Policy Leaders Academy

Experiential training for Maine’s legislators

Policy Leaders Academy is a non-partisan educational program of the Maine Development Foundation for Maine Legislators on the Maine economy. This program has delivered high quality, objective and non-partisan experiential training to legislators since 1985. The program is open and free for all Maine Legislators.

Program participants learn about the fundamentals of the Maine economy and the factors that drive long-term growth. Participants learn how their public policy decisions affect the growth and investment strategies of Maine’s for-profit businesses and organizations. They learn this through interacting directly with business, non-profit, education and community leaders throughout Maine.

Policy Leaders Academy is a program of the Maine Development Foundation, with strong financial and personnel support from several prominent Maine foundations and organizations committed to a prosperous and thriving state.

2022-2023 Policy Leaders Academy Events

We are excited to offer the following programming as we return to in-person events.

2022 Pre-Legislative Conference

On Thursday, December 8, MDF will host members of the 131st Maine Legislature at Maple Hill Farm Inn & Conference Center for the final day of their Pre-Legislative Conference. This event will provide useful information to new and returning legislators to aid them in their understanding of the topics and issues they will likely face in the upcoming legislative session. Topics of the day include an overview of Maine’s economy and demographics; a panel discussion of key economic, community, and environmental issues highlighted by the newly released 2022 Making Maine Work and Measures of Growth reports; a presentation on how the state budget process works; and a panel of retired/retiring Maine legislators sharing insights on what they wish they’d known as they began their legislative service. The day is sponsored by the Legislative Council and offered in partnership with the organizations and foundations listed below.

2023 Bus Tour

On January 18-20, 2023, MDF will take members of the 131st Maine Legislature on a bus tour to Eastern Maine. The bus tour is a fun and educational biennial offering of the Policy Leaders Academy that gives legislators the opportunity to interact directly with businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders in a region. Participants see and hear about the challenges specific to rural Maine and how collaboration across sectors and organizations creates opportunities. Stops on this bus tour will include the University of Maine, The Jackson Laboratory, Downeast Institute, Indian Township, Woodland Pulp, and more.


Resources

Download the Executive Summary

Download the Full Report

Making Maine Work 2022: Critical Investments for the Maine Economy

Download the Executive Summary
Download the Full Report

Maine State Budget Primer 2021

click image to download primer

Click here for the 2022 primer supplement,
which describes recent changes to the allocation of
surplus General Fund revenue (the “cascade”)
and Maine’s receipt of federal funds
from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Policy Leaders Academy Partners

Policy Leaders Academy is a program of Maine Development Foundation, with strong financial and personnel support from several prominent Maine foundations and organizations committed to a prosperous and thriving state. The generous support of these organizations allows MDF to leverage expertise from across Maine to provide legislators with rich learning opportunities at no cost to individual legislators.

This year’s Policy Leaders Academy is brought to you by the following partners:

“The 2019 3-day bus trip proved that as Mainers we can create so much when given resources and inspiration. I’m grateful for the chance to have made meaningful connections with so many hardworking, visionary people – not just the leaders of our tours and talks, but also my fellow Legislators, hailing from all parties and parts of our state, joking, chatting, and eating lunch alongside me on the bus.” 

State Representative Vicki Doudera (D-Rockport)