The Maine Snowmobile Equipment Grant Deadline is Today (June 15)

The Snowmobile Capital Equipment Reimbursement Grant program was established in 2002 to help offset the cost of expensive grooming equipment. Five dollars from each snowmobile registration fee is placed in a dedicated fund. Each year the Maine Bureau Bureau of Parks and Land pay outs approved capital equipment grants to registered clubs and/or towns throughout the state. 

The Bureau has issued a reminder than Wednesday, June 15th is the grant application submission deadline. All clubs must be incorporated and in good standing with the Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions to receive a grant. You can contact the Bureau at 624-7752 or at the website Some of the forms are downloadable PDF documents. You will need the free Acrobat Reader to view them. If you have difficulty accessing PDF forms call the Snowmobile Program at (207) 287-4957.

Capital Equipment Reimbursement Grants are available to any political subdivision or an incorporated snowmobile club that participates in the Snowmobile Program’s trail grooming grants and purchased snowmobile trail grooming equipment. The snowmobile club is required to provide the Snowmobile Club Information Form annually.

Operators of capital grant supported equipment must successfully complete the “Maine Trail Groomer Operator Awareness Training” program and quiz prior to being awarded a grant.

Complete the Bureau’s application with a price quote or purchase agreement and return to the Bureau postmarked on or before June 15th in the fiscal year.

An application review and scoring process will determine the approved applicants. Applicants with the highest scores will be considered until funds are depleted or the Bureau determines in its best judgment that no further awards should be made. The Snowmobile Advisory Council’s Review Committee will make recommendations to the Bureau’s Off-Road Recreational Vehicle Office. Once the Bureau approves applications, all those who have applied will receive a letter stating their status.

The approved applicants complete a reimbursement request with paid receipt and photo for the equipment. In addition, the amount of any previously sold equipment, amount of any other grants being used to purchase this equipment, and the amount of any equipment traded in. The reimbursement request and documentation must be returned to the Bureau postmarked on or before September 15th in the approved year. Reimbursement requests postmarked after this date will be denied.

The reimbursements will be a percentage of the cost of the equipment for the approved grants. The percentage will be determined annually once the allotment has been reported to the Bureau. The current policy is to fund 40% of the approved price to the extent funding is available to do so.

Grooming equipment must cost a minimum of $3,000 per power unit or $1500 per drag. The maximum approved cost for a groomer is $200,000. Any equipment wider than 10 feet is not eligible for this grant program. Equipment must be for the purpose of winter grooming of trails that are established with the Bureau. All equipment purchased must be purchased as a unit.

Grants will be paid out after September 15th once grant paperwork is processed in the ORV Office. Purchases based on approved purchase orders must be completed by September 15th of the calendar year in which the purchase order was approved.

Equipment not eligible includes chain saws, or brush saws, tools, ATV’s, brush mowers, earth moving equipment, grooming equipment less than $3,000, drags less than $1500, equipment over 10’ wide, maintenance items such as parts and pieces to make repairs or assemble equipment, two snowmobiles that are mixed together in order to end up with one good one, and parts added to the unit after the initial unit is acquired (such as lights, horns, radios, etc).

If your club is looking to buy or sell a groomer or drag, call 287-4957 for help.

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