Get Involved with Maine Rural Partners
There are several ways to become involved in Maine Rural Partners. Explore this site! Browse our events calendar, and attend the ones that interest you.
Sign up for our Harvesting Clean Energy or Harness the Wealth e-mail newsletters! We only send messages to those who have requested to be on our lists, so please sign up to be kept informed of MRP activities and your participation opportunities. It is easy to unsubscribe if you change your mind.
Networks generate initiatives that are managed by project teams. See what’s being explored in the listings below and contact the project leader of the team that interests you most.
Think we’re on the right track? Building sustainable rural communities is long, hard work. There are no quick fixes. Your support enables us to leverage additional resources to strengthen rural Maine communities.
Project Teams
Community Legacy Advocacy Team
The Community Legacy Advocacy Team is helping MRP staff address the enthusiastic response to our recently-released report, Realizing Maine’s Worth. The team will provide technical assistance for our pilot communities in Strong, Rockport and the Unity Region. The team will also compile a Community Legacy Tool Kit to assist other Maine communities who seek to take advantage of the opportunity presented by our intergenerational transfer of wealth. To this end, financial and legal advisors are particularly needed on this team. The Advocacy Team also may seek to establish statewide coalition support for sound community investment strategies which require changes in public policy.
Interested in serving on the Community Legacy Advocacy Team? E-mail Mary Ann.
Rural Innovation Network (Website) Advisory Team
The Rural Innovation Network Team guides the development of all aspects of MRP’s website, including peer sharing systems, rural innovation stories, and our events calendar. The Team has quarterly meetings for steering and recommendations. The Team also has interim discussions and decisions electronically to make decisions on website design, function, and resource prioritization. The Team solicits technical assistance as needed and seeks sources of additional resources to support the site. The Team also proposes new initiatives and resource needs to the MRP Board.
Interested in serving on the Rural Innovation Network Team? E-mail Lucas.
Farm Energy Partners
The Farm Energy Partners network is a network of providers who promote access to and coordination among programs designed to assist farmers with achieving energy efficiency savings and development of farm-grown energy sources. MRP facilitates the network members, who are developing a diagram of available programs and step-by-step guide for farmers to use in accessing resources. The network will improve access, identify gaps and seek to address unmet needs. Participants include USDA-NRCS, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Efficiency Maine, the Maine Energy Program, Community Energy Partners, Coastal Enterprises, USDA Rural Development, Farm Credit, Maine Farm Bureau, Maine Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and others.
Are you a provider interested in joining the Farm Energy Partners Network? E-mail Mary Ann.