Measures of Growth Indicator in Action: Gender Wage Equity

Gender Wage Equity is one of the 31 key economic indicators featured in the annual Measures of Growth Report. Each month this blog features a story that connects the data to real-life experience.

As Maine and the entire nation honor Women’s History Month, and in hopes that Mainers will continue to work towards a truly equitable and inclusive Maine economy every day of every month, we are highlighting Gender Wage Equity as the current Indicator in Action. 

Maine history is rich with the economic, community, and cultural contributions of women, among them Frances Perkins, the nation’s first female presidential cabinet secretary. Perkins served as Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945 under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

During these years, Perkins was a critical force behind groundbreaking legislation including the New Deal, the Social Security Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act which established a national minimum wage, the 40-hour work week, and banned child labor. Perkins worked tirelessly her entire career to end gender and class discrimination and improve employment opportunities and working conditions for women and marginalized communities. This included efforts to establish equal pay for all.

“The door might not be opened to a woman again for a long, long time, and I had a kind of duty to other women to walk in and sit down on the chair that was offered, and so establish the right of others long hence and far distant in geography to sit in the high seats.” – Frances Perkins

Frances Perkins was born in Boston and grew up in a comfortable middle-class Republican family. She was, however, descended from a long line of Maine farmers and craftsmen and would spend part of every year at the family homestead in Newscastle, Maine. In 2024, the 57-acre saltwater farm along the Damariscotta River and the 1837 Brick House where Perkins and her family lived for generations was designated a National Monument.

Credit: Getty images

Perkins dedicated her life to build and sustain an equitable culture and economy, efforts that require broad, deep, and ongoing systemic change. The independent, nonpartisan Maine Economic Growth Council, which MDF staffs and works with to produce the annual Measures of Growth Report, strongly believes that increasing prosperity is not true progress unless it is equitably shared.  

For example, as highlighted in the 2024 Measures of Growth Report, in 2023, the median earnings of Maine females was $52,457—85% of the $61,430 median earnings of Maine males. In other words, for every $6 earned by Maine men, Maine women earned about $5, even though they were all working full time. This gap was between the U.S. and New England averages. No U.S. state has eliminated the gender pay gap yet, but in eight states women’s earnings ratio exceeds Maine’s. Rhode Island had the smallest gender wage gap. There, women earned 89% as much as men in 2023.

The Maine Economic Growth Council has set a benchmark goal that Maine’s median annual earnings for women will improve to 100% of men’s median annual earnings by 2030. Frances Perkins would likely say it is high time.

You can dig into the data behind Gender Wage Equity and explore how it intersects with Maine’s economy as a whole by clicking here for our Measures of Growth Report.

MDF’s Maine Downtown Center Welcomes Waterville and Van Buren to Nationally Recognized Revitalization Program

Augusta, Maine – March 10, 2025 The Maine Downtown Center (MDC), a program of Maine Development Foundation (MDF), is pleased to announce that Van Buren and Waterville are joining its Maine Downtown Center Affiliate Program. Both communities completed an extensive application process that included an online application, a written commitment to the program, a site visit, and a review conducted by professional downtown revitalization experts that serve on the MDC Advisory Council. 

“I am excited for Van Buren to be selected as a Maine Downtown Center Affiliate because it provides our community with valuable resources, networking opportunities, and expert guidance to support our downtown revitalization efforts,” says Luke Dyer, Town Manager of Van Buren. “This designation reinforces our commitment to economic growth, historic preservation, and creative placemaking, ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for Van Buren.”  

Both Waterville and Van Buren have volunteer committees that will work hard over the next year to build relationships with businesses, residents, property owners, and the municipality.  They will begin to look at downtown assets, priorities for revitalization and begin to use the Main Street Four Point Approach, a proven downtown revitalization method for over 40 years. 

Michael Hall, Community Development Specialist for City of Waterville says, “Downtown Waterville has been on an incredible rise over the past seven years, and becoming a Downtown Affiliate is the next big leap forward! This partnership equips us with the tools, resources, and momentum to supercharge our revitalization, strengthen local businesses, and cement Waterville’s place as the most vibrant downtown in Central Maine.” 

With the addition of Van Buren and Waterville, The Maine Downtown Center now supports 30 member communities throughout Maine: 11 Nationally Accredited Main Street Communities, 13 Maine Downtown Affiliate Communities, and 6 Municipal Communities. Some are in the initial stages of downtown revitalization while many are working toward achieving nationally accredited “Main Street” designation. MDC offers access to training by state and national downtown development experts, best practices in the field, and a network of peers from around the state. 

“It is a great feeling to have worked closely with the Van Buren Revitalization Association and Discover Waterville over the last year and have them reach this goal of being excited and committed to having a focused downtown revitalization program. We are looking forward to working with both Waterville and Van Buren on their downtown revitalization journeys as Maine’s two new Affiliates,” said Anne Ball, Senior Program Director of the Maine Downtown Center.   

Downtown Van Buren
  Van Buren Site Visit Team
Downtown Waterville
Discover Waterville Board

Measures of Growth Indicator in Action: Racial Income Equity

Racial Income Equity is one of the 31 key economic indicators featured in the annual Measures of Growth Report. Each month this blog features a story that connects the data to real-life experience.

As Maine and the entire nation honor Black History Month, and in hopes that Mainers will continue to work towards a truly equitable and inclusive Maine economy every day of every month we are highlighting Racial Income Equity as the current Indicator in Action. 

Maine history is rich with the economic, community, and cultural contributions of our Black brothers and sisters, among them Daniel and Marcia Minter, co-founders of Indigo Arts Alliance in Portland. 

Indigo Arts Alliance started 34 years ago when Marcia and Daniel met. They shared a dream to create a space where artists of color could not only create work but be inspired by one another, share stories and build a global network that functioned as a support system across distances. Over the decades they have worked with multi-sector partners to establish a multiracial approach to the rich intersections of citizenship, community-building, and creativity. “Our work is in service to shifting historical injustices as a vital component of achieving equity for Black and Brown artists. We believe that artists are instrumental to doing the work of social justice in ways that are deeply grounded in lived experience and community.” – Indigo Arts Alliance website.

“The model we are creating is intended to foster the development, advancement and exposure of emerging and professional black artists with an open door to all people of color. We plan to establish an environment and community platform where established artists of color work in their practice, connect to other artists and to the local community in newly imagined ways. These artists will be inspired to apply for our artist residencies and will be motivated to use our dynamic platform to cultivate new collaborations, audiences and engagement practices and to give back by mentoring another artist of color, across generational divides.” – Marcia Minter, co-founder, Indigo Arts Alliance, Portland Press Herald 1-2-2019

In 2019, the Alliance opened a new hybrid studio-community facility in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood. In the years since, it has become a community and economic cornerstone. IAA has hosted community events and public art installations like “The Welcome Table” and “Mother’s Garden and Welcome Feast” which bring together Mainers from diverse backgrounds to share cultural and lived experiences over food. Surrounded by art that inspired conversation and encouraged a better understanding of each other, attendees considered how collectively we can build a stronger Maine economy and culture.

Efforts to build and sustain such a culture and economy require ongoing broad, deep, and long-term systemic change. The independent, nonpartisan Maine Economic Growth Council, which MDF staffs and works with to produce the annual Measures of Growth Report, strongly believes that Maine will need the contributions of every resident to achieve a vibrant, sustainable economy. Increasing prosperity is not true progress unless it is equitably shared.  

For example, as highlighted in the 2024 Measures of Growth Report, the average per capita income of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and Latino or Hispanic Maine residents (about 9% of the population) was $29,588. This is 73% of the $40,669 average for white, non-Hispanic Mainers 2018-2022, dramatically short of full equity.  

This stark racial/ethnic income disparity is similar to that found in New England and the United States. To counter it, Maine must improve access to training and education for residents of color, better support their communities and businesses, and address cultural biases and systemic disadvantages.  

To dig into the data and how it intersects with Maine’s economy as a whole, click here for our Measures of Growth Report, and here for Racial Income Equity specifically.

MDF’s Policy Leaders Academy program featured in The County/Bangor Daily News newsletter

MDF’s Policy Leaders Academy program was featured in an article in The County online, a newsletter affiliated with the Bangor Daily News.

The piece tells of how 60+ state legislators from all parties are taking a 3-day bus tour of western and northern Maine to learn about Maine’s economy as a whole, see how individuals, businesses, and entire communities are impacted by laws, how different industries and regions are interconnected, and – perhaps most importantly – how participating legislators form bonds that rise above party lines.

Read the full article “65 Maine lawmakers are heading north to explore rural innovation“.

2024 Measures of Growth Report Highlights 30 Years of Economic Change in Maine

Bath, Maine – November 20, 2024 The nonpartisan Maine Economic Growth Council today released its 30th annual Measures of Growth report – a comprehensive snapshot of how the state’s economy is performing relative to our long-term goals, other states, and the nation.

The report finds that overall, Maine continues to perform exceptionally well in terms of environmental stewardship, and it has made significant gains in internet connectivity and transportation infrastructure. These areas were recognized with Gold Stars. The economy is diversifying and growing, broadband internet connectivity continues to expand apace, and postsecondary training and education remains at all-time highs. However, children’s mental health and learning, labor force challenges, and the high costs of housing and energy pose systemic challenges that continue to burden communities, businesses, and households. These areas were assigned Red Flags for “needs attention”.

“The three decades since Measures of Growth debuted have been ones of remarkable change,” says Steve Von Vogt, CEO, Maine Marine Composites and Co-Chair of the Maine Economic Growth Council. “The population is older, with unfilled jobs chasing too few workers, and economic activity has shifted from manufacturing to services and from rural to urban areas. While this has sharply challenged some rural communities, it has energized many to reimagine themselves and their economies to meet present and future needs. This report highlights ways in which Maine is building on its unique strengths in every region through ingenuity, innovation, and public-private partnerships to create new opportunities – including next-generation manufacturing.”

In this 30th-anniversary edition, the report also highlights four examples of creative initiatives that are helping address some of Maine’s longstanding challenges. Bucksport is diversifying its economic base, Dover-Foxcroft is investing in climate resilience, MEMIC is embracing the talents of an older workforce, and Bath is expanding affordable housing opportunities.

“When it comes to building affordable housing in Maine, you need a community-minded developer willing to take it on, municipal and community collaborators, and multi-tiered public-private funding partners to not only break even but to keep the housing affordable long term,” says Amy Cullen, Vice President & Project Partner, The Szanton Company, and former Chair of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition. “The Uptown complex featured in this year’s report is an example of the kind of new housing models every community in Maine needs to embrace so residents and workers have homes.”

The report also notes developments outside the scope of its metrics that will have serious implications for Maine communities and businesses in the coming years. Two significant challenges that were little known 30 years ago and have roots in actions taken (or not taken) at that time are climate change and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or ‘forever chemicals’). Overcoming these challenges will require unprecedented levels of coordination and public investment.

In total, the 2024 Measures of Growth Report tracks 31 indicators that represent Maine’s assets and areas of challenge. Overall, the state made measurable progress on 6 indicators, lost ground versus the benchmark on 9, and held its ground on 16.As always, the Council assigned Gold Stars for high standing or good progress and Red Flags for notable gaps or adverse trending.

The Council assigns Gold Stars for significant progress in:

  • Internet Connectivity: In 2024, 89% of Maine locations have either average or broadband internet, up 3%.
  • Transportation: In 2023, 72% of Maine roadways were rated good or fair, up 5%.
  • Sustainable Forestlands: In 2022, the 10-year growth-to-removal ratio fell 4% to 1.51 but it remains well above the sustainability goal.
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions: From 2020 to 2021, GHG emissions rose 1.4% but still show major progress toward the long-term goal.

The Council assigns Red Flags for needed attention to:

  • Labor Force: Maine’s labor force grew 1% to 687,000 in 2023 but remains a serious challenge.
  • 4th and 8th Grade Test Scores: In 2022, just 29% of Maine 4th graders were proficient in reading and 24% of Maine 8th graders were proficient in mathematics. These are sharp drops from pre-COVID levels.
  • Cost of Energy: The price of industrial electricity rose 13% in 2023, in contrast to a decline nationwide.
  • Housing Affordability: In 2023, the share of households unable to afford the median-priced home rose to 79%.
  • Mental and Behavioral Health: In 2021-2022, the percentage of children with a mental and/or behavioral condition rose 4%.

“Ultimately, the report makes crystal clear that our economic success depends on our people: attracting and retaining the talent pool that drives our economy; equipping kids and our current workers with the knowledge and skills to succeed; and tackling the physical, mental, and access barriers to enable all Mainers in all corners of the state to realistically achieve prosperity and self-worth,” says Yellow Light Breen, President & CEO of MDF (Maine Development Foundation). “The data presented in this report illustrates how Maine’s economy has expanded and is more innovative than ever – and that will take an expanding and innovative workforce.”

The Maine Economic Growth Council takes a nonpartisan, data-driven approach to presenting an

unbiased picture of Maine’s economy and well-being. Measures of Growth is designed to be a resource for policy and decision makers at all levels, helping them to focus their efforts and understand the connections between the key issues affecting the state. The report works in tandem with the

Maine 2020-2029 Economic Development Strategy: 2024 Reset to inform policy and decisions in order to achieve overarching goals of growing Maine’s talent pool and workforce, increasing wages, and increasing the value of what we sell per worker. The Council is administered by the Maine Development Foundation (MDF). You can find a digital, interactive version of the report here. To print a PDF version, click here.

MDF’s Maine Downtown Center Holds 25th Anniversary Conference and Annual Awards Celebration 

Biddeford and Saco — November 6-7, 2024  Maine Development Foundation’s (MDF’s) Maine Downtown Center (MDC) held its 25th Anniversary Conference and Annual Awards over two jam-packed days in Biddeford and Saco. This year’s conference theme, “Revitalization in Action,” set the stage for dynamic discussions, action-oriented workshops, awards, and community tours highlighting ways community leaders, municipal staffs, elected officials, business owners, and passionate residents, are transforming downtown communities throughout Maine. The three awards that were presented and the keynote address by Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America, underscored the power of collective action to drive community revitalization and growth. 

“We know that we can’t solve everything,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America, during her keynote address on Thursday. “But we are the experts on our own communities. We have the exact right expertise to mend what’s right in front of us. ” 

More than 150 business, municipal, and community leaders and volunteers from across Maine attended the 2-day Conference. They participated in a variety of ways: through downtown walking tours of neighborhoods, parks, and historic sites both Saco and Biddeford to experience how initiatives are playing out in real life; in workshops aimed at providing tools to transform their own communities; and contributing to strategic discussions of how to scale proven approaches and initiatives to drive equitable, inclusive economic and community development across Maine. 

“Maine has amazing downtowns. Mill towns. Towns on rivers. Towns along the ocean,” said Anne Ball, Senior Program Director for MDC. “They offer beautiful historic fabric and building types, welcoming public spaces, and unique small businesses. These places can also be fragile. If they are going to continue to be economic engines, they need to be cultivated and supported. So, our work is never done.” 

During the Awards Celebration MDC proudly bestowed the following honors: 

2024 Downtown Project of the Year Award to the Szanton Company for The Uptown complex in Bath. Working with more than a dozen public and private partners and funders, Szanton rehabilitated and expanded two historic buildings to offer both residential and commercial space. 42 of the resulting 60 housing units are affordable, helping ease the region’s housing shortage.  

2024 Downtown Small Business Award to Rhona Beauty in Biddeford. Owner Rhona Deah opened the salon to serve multi-cultural women and create a space for “empowerment and self-love.” Deah is an immigrant from Liberia who now employs two hair braiders, offers booths to other stylists, and hosts community events. 

2024 William F. King, Jr., Downtown Champion Award to Luke R Dyer, Town Manager of Van Buren. Dyer served in law enforcement for 30 years before taking the role of Town Manager in Van Buren. He has helped lead several economic development initiatives including the Park Street & Community Garden project, the Van Buren Acadian Passage Lighting Project, and the upcoming $1.8 million community tech hub project. 

The event also celebrated MDC’s 25th Anniversary of leading preservation-based community and economic development across the state under the umbrella of the national Main Street America organization. MDC currently works with 11 nationally accredited Main Street Maine communities – including the most recent designee, City of Ellsworth, and the nonprofit Heart of Ellsworth – 14 Affiliate Communities and scores of other municipalities and communities. 

“I really don’t think there is any way Ellsworth and Heart of Ellsworth could have achieved national accreditation as a Main Street Community without the help of the Maine Downtown Center,” said Cara Romano, Executive Director of Heart of Ellsworth. “They have been with us every step of the way, helping us figure out the strategic planning, the tactical implementation, and coaching us on how to secure everything from funding to investment in initiatives that have enriched Ellsworth economically.”  

Visit the MDC section of our website to find out more about the broad range of programs we offer. 

MDF’s Maine Downtown Center Wins $750,000 National Park Service Grant to Support Historic Preservation in Rural Downtowns 

HALLOWELL, Maine – October 8, 2024 The Maine Development Foundation (MDF)’s Maine Downtown Center program is pleased to receive a $750,000 grant from the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program. MDF is one of only 17 recipients in 15 states to receive this funding. Known in Maine as Revitalize ME Downtown, the program will provide grants for historic preservation projects that will foster economic development in Maine’s rural downtowns. This is the third time in five years that MDF has received this highly competitive funding. Similar awards in 2019 and 2021 funded projects in Maine’s Main Street and Affiliate Communities including Skowhegan, Eastport, Bath, Norway, Dover-Foxcroft and Gardiner, Rumford, Machias, Ellsworth and Augusta.  

“Supporting our National Main Street and Affiliate communities by bringing historic preservation funding opportunities to them is one of the most important things MDF’s Maine Downtown Center can do,” says Anne Ball, Sr. Program Director, Maine Downtown Center. “We are grateful to the National Park Service for funding the work we are doing in Maine.”   

Revitalize ME Downtown funds are provided by the Historic Preservation Fund, as administered by the National Park Service, Department of Interior. The Historic Preservation Fund is supported by revenue from offshore oil and gas leases, not tax dollars. The program will offer grants to historic property owners for preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, or energy efficiency projects in the downtown areas of communities currently served by the Maine Downtown Center program.  

Funding in the form of subgrants will be awarded through a competitive program that will be administered by MDF. These grants will provide desperately needed financial capacity to encourage infrastructure development and leverage private sector investment increasing the commercial, educational, residential, or civic use and value of the historic properties. Grant applications and requirements will be made available in January 2024 at www.mdf.org.  

“The National Park Service helps rural areas across the country revitalize their communities through historic preservation,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “This locally stewarded work supports improvements to historic buildings, preserving America’s cultural resources while benefiting local economies.”  

These grants mark the sixth year of funding for the program honoring the late Paul Bruhn, who served as executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont for nearly 40 years. State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments, special district governments, and nonprofits are eligible to apply for funding to create a subgrant program to fund multiple preservation projects in their rural jurisdictions.  

MDF Presents Champion Awards for Exemplary Leadership in Helping Make Maine a Magnet for Young Workers and their Families 

Lewiston — September 24, 2024 — Maine Development Foundation (MDF), is thrilled to announce our 2024 Champion Award winners. These awards recognize exemplary leadership toward economic improvement and systemic change necessary for each Mainer to thrive and prosper. This year’s awards focused on individuals, businesses, and organizations helping make Maine a magnet for young workers and their families. 

“The winners of this year’s awards are shining examples of innovative, inspiring ways to build long-term relationships, trust, and a sense of community that young workers and their families crave,” says Yellow Light Breen, MDF’s President and CEO. “Each of our awardees is leading actionable and scalable efforts that help Maine be a magnet by creating pathways where young workers can progress in their careers so they and their families can thrive and prosper.” 

MDF proudly bestowed the following awards during Magnetize: MDF’s 46th Annual Meeting & Champion Awards Celebration, held recently at the Franco Center in Lewiston: 

2024 Champion of Education and Workforce Development to the FAME (Finance Authority of Maine) College Access and Financial Education (CAFE) Team for their steadfast, systematic approach to meeting each college-bound student and their families where they are and helping each navigate the financial aid application process during the last year, which was an extremely complicated and confusing year. As a result, the financial aid form completion rate for Maine high school seniors increased 9 full percentage points to 61%; 

2023 Champion of Rural Economic Development to Deb Rountree, Executive Director of Rural Development Initiatives with Eastern Maine Community College and U-Maine-Augusta for her decades-long work to support displaced rural workers, adult learners, and young families in the Katahdin Region so they can pursue certifications, degrees, good-paying jobs, and further their careers. An example is the childcare center at Katahdin Higher Education Center in East Millinocket that Deb helped establish which has provided quality, affordable early childhood development for thousands of children, removing a major barrier to success for their parents and families; 

2024 Dirigo Rising Young Professional Award to Samantha Burdick, Communications Director with Maine Education Association, for demonstrating exceptional leadership and dedication to strengthening the state’s economy and her community with efforts to attract and retain young people. Sam serves on numerous boards, including the Waterville Homeless Shelter, United Way of Kennebec Valley, the Waterville Planning Board, and is in her 5th year on the Steering Committee of KV Connect, one of seven regional chapters of MDF’s Realize Maine Network. 

This year’s event is a breakfast festivity and served as a kickoff to the 2024 Magnetize Maine conference, hosted by Uplift LA in conjunction with MDF’s Realize Maine Network. 

MDF’s Maine Downtown Center Names Ellsworth as an Accredited National Main Street Community

For immediate release: 

ELLSWORTH, MAINE – September 17, 2024,  MDF’s Maine Downtown Center (MDC) is thrilled to announce that Heart of Ellsworth is the newest nationally accredited addition to Maine’s Main Street program. Becoming an accredited Main Street Program is a mark of distinction. This designation recognizes a community’s long-term commitment to building a grassroots revitalization program, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces and cultural assets.     

“Heart of Ellsworth and the entire Ellsworth community is overjoyed and so proud to receive this accreditation,” says Cara Romano, Executive Director of Heart of Ellsworth. “We look forward to a whole new level of growth as we continue to work with the MDC team and Main Street America to further strengthen our economic infrastructure, attract more investment and new businesses into our community, and bring more visitors to our beautiful city.”   

Heart of Ellsworth joins ten other nationally accredited Main Street communities working with MDC in Maine. These organizations are accredited annually by MDC and meet rigorous standards for revitalization of their downtowns and commercial districts. The accreditation process helps communities identify their strengths and challenges and find resources to continue their progress. Main Streets gain access to and an extensive peer network within the state and nationally.   

“It has been wonderful to support Heart of Ellsworth on its journey to accreditation, “says Anne Ball, Senior Program Director, MDC. “Not only does Ellsworth have a walkable downtown with many locally owned businesses, historic buildings and sites such as the Old Hancock Jail, and a riverwalk under development, they also have a strong organization leading the revitalization effort. The Heart of Ellsworth should be recognized for their leadership and their broad-based community support and their commitment to downtown revitalization. We are so excited during our 25th anniversary year to bring on our 11th Main Street. We look forward to continuing to work with Heart of Ellsworth as they start their next chapter as an accredited Main Street.”  

MDC represents some of the strongest core downtown commercial districts in the State and in New  

England. The Center serves as the State Coordinator for Maine’s National Main Street Program, which is under the umbrella of the national Main Street America organization. For more than 40 years, the Main Street America movement has been committed to strengthening communities by revitalizing older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through preservation-based economic development.  

In addition to the now 11 Nationally Accredited Main Street Communities, MDC works with 13 Maine Downtown Affiliate Communities, and 4 Municipal Communities. Some are in the early stages of downtown revitalization, and many are working toward achieving national “Main Street” accreditation. MDC offers access to training by state and national downtown development experts, best practices in the field, and a network of peers from around the state.  

Michelle Beal, an Ellsworth resident and City Council Member shared, “The Main Street designation is an invaluable asset in supporting the city’s continued growth and vibrancy, especially in its downtown area.  As the business and professional hub of Hancock County, this designation is a monumental step in ensuring the City become a model for work-life balance and amplifies the pride Ellsworth has in its historic walkable downtown and riverfront.” 

For more information about MDF’s Maine Downtown Center and our work in communities large and small across Maine, visit the MDC section of this website. 

Photo credit: Mike Perlman/mikeperlman.com

MDF Awarded $535,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending Funds to Boost Maine’s Rural & Forest Product Sector Workforce

Hallowell, Maine — July 18, 2024 — Maine Development Foundation (MDF) is pleased to announce an award of Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) funds totaling $535,000 to offer critically needed training and online micro-credential courses for working-age Mainers who can then fill the hundreds of open jobs in Maine’s forest products industry.

“This CDS funding – first and foremost – will help address continuing needs for workers in the Jay region who were displaced by the sudden closure of the town’s paper mill in 2022,” says Yellow Light Breen, President & CEO of MDF. “The investment will also help the statewide forest industry by enabling employers to fill open jobs and build their workforce of the future at a time of innovation and growth. These employers pay family-supporting wages and offer robust benefits packages.”

The funds are made possible through advocacy by Maine’s two U.S. Senators, Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I). MDF, a key partner in and staff to the FOR Maine (Forest Opportunity Roadmap) coalition, worked with the coalition’s established partnerships to identify which trainings/micro credentials are most needed to design the programs being funded:

  • Pathways to Prosperity for a Skilled Forest Workforce: MDFis partnering with Spruce Mountain Adult Education to train 50 students over the next two years in CDL (Commercial Driver License) Class A instruction. In-kind matches and support from Merrill’s Garage and Spruce Mountain Adult Education will aid the new training programs. Importantly, the CDL funds also cover up to $1000 stipends for students for things like transportation and childcare – necessities that often have proven too costly to would-be participants, barring them from taking such courses and therefore landing the jobs.
  • Forestry Product Sector Micro-Credential online course: MDF is partnering with the University of Maine to develop course which will use the digital platform Badgr to educate as many as 500 people about the wide range of job opportunities, benefits, and potential career advancement within the forest products sector.  The course will be free and available for navigators – those who work with students/workers of all ages to connect them to educational opportunities, job information, and life-supports that are critical to career success.

“This initiative – which includes pathways to high-wage, high-demand jobs – not only meets industry demand but also empowers our community with essential employment credentials for a prosperous future,” says Dr. Robyn Raymond, Director, Spruce Mountain Adult Education. “Spruce Mountain Adult Education is thrilled to partner with MDF in this work, and deeply grateful for Senators Collins and King for helping secure this funding.”

According to the Forest Opportunity Roadmap for Maine Workforce Development Strategy report, within the next ten years over 26% of the forest products workforce will have reached retirement age and are at high probability of exiting the labor force. Labor replacement demands for the entire forest products sector range from 4,770 to 5,200 over the next fifteen years. These courses will help bridge the gap to meet workforce needs.

“We are thrilled that these programs are coming to fruition as they will help us meet FOR/Maine’s long-term workforce goals: attracting young people to the industry; ensuring new, replacement, and existing workers have the skills they need; and preparing our workforce for emerging technologies,” says Ryan Bushey, Chair of the FOR/Maine Workforce Committee.

To learn more about FOR/Maine, visit formaine.org.