Inland Woods + Trails of Bethel is one of 20 Maine organizations to win a total of $450,000 from Maine Tourism Marketing Partnership Program.

Inland Woods + Trails connects people to communities in western Maine through the sustainable management of high-quality, durable trails and woods for all seasons, including the 450-acre Rumford Community Forest.

Karla Leandri Rider, Inland Woods development and communications coordinator, said they are excited about the $27,000 grant, which will be used for photo content development and digital presence refresh and advertisements.

She said some money will be used to develop a comprehensive visual media marketing campaign that will not only promote Inland Woods’ mission, vision and 15-year history, but also advance western Maine as a year-round tourism destination for outdoor recreation.

Rider said this initiative, titled “Maine Trails, Lasting Impact: Marketing for Sustainable Tourism Advancement,” will leverage high-quality photography and video storytelling focused on Inland Woods + Trails and its work to increase awareness, engage potential visitors and support the regional economy through sustainable tourism.

“This will include activities in all seasons (just wrapped up the winter series). For photography, we are working with Andy Gagne Photography and for videography we are working with Maine Mountain Media,” Rider said.

The Maine Office of Tourism said the program supports Maine’s tourism-related organizations and communities in their efforts to promote the state as a travel destination through innovative marketing campaigns and collaborative projects that advance statewide tourism priorities while nurturing the unique local places that tell iconic Maine stories.

Grants are awarded in three categories to meet Maine organizations’ tourism attraction goals, which reflect a range of opportunities at the local, regional and national level.

A list of all grant recipients awarded funding is available at live-motpartners-com.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Approved-Funding-Request-FY-26-Cycle-2.pdf.

“We are excited to award grant funding to support local organizations and Maine communities who work diligently and collaboratively to ensure a memorable, high-quality experience for our visitors,” said Hannah Collins, deputy director of the Maine Office of Tourism.

The funded projects in this cycle represent a variety of Maine assets, from historical activities aligning with America’s 250th anniversary to hiking destinations and arts attractions.

“Maine’s tourism industry relies on partnerships at the local, regional and state levels, and the Maine Tourism Marketing Partnership Program exemplifies how a collaborative approach strengthens the Maine brand and delivers economic benefits to local communities,” said Carolann Ouellette, Maine’s director of tourism, film and outdoor recreation.