Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan [ [link removed] ]

"?""The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is Governor Mills? plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity. To learn more, visit the Jobs Plan website [ [link removed] ] and?_subscribe to receive updates [ [link removed] ]_."






JOBS PLAN SPOTLIGHT

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*Governor Mills Announces Nearly $20 Million in Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Grants to Support Maine Farmers and Food Processors*

On August 19, 2022,?Governor Mills announced nearly $20 million in grant awards through her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to help Maine farmers and food processers [ [link removed] ] address infrastructure needs to expand in-state production and processing. The program is one of three initiatives of the Governor?s Jobs Plan to support the economic recovery of Maine?s heritage industries ?forestry [ [link removed] ],?fishing [ [link removed] ]?and farming ? from impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the Governor?s Jobs Plan has awarded approximately $41 million in economic recovery funds to 392 businesses in these heritage sectors across all 16 counties in Maine.

The grants were awarded through the Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program (AIIP) [ [link removed] ] administered through the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF). These funds will help our farmers increase the supply of Maine-grown food, meet growing demand, create and sustain jobs in one of Maine?s iconic heritage industries while also strengthening our food system, supporting economic growth, and enhancing Maine?s national reputation for food excellence.



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*Governor Mills, Efficiency Maine Announce Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Initiative to Cut Energy Costs in Public Buildings, Save Taxpayer Dollars*

Governor Janet Mills and Efficiency Maine announced the availability of $4 million from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan [ [link removed] ] to help?towns, cities, and Tribal lands of fewer than 5,000 residents?cut energy costs in public buildings and save taxpayer dollars by improving energy efficiency.

This opportunity?from Efficiency Maine [ [link removed] ], announced on August 30, 2022,?is the latest in a series of energy efficiency initiatives supported by a $50 million investment from Governor Janet Mills??Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan. Funds for this initiative will be used primarily on investments to reduce consumption of heating oil and propane by switching heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to high-performance heat pump systems that deliver efficient, clean heating and air conditioning. Other eligible projects will include interior and exterior LED lighting, refrigeration upgrades, and wood-heat systems. Applications are being accepted now on the Efficiency Maine website [ [link removed] ].







FEATURED JOBS PLAN PROGRAMS
Business Supports

*Thrive Maine Fund:?*On July 22, 2022, Governor Mills announced the?"Thrive Maine"?program [ [link removed] ], which will utilize $58 million from the Jobs Plan to provide forgivable loans to small businesses in Maine to support their continued economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Small businesses that experienced losses, increased costs, or market?interruptions as a result of the pandemic are eligible for funding through Thrive Maine [ [link removed] ], and may apply for loans of up to $2 million.?If businesses are approved and continue to meet program terms, loans may be fully forgiven over a four year period. Full eligibility details and other information can be found on the Finance Authority of Maine website [ [link removed] ]. The program is expected to start accepting applications in the early fall.?

*Workforce Transportation Pilot:?*The Maine Department of Transportation continues to seek proposals for the $5 million?Workforce Transportation Pilot program [ [link removed] ], an initiative of Governor Mills? Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, to pursue and develop transportation solutions that connect workers with employers across Maine. The program will provide competitive grants of up to $750,000 to local and regional partnerships to pilot ways to connect workers and employers through ridesharing, vanpools, and other subsidized transit options. Applications are currently being accepted on a rolling basis on the Department of Transportation's website [ [link removed] ].

Job and Career Programs

*Expansion of Rural Clinical Preceptorships and Rural Graduate Medical Education (GME) Programs:?*Maine's Department of Health and Human Services is now accepting applications from rural health care organizations to help recruit clinical preceptors to host students for clinical rotations [ [link removed] ], particularly for nursing and advance practice nursing programs. Additionally, this program will provide funding to establish new or expand existing Rural Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs, which aim to attract and retain physicians to practice in rural areas by increasing their experience in and relationship to rural communities. Applications are being accepted through October 11, 2022 on the?Division of Procurement Services website [ [link removed] ] (RFA #202206098).

Investments in Maine People & Communities

*Municipal Stream Crossing Grant Program:?*Maine's Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for grants to upgrade undersized and failing culvert stream crossings on municipal roads [ [link removed] ].?The projects awarded provide public infrastructure benefits such as by replacing culverts that are currently failing and at risk of complete washouts, opens or improves fish passage, eliminates undersized and other impassable culverts and reduces some of the worst ongoing erosion impacts to streams, brooks, and lakes.?Applications are being accepted through November 10, 2022 on the?Division of Procurement Services website [ [link removed] ] (RFA #202208126).

*Pre-Kindergarten Expansion Grants:?*The Maine Department of Education has opened a second round of funding for school administrative units (SAUs) to increase the number of 4-year-olds enrolled in public pre-k across the state. Recipients?will be able to use the funding?to start new pre-k programs and/or expand existing programs [ [link removed] ] from part-day/part-week to full-day/full-week programs.?Applications for this round are being accepted through October 13, 2022 on the?Division of Procurement Services website [ [link removed] ] (RFA #202207106).

*Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program - Center-Based Grants:?*Maine's Department of Health and Human Services is now accepting applications for grants to help Mainers renovate existing child care businesses and help transition family-based programs into center-based programs [ [link removed] ]. Eligible facilities are encouraged to apply for funds to cover up to 50% of?their related expansion costs. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis through Coastal Enterprises, Inc. [ [link removed] ]

*Electric Vehicle Charging Stations:?*Efficiency Maine Trust, with funding from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, is now accepting applications from local governments, businesses, tribal governments, and non-profits in eligible towns to install electric vehicle chargers in rural communities throughout the state [ [link removed] ].?Efficiency Maine expects this initial funding opportunity to help defray the cost of approximately 150 new plugs. Applications are being accepted until November 17, 2022 through the Efficiency Maine Trust [ [link removed] ] website.

*Expand High-Speed Broadband -?**Get Ready: Community Support Program:* The Maine Connectivity Authority, with funding from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, is now accepting applications?to help streamline and expedite the community broadband planning process [ [link removed] ] by establishing a partnership between the Maine Connectivity Authority, community and regional level broadband planning groups, and a stable of professional services that align with state infrastructure funding. Applications?from single or groups of municipalities, broadband utility districts, economic development corporations, county-level administration entities are being accepted until October 28, 2022 through the Maine Connectivity Authority [ [link removed] ] website.

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DOING BUSINESS WITH THE JOBS PLAN

"RFA and RFP opportunities to collaborate with the State of Maine to deliver Jobs Plan programs"

**Economic Recovery Implementation Hubs:?**Maine's Department of Economic & Community Development is seeking proposals to oversee, manage, and establish up to eight regional Economic Recovery Implementation Hubs [ [link removed] ]?to support the recovery of?small businesses owned by Maine's racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities, as well as?new businesses.?Proposals are being accepted through September 8, 2022. More information and application instructions are available on the Division of Procurement Services [ [link removed] ] website (RFP #202206090).

*Domestic Trade Pilot Program:?*Maine's Department of Economic & Community Development is seeking proposals for a?program management contractor to assist the Office of Business Development with the development and implementation of the Domestic Trade Pilot Program [ [link removed] ] to help Maine businesses with domestic trade. Proposals are being accepted through September 20, 2022. More information and application instructions are available on the Division of Procurement Services [ [link removed] ] website (RFP #202207105).






NEWS & UPDATES

August 30, 2022 -?Governor Mills, Efficiency Maine Announce Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Initiative to Cut Energy Costs in Public Buildings, Save Taxpayer Dollars [ [link removed] ]

August 25, 2022 -?Governor Mills Surveys Accessibility Upgrades at Popham Beach State Park [ [link removed] ]

August 19, 2022 -?Governor Mills Announces Nearly $20 Million in Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Grants to Support Maine Farmers and Food Processors [ [link removed] ]

August 18, 2022 -?DEP is seeking applications for $3 million in grants to upgrade and replace stream crossings [ [link removed] ]

August 18, 2022 -?DHHS Announces Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Child Care Grant Program Now Accepting Applications for Construction and Expansion of Child Care Centers [ [link removed] ]

August 18, 2022 -?Efficiency Maine Announces Funding to Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Rural Communities [ [link removed] ]

August 16, 2022 -?Governor Mills Visits Lewiston Businesses Benefitting from Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan PRIME Grants [ [link removed] ]






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