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The Onion Foundation Offers Grant Awards to 36 Environmental Organizations in Maine
Photo credit: Palmar Collective
AUBURN, ME, May 2026 — The Onion Foundation has recently completed the fourth grantmaking cycle of its Equitable Outdoor Access strategy, a core focus of the foundation’s Environment Program. The foundation is pleased to award a total of $1,071,900 to 36 environmental nonprofit organizations throughout the state.
The organizations that received grant funding all exemplify the core tenets of the Equitable Outdoor Access strategy, expanding access to the outdoors and fostering stronger connections to and an ethic of care for nature. “Far too many people in Maine experience barriers that keep them from exploring the outdoors and participating in outdoor programs,” says Susan Onion, Program Officer for Freshwater. “It’s moving to see organizations throughout Maine working to dismantle those barriers.”
This cycle’s grantees include a wide range of environmental nonprofits, in addition to immigrant-serving groups, summer camps, and outdoor recreation organizations. Each, in its own way, helps expand access to the outdoors for Mainers who have been underserved by the sector.
“What really stood out among the applicants this year was their maturation,” says Rosalind Erwin, Program Officer for the Environment Program. “Leaders are more confident in their operations, programming has evolved, and the organizations are refining their work to be more sustainable and farther-reaching.”
The docket shows that new and experienced organizations alike are offering programming with consistency and honing their operations to build a dedicated community of participants. With a clear articulation of their work, they’re exploring ways to scale their programs to reach more Mainers. Examples include:
- Palmar Collective, which rebranded in 2025, refreshing its mission and developing a clear operational vision for the future
- Main St. Skowhegan, which has recently partnered with Skills, Inc. to offer outdoor activities to people with disabilities
- Lake Stewards of Maine, which is developing partnerships with Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Guides Board to expand aquatic invasive species education and awareness
Organizations not only are expanding the services they offer to their communities, but have a better understanding of the different ways that people connect with nature. As such, this cycle’s grantees are a representation of the vibrancy and growth of Maine’s environment sector and exemplify the importance of collective commitment to driving equitable outdoor access.