$750,000 awarded to town of bowdoinham for rural and tribal assistance pilot program to support legal, technical, and financial advisors to help advance infrastructure projects

The Department of Transportation awarded the Town of Bowdoinham a $750,000 cooperative agreement on October 5, 2026, under the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program (CFDA 20.943) to support preliminary design and final engineering for an 8.5-mile rail-to-trail conversion extending from downtown Bowdoinham, Maine to downtown Richmond, Maine. The program provides development-phase assistance funding to rural communities for transportation infrastructure projects through advisory services—financial, technical, and legal support—reasonably expected to advance projects eligible for future DOT credit and grant programs.

The Town of Bowdoinham will deliver a work plan, quarterly reports, project deliverables, and 2 CFR 200 compliance documentation. Performance occurs in Maine, with the period of performance running from October 5, 2026 through October 4, 2029. Town of Bowdoinham residents are the intended beneficiaries. The full $750,000 is obligated.

Activities to be performed: preliminary design and final engineering for 8.5 miles of rail to trail conversion from downtown bowdoinham, maine to downtown richmond, maine. Deliverables/expected outcomes: work plan, quarterly reports, project deliverables and 2 CFR 200 compliance. Beneficiaries: town of bowdoinham residents