoing support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, more places and people than ever will have the opportunity to experience the benefits of time spent outside. ORR is grateful for their support and looks forward to seeing the amazing projects that this year’s cohort will launch.”
