GROWSMART MAINE

1) ADVOCACY TO SUPPORT SMART GROWTH PRINCIPLES. GROWSMART MAINE ENGAGES IN ADVOCACY AT THE STATE LEVEL, AS WELL AS LOCAL AND REGIONAL ADVOCACY WITH STATEWIDE IMPACT, WHILE SUPPORTING FEDERAL INITIATIVES THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS. IN FY 2025, GROWSMART CONVENED THE FIRST YEAR OF POLICY ACTION 2025, FOR THE CALENDAR YEARS OF 2025 AND 2026. CO-LED WITH BUILD MAINE, THE GOAL IS TO ADDRESS BARRIERS TO AND CREATE INCENTIVES FOR EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT STRENGTHEN DOWNTOWNS AND VILLAGES OF ALL SIZES WHILE PULLING DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE AWAY FROM PRODUCTIVE AND OPEN NATURE AREAS. THROUGH CROWDSOURCING AND AN OPEN PROCESS, A CROSS-SECTOR OF INTERESTS AND ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE AND PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR SHARED POLICY PRIORITIES. SUCCESS IS MEASURED IN SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATION, BUT ALSO IN HOSTING NECESSARY AND DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, AND BUILDING ADVOCACY CAPACITY WITH OUR ALLIES WHILE EXPANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN OUR NETWORKS ACROSS THE STATE. GROWSMART MAINE ADVOCATED FOR 14 BILLS AND PROVIDED TESTIMONY ON 9 BILLS RELATED TO FARMLAND PROTECTION AND FARM VIABILITY, RELATING TO SMART GROWTH PRINCIPLES.

2) PLANNING FOR AGRICULTURE THE THIRD YEAR OF OUR MULTI-YEAR "PLANNING FOR AG" PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST CONTINUES TO RESPOND TO THE ALARMING RATE OF FARMLAND LOSS IN MAINE TO "LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT- OR SPRAWL. GROWSMART MAINE HELPS COMMUNITIES THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS, WITHOUT UNDOING THE GOOD WORK TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS, AND WITHOUT CREATING THE NEXT CRISIS OF ACCESS TO FARMLAND AND FOOD. THE DOWNEAST FOOD SYSTEMS PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPING JOINT GOALS AND PLANS, CONDUCTING OUTREACH TO FARMING COMMUNITIES, COORDINATING WITH RELEVANT ACTORS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE REGION, AND ACCESSING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE AN INCLUSIVE, INNOVATIVE, AND MORE INTEGRATED FOOD SYSTEM IN THE DOWNEAST REGION. THE PARTNERSHIP HAS PROVIDED A FRAMEWORK TO BROADEN OUR PARTNERSHIPS, EXPAND OUR PORTFOLIO OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, AND STRENGTHEN OUR CAPACITY BY HIRING A PART-TIME PROFESSIONAL PLANNER. THREE AREAS OF WORK FALL UNDER "PLANNING FOR AG:" A.THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PARTNERSHIP GROWSMART MAINE IS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PARTNERSHIP. THE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR POLICY INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE AS A PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MAINE WON'T WAIT, MAINE'S FOUR-YEAR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. GROWSMART MAINE HAS ENROLLED EIGHT MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PROGRAM (MOUNT VERNON, ROME, VIENNA, AND WAYNE, LEEDS, HOULTON, PRESQUE ISLE, AND MEXICO), FACILITATED COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS IN EACH OF THESE TOWNS TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND HELPED THEM APPLY FOR FUNDING FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCY PROJECTS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ACTION GRANT. B.THE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM, GROWSMART MAINE LAUNCHED TWO PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE AROOSTOOK HOUSING INITIATIVE AND HOUSING FORWARD COMMUNITIES. BOTH THESE PROGRAMS WORK WITH SELECTED TOWNS TO ADDRESS MAINE'S URGENT HOUSING NEEDS. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAMS IS FOR THE TOWNS TO BECOME PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING HOUSING CONCERNS, PROMOTE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND EMPOWER RESIDENTS WITH INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF MUNICIPALITIES TO ADDRESS HOUSING CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS. C.BUILDING COMMUNITY STRENGTH GROWSMART ENGAGES WITH 10 RURAL TOWNS IN THE SECOND YEAR OF BUILDING COMMUNITY STRENGTH. WITH FUNDING FROM USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST, THE THREE-YEAR PROGRAM "BUILDING COMMUNITY STRENGTH" IS A RESPONSE TO THE INTERLINKED CHALLENGES FACING RURAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS MAINE. TRAINEES FROM TEN PARTICIPATING MUNICIPALITIES TACKLE ISSUES SUCH AS CLIMATE RESILIENCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FARM VIABILITY AND FARMLAND PROTECTION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM ALSO TRAINS PARTICIPANTS TO RESEARCH AND APPLY FOR STATE, FEDERAL, AND PRIVATE FUNDING. THIS PAST YEAR, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TEN PARTICIPATING TOWNS TWICE MET IN PERSON FOR MULTI-DAY WORKSHOPS IN MACHIAS AND SKOWHEGAN. TOWN MANAGERS, SELECT BOARD MEMBERS, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS FROM PARTICIPATING TOWNS GATHERED TO NETWORK AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. THEY MET WITH GROWSMART MAINE 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. WHILE THE PROGRAM OFFERS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, FUNDING, AND TRAINING, A KEY COMPONENT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NETWORKS AMONG TOWNS. "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 VAN BUREN.