NBRC Awards $45.4 Million in Support of State Economic Priorities, Forestry Economy, and Mass Timber Projects

CONCORD, N.H. – Today, the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) announced $45.4 million in new awards as part of the Commission’s Spring Round competition across its Catalyst, Forest Economy and Timber for Transit programs. The 56 awards will benefit communities throughout the Commission’s member states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.

Awards made per program include the following:

• $32.3 million awarded through the Catalyst Program supports 45 projects directly addressing state economic priorities, including but not limited to; affordable childcare, critical water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, outdoor recreation projects, workforce training and retention initiatives, local food system support, healthcare access and employment, and multiple feasibility studies.
• $2.1 million awarded through the Forest Economy Program across three projects, including the development of a modern forest-products manufacturing facility in Maine, a three-year forestry economy workforce and business capacity initiative spanning the entire NBRC service area in New Hampshire, and the expansion of precision forestry workforce training and technical assistance anchored in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) in Vermont.
• $11 million awarded through the Timber for Transit Program supports eight projects in all four states, including construction of a storm-resilient landing pier and timber-decked river promenade in Maine; a multistate feasibility project that aims to redesign up to 100 wooden trail bridges and related structures; multiple timber bridge construction projects in New York; and a timber-framed pavilion supporting year-round, non-motorized mobility and adaptive trail use along Vermont’s Velomont corridor.

“The Commission is proud to be a key partner in locally driven economic development across the Northern Border region, as is made clear with this latest slate of awards. These investments help improve the day-to-day lives of the people living in our communities and highlight the exciting opportunities in our regional forest economy,” said Chris Saunders, Federal Co-Chair of NBRC. “As a flexible federal funder, these projects demonstrate NBRC’s ability to fund everything from the basic building blocks of a healthy economy, such as public infrastructure and childcare, to advancements in the use of forest products such as mass timber.”

In Brooksville, Maine a Catalyst grant will help build the town’s first all‑tide public pier, landing, and boat ramp at Betsy’s Cove in Buck’s Harbor.

“We have been working for 6 years to develop an all-tide accessible public pier and boat landing, and this grant will enable us to accomplish our goal. Our Town has 50 miles of coastline and currently no public access to the water at all tides. This project will benefit commercial and recreational users as well as contribute to public safety on the water. We expect the completed project to provide an economic boost to the community,” said Mark Shaughnessy, Chair of Brooksville Harbor Committee.

In Vermont, a Catalyst grant will replace undersized downtown water and sewer lines and implement multi-modal streetscape improvements, enabling planned housing and commercial growth in the City of Newport.  

"The City of Newport views this award as the first, critical step toward preparing our downtown for long-term economic redevelopment. NBRC's support in addressing crucial infrastructure deficits on our Main Street is like laying the cornerstone on a new building. It is a statement of belief in our future to which our community intends to respond with high-level commitment to rebuild and revitalize our downtown," said Rick Ufford-Chase, Mayor, City of Newport. 

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Essex County in New York will use their Catalyst grant to elevate culinary tourism and local food systems through the Adirondack Cuisine Trails. 

“With 12 million annual visitors to the Adirondacks, we cannot overstate the tremendous potential for tourism to positively impact our region's economy. To that end, these funds will provide unprecedented support for the ongoing development of the Adirondack Cuisine Trails in partnership with the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. Visitors value the authenticity of the North Country, and we feel that the trails are well positioned to provide a meaningful agritourism experiences for our guests,” said Elizabeth Lee, Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Through the Forest Economy Program, one award will support the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association's three-year workforce and business capacity initiative to strengthen recruitment, training, and retention across the forest economy.  

“This project is a collaboration between the University of New Hampshire, Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, and the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association seeking to address one of the largest challenges facing New Hampshire’s forest industry – lack of workforce. This innovative project seeks to build workforce capacity through multiple means targeting traditional and non-traditional students and potential workers,” said Jasen Stock, Executive Director, New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association. 

A Timber for Transit grant in Rockland, Maine will help the waterfront withstand extreme storms while demonstrating the use of advanced, regionally sourced wood products in marine transportation infrastructure.

“This project will redevelop Rockland’s Public Landing for resilience to storms and improved harbor access”, said Julie Hashem, Rockland’s Community Development Director. “And thanks to collaboration with UMaine’s Advanced Structures & Composites Center, we will do it in a way that showcases regional wood products. Redevelopment of the Public Landing is an important part of Rockland’s Downtown Waterfront vision, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the Timber for Transit funding.”

The funds for NBRC programs are available thanks to the support of the Congressional Delegations of all four NBRC states: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. The NBRC’s grants management system will open for Fall Round pre-applications in late July 2026. Please refer to NBRC’s website, www.nbrc.gov, for important dates and announcements about current and future funding opportunities.

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