Money trail | A look at how recent grants from the Maine Technology Institute may affect the Maine economy
On Sept. 29, the Maine Technology Institute handed out three Cluster Enhancement Awards totaling $430,000 that helped generate an additional $1.4 million in matching funds from outside sources, according to a press release from MTI. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland and the Maine Pulp and Paper Association in Augusta received $200,000 each, and the Foster Regional Applied Technology Center in Farmington received $30,000. Here’s a rundown of each organization’s projects:
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute will use its $200,000 award, plus $350,000 in outside funding, to help Maine fisheries pursue sustainable harvesting certification. GMRI will work with local fisheries, aquaculture companies and retailers like Scarborough-based Hannaford Bros. Co. to market Maine seafood as sustainable and to help the businesses compete with their European and Alaskan counterparts.
Using its $200,000 grant and more than $800,000 in matching funds, the Maine Pulp and Paper Association will conduct a study of bio-energy possibilities in Maine and Canada’s Maritime provinces. The study, led by the Atlantica Bio-Energy Task Force, will review existing forest resources and determine the potential for bio-energy, bio-chemical and other bio-products for the region’s economy. MPPA will also hold a roundtable with industry leaders in Canada and an R&D summit in Maine later this year.
The Foster Applied Technology Center will use its $30,000 to develop a model composites facility and curriculum for high schools by April 2009. The project includes an outreach program to other schools and the community college system that will use a mobile composites learning lab to help train the workforce on the composites manufacturing processes.
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