FOCUSMAINE PUBLISHES 2018-2023 IMPACT REPORT
Read MoreThe FocusMaine team is proud to announce the receipt of a game-changing $6.9 million, three-year challenge grant from the Harold Alfond® Foundation. This substantial investment marks a pivotal moment for FocusMaine, propelling its mission to strengthen and transform Maine’s economy by expediting the growth of Maine’s food economy and bioeconomy and building talent pathways to support a robust workforce.
We are delighted to announce Andrea Cianchette Maker, co-founder and co-chair of FocusMaine, has been named president!
“It’s an exciting time for FocusMaine, as we are seeing our unique approach to economic development for Maine having a real impact on key economic sectors. I can’t think of anyone better prepared to lead us into the next phase of our work—or more passionate about our mission—than Andrea.” Michael Dubyak, co-founder and co-chair of FocusMaine
We partner with the most impactful leaders and organizations in the state, investing in programs that foster sustainable growth in Maine’s economy.
We are delighted to announce that our small but mighty team has grown. Join us in welcoming Courtney Crossgrove as FocusMaine’s Food and Agriculture Program Manager and Mikayla Sweet as our Grants and Finance Manager. The added talent that Courtney and Mikayla bring will boost our internal capacity and improve our overall effectiveness as an organization. Our team of five is poised for a big year in 2023.
The Seagriculture Conference, the 1st international seaweed conference in the US, is coming to Portland Sept. 7-8, 2022. We wanted to be sure Maine’s seaweed sector gets the national and global attention it deserves. The Maine Seaweed Showcase is a summary of farmers, innovators, educators, researchers, and nonprofits…
Nona Yehia, the animated spirit behind Vertical Harvest–the new hydroponic greenhouse soon opening in Westbrook–shares her passion and plans in this issue of Sustenance. Their “Grow Well” approach creates employment opportunities for people with a disability or neurodiversity while also delivering delicious, nutritious microgreens to the community. Check out…
FocusMaine, a private sector-led initiative to accelerate the creation of quality jobs in Maine, announced that it has received a multimillion-dollar, multi-year grant from the Harold Alfond™ Foundation to spur job growth across the state in sectors that hold tremendous economic potential: the life sciences, agriculture, and aquaculture. The grant, totaling $5.18M over three years, affirms the meaningful impact FocusMaine has already had since launching its programmatic work three years ago.
With summer around the corner, post-secondary students across Maine are considering their summer plans for work, internships or other opportunities. This year, however, looks very different. In Maine, and across the country, businesses are rethinking how they engage interns and how they build their talent pipeline while retaining…
The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs (MCE) and FocusMaine celebrated the first anniversary of the Cultivator Program and the first 10 member companies in March 2019. MCE’s Cultivator program supports the growth of Maine food, beverage and agriculture companies over a 12-month period by providing hands-on strategic assessments, tailored professional resources, and interactive…