Maine Opens Grants for Outdoor School Programs

Nonprofit outdoor education providers can apply for funds that help bring field programs to students in grades four through eight.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Financial Aid

Empty wooden boardwalk trail through a Maine spruce and birch forest in early autumn, with a canvas field pack and hand lens on a log. — The University of Maine Cooperative Extension opened applications on November 6 for grants funding outdoor school programs for Maine students in grades four through eight, with applications due November 20. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Maine public funding support outdoor school experiences for middle-grade students?

University of Maine Cooperative Extension opened grant applications for the Outdoor School for All program, which funds immersive outdoor education for Maine students in grades four through eight. The application portal for the 2026-27 school year opened November 6, and applications are due November 20.

Why it matters

The program lets eligible Maine nonprofit outdoor education organizations apply for grants that help cover the cost of outdoor school experiences for public, charter and tribal school students, which can ease the expense of field programs for families and schools. The state Legislature created the program in 2025, and its 2025-26 pilot reached more than twice the originally projected number of students.

Grants provide up to $410 per student, and individual funding requests are capped at $175,000 or 426 students. Programs must generally provide immersive experiences lasting at least three days and two nights, and eligible experiences may occur between Sept. 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027.

The players

University of Maine Cooperative Extension

The public university outreach arm that administers the Outdoor School for All program and its grant applications.

Libra Foundation

A philanthropic foundation whose $1.3 million gift supports the Outdoor School for All program.

The details

Eligible Maine nonprofit outdoor education organizations apply through the UMaine Extension application portal, which opened November 6 for the 2026-27 school year. Grants cover up to $410 per student, and the program is supported by a $1.3 million gift from the Libra Foundation. Programs must generally run at least three days and two nights to qualify, and school districts access the experiences through the nonprofit providers that receive the grants.

2025: Maine Legislature establishes the Outdoor School for All program.
2025-26 school year: Pilot year serves 1,675 students.
November 6, 2026: Application portal for the 2026-27 school year opens.
November 20, 2026: Grant applications are due.
Sept. 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027: Eligible outdoor school experiences may take place.

Education Landscape

The program was created by the Maine Legislature in 2025 and was piloted during the 2025-26 school year, when it served more than twice the originally projected number of students. Its expansion to a projected 3,000 students in 2026-27 reflects growing state and philanthropic support for experiential learning in public schools.

If you work with a Maine nonprofit outdoor education provider or a school serving grades four through eight, the November 20 application deadline is the key date to track for 2026-27 funding. Families whose students may attend an outdoor school should ask their school's administration whether the program is part of their plans, since grant amounts are capped at $410 per student.

The takeaway

The Outdoor School for All program shows how state funding and philanthropy can expand access to hands-on learning beyond the classroom. Schools and eligible nonprofits interested in the grants should watch the November 20 deadline and confirm program requirements with UMaine Extension.

What happens next

Grant applications for the 2026-27 school year close November 20, 2026, and eligible outdoor school experiences may take place between Sept. 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027.