Randy Maiers’ Post

Boosting Rural Economies: Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Launches Third Round of Outdoor Recreation Grants WASHINGTON, D.C. — Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) announced the opening of the third round of its rural implementation grant opportunity for rural communities to 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 are part of ORR’s commitment to provide support, information, and resources to rural communities seeking to create economic opportunities through outdoor recreation. This marks the third round of ORR’s successful grant program that debuted in 2021 and comes on the heels of the release of the organization’s updated Rural Economic Development Toolkit at the beginning of 2024. Last year's grants in California, Colorado, Georgia, Montana, and Vermont supported projects including a business support grant to help position a bike shop as a central hub for the community with contemporary renovations, a bilingual outdoor recreation marketing hub and campaign, a statue to mark the beginning of a trail and the region’s significance to the Cherokee people, a centralized/primary information website to provide information about an area’s recreation activities, and the restoration of a trail destroyed by catastrophic flooding. This grant round is open to a wider audience with eligible applicants including any participants in either cohort of the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) Program who have not yet received funding from ORR. RERC provides technical assistance to communities who are looking to build or grow sustainable recreation economies and RERC staff have recently completed workshops in all awarded communities. In two rounds of the program, nearly 300 applications were received, indicating the widespread demand for outdoor recreation economy development across the United States. Four grants of $10,000 will be awarded alongside in-kind technical assistance from ORR and its members to rural communities with compelling recreation economy implementation proposals. For communities with big plans and limited bandwidth, grants like these can help unlock federal, state, and local match dollars from programs like USDA Rural Development, state infrastructure funds, and interest from private foundations. ORR works to illustrate the benefits of outdoor recreation to rural communities as well as ongoing needs to support economic diversification and resilience through outdoor recreation. This includes a map of over 160 communities from across the United States actively seeking assistance to achieve their outdoor recreation and economic development goals. https://lnkd.in/gBE3dQMu

Boosting Rural Economies: Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Launches Third Round of Outdoor Recreation Grants WASHINGTON, D.C. — Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) announced the opening of the third round of its rural implementation grant opportunity for rural communities to 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 are part of ORR’s commitment to provide support, information, and resources to rural communities seeking to create economic opportunities through outdoor recreation. This marks the third round of ORR’s successful grant program that debuted in 2021 and comes on the heels of the release of the organization’s updated Rural Economic Development Toolkit at the beginning of 2024. Last year's grants in California, Colorado, Georgia, Montana, and Vermont supported projects including a business support grant to help position a bike shop as a central hub for the community with contemporary renovations, a bilingual outdoor recreation marketing hub and campaign, a statue to mark the beginning of a trail and the region’s significance to the Cherokee people, a centralized/primary information website to provide information about an area’s recreation activities, and the restoration of a trail destroyed by catastrophic flooding. This grant round is open to a wider audience with eligible applicants including any participants in either cohort of the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) Program who have not yet received funding from ORR. RERC provides technical assistance to communities who are looking to build or grow sustainable recreation economies and RERC staff have recently completed workshops in all awarded communities. In two rounds of the program, nearly 300 applications were received, indicating the widespread demand for outdoor recreation economy development across the United States. Four grants of $10,000 will be awarded alongside in-kind technical assistance from ORR and its members to rural communities with compelling recreation economy implementation proposals. For communities with big plans and limited bandwidth, grants like these can help unlock federal, state, and local match dollars from programs like USDA Rural Development, state infrastructure funds, and interest from private foundations. ORR works to illustrate the benefits of outdoor recreation to rural communities as well as ongoing needs to support economic diversification and resilience through outdoor recreation. This includes a map of over 160 communities from across the United States actively seeking assistance to achieve their outdoor recreation and economic development goals. https://lnkd.in/gwbZ5WxU

The House and Senate's passage of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 "acknowledges the significance of outdoor recreation as an economic driver for rural communities for the first time and explicitly authorizes outdoor recreation projects as an eligible use of EDA funding." #OutdoorRecreationEconomy #QualityOfLife #GetOutside

A Milestone for Outdoor Recreation in Arkansas Exciting news for Arkansas and rural America! The recent reauthorization of the U.S. Economic Development Administration opens new opportunities for outdoor recreation investments, directly benefiting communities like ours in The Natural State. For Bentonville and Arkansas, this means more resources to enhance trails, parks, and other recreation infrastructure—key elements of what makes our region special. Outdoor recreation isn’t just about adventure; it’s about boosting local economies, creating sustainable jobs, and improving the quality of life for residents. As a state that celebrates the outdoors, this funding aligns perfectly with Arkansas’ identity and our vision for a vibrant, thriving community. We’re excited to see how this will shape the future of Bentonville and beyond. Visit Bentonville sees value in the outdoor economy. #VisitBentonville #TheNaturalState #OutdoorRecreation #EconomicGrowth

Check out my article: The Case for Universal Changing Tables. Featured in the first 2025 publication of Parks & Recreation magazine!! https://lnkd.in/g83QRtVm #Foundations #UniversalChangingTable #Accessibility #ParksandRecreation

💡 🌲 Huge win for outdoor recreation in rural America: Just before the holiday, the U.S. Economic Development Administration was reauthorized with new language unlocking billions of dollars in outdoor recreation investments. ORR's work helped guide the bill to identify and support outdoor recreation for the first time. The bill text states, "In awarding grants, the Secretary may also consider the extent to which a project would support outdoor recreation to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities." This legislation will grow the Public Works program’s funding for communities to invest in recreation infrastructure such as boat ramps, trails, and campgrounds. These investments are critical for the expansion of Main Street economies, ensuring a sustainable economic future and enhancing the quality of life for residents across the nation. “This legislative milestone is a testament to the undeniable value of outdoor recreation to America’s rural economies and the overall well-being of our communities,” said Jessica (Wahl) Turner, President of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “By creating new investment opportunities in outdoor recreation infrastructure, planning, and jobs, this legislation is acknowledging the transformative power of this industry that supports every corner of the country." International Economic Development Council National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)

Welcome to Tribe Management Inc Nordix Panorama! Find out how Tribe is servicing the needs of Council Members, Owners and Residents in this community. Blog linked below. #proptech #propertymanagement #stratamanagement #kootenays

Discover how parks and recreation are vital to building stronger urban communities! 🌆🌳 Read our blog, 'Building Stronger Communities: The Role of Parks and Recreation in Urban Areas,' to learn how these spaces enhance quality of life and foster connection. Click to Read: https://lnkd.in/gBVX_bzv #RecDesk #NewBlog #CommunityStrength #ParksAndRecreation

The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the EXPLORE Act, which includes the Outdoors for All Act, marking a significant step toward equitable access to parks and green spaces for all Americans. This bipartisan legislation: - Codifies the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program to fund park creation and improvement in underserved communities. - Expands eligibility for tribal nations to directly access resources from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. - Addresses long-standing disparities in park access, particularly for communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. Currently, 100 million Americans lack a park within a 10-minute walk of home. The Outdoors for All Act aims to change that by investing in parks, fostering social connection, and supporting the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy. The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk for signature. Thank you to Senators Alex Padilla and Susan Collins, Representatives Nanette Barragán and Mike Turner, and bipartisan Congressional leaders for prioritizing equity in outdoor access. #OutdoorsForAll #EquityInParks #RecreationMatters