TOPSHAM — The town is one of four Maine communities that will receive a total of more than $170,000 in grant money, the Maine Department of Conservation announced Wednesday.

The grant funding comes from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Topsham is receiving $74,850 for the Head of Tide Park project on the Cathance River, which includes a boat landing, picnic and fishing areas.

The Maine grants were announced as national legislation that ensures the full funding of $900 million a year for LWCF is pending in Congress. The program has provided more than $40 million to Maine since its 1964 inception, and it already has the support of U.S. Reps. Michael Michaud, D-Maine, and Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and has received support in the past from U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Susan Collins, R-Maine.

“The grants provide money for outdoor recreation for towns and municipalities, anything from swimming pools to playgrounds to ski areas to golf courses,” according to Mick Rogers, Grant and Recreation manager for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, under MDOC.

There were 21 potential applicants this year for the federal grants, which must be matched 50-50 by the receiving communities, Rogers said. He noted that the application process can be lengthy and requires site visits to applying projects.

Rogers said the projects are expected to be approved by the National Park Service in the next three to six weeks.