Recreation Ready Program
Recreation Ready provides training, technical assistance and funding to support Oregon outdoor recreation experiences.
Funds distributed in the 2025-2029 Recreation Ready cycle must contribute to the development and improvement of Oregon communities by means of the enhancement, expansion and promotion of the visitor industry. Projects must align with Travel Oregon’s mission and demonstrate the potential to:
- Attract overnight visitors
- Improve accessibility for people with disabilities
- Enhance community well-being
- Grow local economic opportunities
- Steward the natural environment
The program is delivered over two phases, beginning with a focused nine-month planning phase led by Travel Oregon staff and expert consultants. Communities receive support to turn early concepts into clear, actionable projects through vision development, accessibility planning, and project steering committee engagement. Projects that successfully complete Phase 1 will be assessed by Travel Oregon to determine eligibility to advance to Phase 2. Phase 2 applicants will be invited to apply up to $100,000 to support the project’s advancement over 16 months.
To apply to the program, applicants must first complete and submit a Letter of Intent form that will open for submissions on October 1, 2025, 2 p.m. PT and close October 30, 2025, 5 p.m. PT. Application information found here.
Eligible projects must include the development of new outdoor recreation infrastructure or the improvement of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure. Ineligible projects include events, certifications, advertising/marketing campaigns, and projects benefiting for-profit businesses.
Successful Recreation Ready program applicants will have identified an outdoor recreation project that is in the early stages of planning and not yet ready for traditional infrastructure funding. These projects should demonstrate a clear need for technical assistance to move toward implementation readiness.
