A Training Program for Community-Driven Development Solutions
Creating inclusive, strategic, and fundable plans that deliver tangible results for our communities.
Building Community Strength
How will rural communities respond when a developer proposes a large new housing development? How can we build capacity for solar without compromising prime soils and local food production? How can communities attract young families, or provide affordable housing for seasonal workers while some retirees want to live in a smaller home without losing their hometown? How does short term rentals and accessory dwelling units fit in economic development and housing plans? How can towns and cities prepare for flooding, drought, the more extreme cold or the heat? What can communities do to mitigate the losses that come with changes in traditional economic sectors?
Building Community Strength is a 3-year training program providing technical and financial assistance to ten rural communities across Maine ready to navigate these and related questions. Six training modules are delivered through three platforms.
Training Workshops
Joint workshops brings together trainees and trainers to learn from each-other, share resources and experiences, and solve common challenges.
Community Visits
Community visits is an opportunity to engage the community and set common goals in a neutral and facilitated structure.
A Learning Network
Ongoing learning is supported through online tools and resources + a dedicated members’ forum to ask questions and engage in discussion.
Training Modules
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Planning 101: Inclusive and Equitable Community Development
Meaningful planning processes create communities designed for all residents.
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Housing Options for a Well-Rounded Community
Workforce housing, ADUs, Short Term Rentals, housing options, affordability and beyond.
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Farm Viability and Farmland Protection
Ways to promote local agriculture and food systems in land use planning.
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Economic Development
Creating and maintaining a resilient local economy, good jobs, and a thriving town center.
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Community Resilience
Your community’s ability to mitigate and recover from shocks and disasters.
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Funding Research and Grant-Writing
Even the best laid plans … need funding for implementation.
Implementation Grants: Municipalities can apply for grants of up to $5,000 to support the implementation of the plans they develop through their participation in the program. Applying for these grants will be part of the Funding Research and Grant-Writing Training.
Partners
This program is managed by GrowSmart Maine. Partners include Build Maine, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, Genesis Community Loan Fund, The Musson Group, North Star Planning, and Sunrise County Economic Council. The program is made possible with funding from USDA Rural Development and the American Farmland Trust.