FocusMaine Receives Unique $5.18 Million Grant from Harold Alfond™ Foundation
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.
READ MORE
Harold Alfond Foundation pledges $500 million to help Maine economy
The Harold Alfond Foundation today announced more than $500 million dollars of new grant investments in Maine people and institutions to help grow the state’s workforce and economy and support quality health care. These new investments build on the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to provide opportunity for the people of Maine to thrive from birth through... Read More
Maine’s Food Companies are Winning
FocusMaine’s job creation strategy is dedicated to building the bench of successful businesses that will help our economy grow and add value to Maine’s food bounty. This month, we are sharing the great news about the winners in two industry-specific Top Gun programs implemented by our partners Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) and Maine Center... Read More
Together, We’ll grow Stronger
This month, two of FocusMaine’s initiatives have reached significant milestones, and we wanted to share these successes with you. In the coming months, you’ll be hearing more from us as we launch our next three-year plan to work alongside partners and to help grow and sustain jobs at this critical time. While the context for... Read More
Maine’s Food Businesses Benefit all Mainers
When FocusMaine identified Maine’s Food Economy as one of our big bets to create jobs across the state, we had no idea how important this choice would be today. Food security, resilient food systems, and healthy foods have always been important. More than ever, we know that the producers and farmers who grow good food... Read More
FocusMaine Intern Experience Goes Virtual
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 and retraining their current workforce. The current... Read More
FocusMaine and MTI receive $2M award to develop marine economy and workforce
Today, Maine’s Congressional Delegation and the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a $2 million Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) award to the State of Maine to help it develop an industry-led roadmap and action plan for economic growth and greater resiliency in its marine economy. The award provides critical funding to support Maine’s Marine Economy... Read More
FocusMaine Results-January 2020
FocusMaine’s Strength Comes From Its Innovative Partnership Model Working with seven mission-aligned partners, FocusMaine works at the intersection of global trends and Maine’s unique assets. Our efforts are oriented toward one north star: job creation. Each organization plays a unique role, and together, we are stronger. Our accomplishments in just two years speak to the... Read More
FocusMaine adds Toby Ahrens to Team
Excerpt, courtesy of MaineBiz: FocusMaine, a private-sector-led initiative founded in 2014 to create jobs in Maine, plans to beef up its leadership. Kimberly Hamilton, president of the organization, said in a news release that FocusMaine has hired Toby Ahrens, who previously worked at the Los Angeles-based Larta Institute, as its new program director. Ahrens’ professional... Read More
Number of Maine specialty food and beverage businesses keeps rising
Excerpt, courtesy of Press Herald: At a time when the total number of Maine businesses is declining, one segment of the economy is rising like a well-proofed loaf of bread – specialty food and beverage businesses. The number of food and beverage manufacturing companies in Maine grew 35 percent from 2007 to 2017, according to... Read More