The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) announced support for the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) plan to support economic development through outdoor recreation.
EDA announced it will disburse $750 million in American Rescue Plan funds to support travel, tourism and outdoor recreation economy development in communities that rely on these sectors, including rural gateway communities.
Of the $750 million, $510 million is designated for state tourism grants. The remaining and $240 million is designated for competitive grants to help communities that have been hard-hit by COVID-related challenges in the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors.
“The EDA’s announcement of $750 million in funds to support gateway communities’ economies is welcome news for the outdoor recreation community as we work to help rural communities recover from COVID-19 and grow and diversify their economies,” ORR Executive Director Jessica Turner said. “Outdoor recreation supports jobs, improves health and increases economic resiliency in rural, and particularly gateway communities, while also contributing greatly to land and water conservation. We applaud the EDA for making this support available and ask that outdoor and outdoor-oriented organizations share this opportunity with community partners around the country.”
Since Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, ORR and its members have worked with federal and state agencies and partners in the recreation and conservation community to ensure the $750 million is distributed to communities most in need.
