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Municipal Stream Crossing Upgrade Grant Program
Since 2015, Maine voters have approved a total of four bonds that fund the upgrade and replacement of stream crossings throughout Maine. These monies support the DEP's competitive grant program that matches local funding for the upgrade of municipal culverts at stream crossings to cost-effectively improve fish and wildlife habitats, reduce flooding, and increase community safety.
Contact John Maclaine, 207-615-3279 for more information.
Grant Announcements
Additional Stream Crossing Grants may become available; however, funding has not yet been allocated for a round in 2023.
2022 Stream Crossing Grant Applications
IMPORTANT CHANGE FOR 2022! During the upcoming 2022 round, please be advised that stream crossing plans will not be reviewed or scored during the grant application stage. This change is aimed at reducing upfront costs to be competitive, speed up grant scoring review time, and ensure the project results in a Stream Smart crossing. Plans and other in-depth field work will be submitted and reviewed after award.
| Applicability | Proposed projects must be located on municipal roads and involve upgrades of culverts at stream crossings to improve public safety and minimize flooding, improve habitat for fish and wildlife, and represent a cost effective and efficient investment. Eligible project applicants include local governments, municipal conservation commissions, soil and water conservation districts, and private nonprofit organizations. |
| RFA Opens | August 18, 2022 - Closed |
| Submissions due | November 10, 2022 |
| Funding Available | $3 Million |
| Maximum Award | $150,000 per project, maximum of 2 awards per municipality |
| Match required | No minimum match; grants cannot fund 100% of any project—match amount is factored into scoring of cost-effectiveness |
| RFA & Application materials | Grant RFPs and RFAs For guidance, see our 2022 Scoring Guidance, 2022 Round Information or scoring documents from previous rounds |
| Awarded projects & examples | TBA |
2022 Stream Crossing Grant Video Guidance
Maine DEP, in partnership with Maine Audubon, MaineDOT, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Maine Land Use Planning Commission, has produced four online guidance videos to help potential applicants understand the grant program and provide information regarding stream crossing installation and design. We hope you find these resources useful in getting a head start in what information to gather before the 2022 grant round opens. These videos are available to view at any time.
- Video #1 - Applying for a Municipal Stream, Crossing Grant
- Video #2 - Stream Smart Road Crossings and Basic Project Design
- Video #3 - Regulations Pertaining to Stream Crossings in Maine
- Video #4 - MaineDOT Requirements (recommended for all proposed crossings 10 feet and greater in width)
2021 Stream Crossing Grant Applications
| Applicability | Proposed projects must be located on municipal roads and involve upgrades of culverts at stream crossings to improve public safety and minimize flooding, improve habitat for fish and wildlife, and represent a cost effective and efficient investment. Eligible project applicants include local governments, municipal conservation commissions, soil and water conservation districts, and private nonprofit organizations. |
| RFA Opens | August 30, 2021 |
| Submissions due | November 19, 2021 |
| Funding Available | $4 Million |
| Maximum Award | $125,000 per project, maximum of 2 awards per municipality |
| Match required | No minimum match; grants cannot fund 100% of any project—match amount is factored into scoring of cost-effectiveness |
| RFA & Application materials | DAFS, Division of Procurement Services, Grant RFPs and RFAs Scroll down to "Maine Department of Environmental Protection" section For guidance, see our 2021 Scoring Guidance or scoring documents from previous rounds |
| Awarded projects & examples | List of Awarded Projects, Highest Scoring Project Materials |
2020 Stream Crossing Grant Awards
| Applicability | Proposed projects must be located on municipal roads and involve upgrades of culverts at stream crossings to improve public safety and minimize flooding, improve habitat for fish and wildlife, and represent a cost effective and efficient investment. Eligible project applicants include local governments, municipal conservation commissions, soil and water conservation districts, and private nonprofit organizations. |
| RFP Opens | September 9, 2020 |
| Submissions due | November 16, 2020 |
| Funding Available | $5 Million |
| Maximum Award | $125,000 per project, maximum of 2 awards per municipality |
| Match required | No minimum match; grants cannot fund 100% of any project—match amount is factored into scoring of cost-effectiveness |
| RFP & Application materials | https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/grants Scroll down to "Maine Department of Environmental Protection" section |
| Awarded projects & examples | List of Projects*, Highest Scoring Project Materials |
*This list is comprised of the initial DEP awards for stream crossing infrastructure improvements across the state of Maine for each grant round since 2015. Projects that receive awards may withdraw and return grant monies, which are then re-awarded after the round has closed.
Grant Round Information*
| Round | Status | Funding Source | Funding Amount | Number of Applications | Number of Awards | Matching Funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Pending | 2020 Transportation Bond | $4.0 million | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2020 | Awarded | 2018 Transportation Bond | $5.0 million | 47 | 42 | $5.4 million |
| 2019 Round 2 |
Awarded | 2017 Transportation Bond | $2.5 million | 49 | 30 | $3.5 million |
| 2019 Round 1 |
Awarded | 2017 Transportation Bond | $2.5 million | 40 | 29 | $2.9 million |
| 2017 | Awarded | 2015 “Water Bond” | $2.4 million | 53 | 29 | $2.5 million |
| 2016 | Awarded | 2015 “Water Bond” | $2.5 million | 78 | 27 | $3.4 million |
| 2015 | Awarded | 2015 “Water Bond” | $0.8 million | 76 | 15 | $0.6 million |
* Application, award, and matching funds information are representative of the initial awards for that round.
Grant-Related Resources
MSCG Map – ArcGIS Web Application for exploring previous grant projects and details across Maine.
MSCG Statistics and Success Stories – Last update Sept. 2019. 
State of Maine RFP's and RFA's – Includes grant RFP's, Q&A summaries, current application, and documents from the previous round.
Stream Crossing Resources – Includes resources on regulations, field assessment, crossing design, and more.