Maine awarded $16 million in federal funding to bolster development in rural communities

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 16, 2026

More than $16 million dollars in federal funding has been awarded to economic development projects across rural Maine, state officials announced on Tuesday. The funding comes from the Northern Border Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership established in 2008 to alleviate economic distress and encourage job creation in northeast border states, and the projects include a wide range of initiatives. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry was awarded $1 million to construct a pedestrian and snowmobile bridge over the Sandy River, extending the 14-mile Whistle Stop Trail into downtown Farmington. $2.5 million goes to Main Street Skowhegan to continue construction of a riverfront promenade that connects the Kennebec River to downtown, enabling access to trails and the river’s whitewater rapids.