From climate resilience to affordable housing, $304K grant to help 10 rural communities

COURTESY / GROWSMART MAINE From left, back row: GrowSmart Maine Development and Operations Associate Amanda Vermillion, Outreach and Communications Director Aqeel Mohialdeen, Program Director Harald Bredesen. Front row: CEO Nancy Smith, Kennebec Broadband Partnership Director Hildie Lipson.

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By Laurie Schreiber

GrowSmart Maine, a nonprofit community advocate headquartered in Augusta, received a $304,636 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural development program to provide “community building” training, technical assistance and grants to 10 rural communities.

“Though many of our rural towns face challenges related to climate change, housing, farmland loss and changing local economies, our communities also have tremendous natural and human resources, ingenuity and opportunity to address those challenges,” said Nancy Smith, GrowSmart Maine’s CEO.

The rural community development initiative grant will go to GrowSmart’s Building Community Strength program, which aims to help communities identify local assets and projects, develop strategic plans and access necessary funding.

Ten communities have enrolled in the new Building Community Strength program: Calais, Danforth, Enfield, Houlton, Machias, Mexico, Presque Isle, Roque Bluffs, Skowhegan and Winn.

Skowhegan, for one, has had a surge in investment, with projects underway or in the planning stages in the Somerset County town expected to total $650 million.

“Skowhegan is experiencing unprecedented new investments and development,” said Bryan Belliveau, Skowhegan’s code enforcement officer. “We want to make the most of these investments, while also addressing unwanted impacts, for example, on housing affordability or increased sprawl.

"The building community strength program will help us mange change and continue on a path of growth that is both sustainable and inclusive of all residents in our community.”

Trainees from each municipality will tackle issues such as climate resilience, economic development, farm viability and farmland protection, affordable housing, and equitable and inclusive community development.

The program will also train participants in researching and applying for state, federal and private funding.

To manage its Building Community Strength program, GrowSmart Maine will partner with Build Maine, Eastern Maine Development Corp., Four Directions Development Corp., Genesis Community Loan Fund, the Musson Group and the Sunrise County Economic Council.

American Farmland Trust, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit agriculture advocate, is offering matching funds to support the Building Community Strength program.

“This program builds on our planning for agriculture principles: it takes a systems approach, follows the community’s lead, lifts up community assets and focuses on planning with implementation in mind,” said the trust’s president and CEO, John Piotti.

Maine State Director Rhiannon Hampson announced the grant with Rebecca Casey, chair of GrowSmart Maine’s board of directors, at the annual GrowSmart Maine summit on Oct. 19 in Waterville.

In 2019, GrowSmart Maine was designated as the state's Rural Development Council by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

State Rural Development Councils collaborate with in-state public and private-sector groups and with other states to strengthen rural development.

According to its annual report for FY 2023, GrowSmart Maine had $331,784 in revenue and $265,206 in expenses.

Since July 2022, the staff grew from 1.5 employees to 4.5, with professional capacity for technical assistance in broadband, land use planning, farmland protection, state-level advocacy and convening to action.