Outdoor Equity Fund grantees will each receive general operating grants of $30,000 over three years, in increments of $10,000 per year. In addition to funding, grantees will be invited to participate in a series of peer learning, training, capacity-building, and community outreach activities over the course of the three-year grant period.

To be eligible for the Outdoor Equity Fund, the applicant organization must:

• Be working exclusively or primarily in Maine, unceded Wabanaki Territory.
• Be a Black-, Brown-, Indigenous-, Latine-, Asian-, or People of Color-led organization/group/coalition. All BIPOC-led and serving groups may apply.
• Be doing work that advances outdoor equity. Please see the OEF’s goals and funding priorities in the Request for Proposals for more specificity.
• Be a Maine-based organization, group or a coalition/alliance of groups (we do not fund individuals).
• Have an organizational operating budget under $1,500,000. (Not required for groups applying with sponsorship from a Wabanaki Tribal Government or other tribal entity or for groups with fiscal sponsors).

To establish BIPOC-led status, organizations need to meet two of the following criteria for the past two years:

• BIPOC directors or specific program leaders (leadership roles): 50% or more
• BIPOC board members (or governing decision-making roles): 50% or more
• BIPOC activists (on-the-ground community change makers): 50% or more