Rural communities across Maine may share many of the same goals, but collaboration can be difficult when they are separated by great distance and challenging roads. What’s more, small towns often have lean staffs, making it especially hard to make time for strategic planning. (It can be hard enough to manage the day-to-day demands with a limited budget, never mind plan for change.) Utilizing a USDA Rural Community Development Initiative grant, GrowSmart Maine (GSM) is stepping in to help ten Maine towns overcome these challenges. In late 2023, GSM launched “Building Community Strength” (BCS) to help participating communities identify local assets and projects, develop strategic plans, and access necessary funding. Perhaps even more importantly, the participating communities will build community strength by building a wider net of human connections.

Recognizing statewide needs, GSM implemented the new program quickly. In April of 2024, the first cohort convened for a multi-day workshop in Bangor. Fourteen town managers, select board members, and economic development directors from eight Maine towns gathered to network and learn from each other. They met with GSM staff and other partners (including Sunrise County Economic Council, Eastern Maine Development Cooperation, North Star Planning, and the Musson Group) to participate in a series of sessions focused on community planning. (GSM’s Program Director, Harald Bredesen, says that when it comes to growth, “it is better to manage change than to BE changed.”)

Meeting together in person gave participants a chance to network with other rural leaders whose communities face similar challenges and opportunities. It’s unusual for rural leaders to have the time and space to come together for collaborative planning and problem solving. “To see how other towns are dealing with those issues and how they approach them was super helpful,” said participant Tim St. Peter, Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Presque Isle. “A lot of the time we are kind of stuck in our ways, so to have another perspective is always great.”

At the workshop, the representatives of each community also had a chance to meet with state and federal officials through a “speed-dating” session. This gave the community leaders the chance to outline their priorities in one-on-one conversations. Edie Smith, Regional Representative for Senator Angus King, met with participants during this portion of the event. “It is so important to talk face-to-face when exploring options for funding or any type of assistance between the government and rural leaders,” said Edie afterward. “The BCS event allowed us to have that important face time, in a friendly and fun environment. I found the interactions very helpful in building relationships and in getting to dive into what type of assistance the rural leaders needed. The one-on-one was really effective.”

Throughout the three-year program, 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 also will train participants in researching and applying for state, federal, and private funding. Through their emerging network, the participants will develop a community of practice to help support their work beyond the scope of the structured sessions. “I had conversations with the different community leaders on a range of topics,” said Tim St. Peter of Presque Isle. “If I can learn from someone else what to watch for and avoid, or what process worked for them and be able to apply it to our community, I think that is a success.”

The towns enrolled in the Building Community Strength program are situated across the state: Calais, Danforth, Enfield, Houlton, Machias, Mexico, Presque Isle, Roque Bluffs, Skowhegan, and Winn. They are looking forward to the next in-person workshop, to be held in the fall of 2024 in Machias.

At the opening session of the Bangor workshop, USDA Rural Development Maine State Director Hampson offered encouragement to the participants. “Now is the time to be aspirational!” she said, noting, “It is the spirit of collaboration between small towns that really makes Maine special. That spirit is exemplified right here in this room, and it is one of the surest ways to build community strength!”

In 2023 GrowSmart Maine secured a USDA Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) grant of $304,636 to help fund the program. (American Farmland Trust provided matching funding.) It was a natural fit since GSM has served as Maine’s State Rural Development Council since 2019. In this capacity, GSM collaborates with local and state government agencies, as well as economic and community development organizations, to assist rural communities in managing change and accessing resources.

Learn more about the Building Community Strength program online at www.buildingcommunitystrength.org or contact Program Director Harald Bredesen at 207-248-8166 (hbredesen@growsmartmaine.org). Build Maine, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, Genesis Community Loan Fund, The Musson Group, North Star Planning, and Sunrise County Economic Council partner with GSM to support the programming.

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