BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 28, 2024
A new state program is connecting leaders in 10 rural Maine towns to the resources and funding required to get much needed municipal projects off the ground. Late last year nonprofit GrowSmart Maine launched the Building Community Strength program after securing a $304,636 grant from the USDA Rural Development Initiative and the American Farmland Trust. It comes at a time when many rural towns are facing problems with affordable housing, farmland protection, downtown revitalization and open space planning. Spanning rural Maine towns in counties from Oxford to Aroostook, the program aims to help town leaders with limited staff and money identify projects, develop strategic plans, and get funding.