The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development
The Pennsylvania State University
7 Armsby Building, University Park PA 16802-5602
814/863-4656(phone); 814/863-0586(fax)
Please send questions and comments to:
nercrd@psu.edu

Maine

Land-Grant University Network

University of Maine
- Cooperative Extension http://www.umext.maine.edu/
  The University of Maine Cooperative Extension web site offers information on extension programs, organized into topic areas including 4-H and youth development; aging; various Maine food crops; business education; child and family development; community development; dairy and livestock; emergency response; farm safety; food safety; forestry; nutrition; ornamental horticulture; pest management; sustainable agriculture; waste management; water quality; and wildlife. The site also includes information on county offices and their programs; extension publications, many available online in HTML or PDF formats and others which can be ordered from the extension office; recent news items; and a small directory of resource links.
- Library System http://libraries.maine.edu/umaine/
- University Website http://www.maine.edu

Others

Association of Nonprofits, Maine http://www.nonprofitmaine.org/
The Maine Association of Nonprofits is a statewide organization of nonprofit organizations working to strengthen and serve the nonprofit sector in Maine. The web site offers information about the association and its current initiatives; an events calendar; member services; and links to other related sites.
Business Online/Plus 1 Online, Maine http://www.mainebusiness.com/plus1/
Maine Business Online was developed with the Department of Economic and Community Development to provide a communications and resource tool for Maine small businesses. The web site includes an online discussion forum, a calendar of upcoming events, small business news, and resource links to small businesses in Maine.
Business Works, Maine www.mainebusinessworks.org
Maine Business Works is an online business resource network linking businesses across Maine. The web site offers links and information on economic development agencies, towns and counties, port facilities, and other economic development information; lending programs and venture capital sources; real estate sites; and news of events, forums, and a resource library.
Chamber of Commerce, Maine State http://www.mdf.org/mainhome.htm
The Maine State Chamber of Commerce web site offers resources for businesses in Maine in areas of legislative advocacy, small business resources, news from companies, and a calendar of events.
Coastal Enterprises, Inc. http://www.ceimaine.org/
Coastal Enterprises is a nonprofit corporation working to provide Maine people and communities, particularly those with low incomes, ways to achieve an "adequate and equitable standard of living, learning, and working in harmony with our natural environment." The web site offers information on the organization's services and programs in financial services, business technical assistance, affordable housing programs, targeted opportunities, research and policy development, sustainable economic development, development services, and social investing and giving. The site also includes a calendar of upcoming events.
Community Foundation, Maine www.mainecf.org
The Maine Community Foundation is a pool of permanent charitable funds whose income is used for grants and scholarships benefiting public and non-profit organizations working in the areas of health, the arts, social services, and education. The web site offers information about the foundation, its history, purposes, and funding interests. It includes detailed information on how to fund programs through the fund; its grantmaking process, including applications, deadlines and requirements; its scholarship program, including applications, deadlines, and requirements; and its county funds. It also offers a listing of links to other related organizations in its "About the Foundation" section.
Council of Governments, Androscoggin Valley www.avcog.org
The Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments serves Androscoggin, Oxford, and Franklin Counties in western Maine, providing services in community and economic development, regional planning, environmental management, and transportation. The council's web site offers information about the council and its member governments, its municipal and business services, the western Maine region (including community profiles and demographic information), and region tourism. The Library section of the web site offers technical reports, data, model ordinances, and links to related resources.
Council of Governments, Kennebec Valley http://www.kvcog.org/kvcog.phtml
The Kennebec Valley Council of Governments is the local and regional economic development agency serving the Kennebec, Somerset, and Western Waldo in eastern Maine. The web site offers information on community planning, economic development, and business assistance. It also includes census data for the region, information on cities and towns in the region, business/technology parks information, and news of upcoming workshops. The site also includes links to other sites within the region.
Department of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Resources, Maine www.state.me.us/agriculture
The Department of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Resources is a state agency to promote and expand Maine's agriculture and natural resources. The web site includes current grant and program information, information and contact information for departmental resources, and the monthly newsletter, available in PDF format. The site also offers an extensive list of links to other related agricultural sites, state statutes, and state regulations. The sites are organized by topic.
Development Commission, Eastern Maine http://www.emdc.org/
Development Commission, Northern Maine http://www.nmdc.org/
Development Foundation, Maine http://www.mdf.org/mainhome.htm
The Maine Development Foundation is a public-private partnership working for sustainable long-term economic growth in Maine. The foundation's web site includes information on programs, including the Maine School Leadership Network, Maine Economic Indicators Program, Policy Leader Academy, Leadership Maine, the Maine Economic Growth Council, the Conference and Exposition for Small Business, and Common Ground. The site also provides an order form for publications available from the foundation, and annual survey results.
Economic and Community Development, Maine Department of www.econdevmaine.com
The Department of Economic and Community Development is a cabinet-level state department offering programs in the areas of business development, community development, and tourism. The department's web site offers information on departmental programs and general information on business in Maine, community development, locating in Maine, and Maine tourism. It also includes the Rural Development Initiative for Maine online, as well as links to other sources for information on economic development in Maine.
Humanities Council, Maine http://www.mainehumanities.org/
The Maine Humanities Council is a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, supporting community programs in cultural heritage, contemporary issues, reading and literacy, and enrichment programs for teachers. The web site includes information on the council and its programs, including Reading & Discussion/ Family Literacy: The Maine Center for the Book; teacher enrichment programs; Maine collaborative heritage programs; and the current Literature and Medicine: Humanities as the Heart of Healthcare project. The site also includes a list of links to other humanities-related web sites.
Island Trail Association, Maine http://www.mita.org/
The Maine Island Trail Association is a volunteer association working to provide a model of stewardship to preserve Maine's islands' natural resources while providing recreational use. The association manages recreational public use of about eighty public and private islands along the Maine coastline. The web site includes information about the Maine Island Trail and the association; a photo gallery; and membership information.
Loring Commerce Center www.loring.maine.com
The Loring Commerce Center, owned by the Loring Development Authority, is a former military base in rural Aroostook County which is being developed as a business park. The center's web site offers information about the development authority, the center's facilities and tenants, community life, business incentives, environmental information, and current events.
Economic Development Network, Maine http://www.eddmaine.org/
Maine & Co. www.maineco.org
Maine & Co. is a public-private partnership funded by the private sector to improve Maine's economic and business climate. The web site includes information on business incentives, the workforce, business-friendly policies, maps and area profiles, major industries located in Maine, and financing options. It also includes information on services and contact information.
Maine Home Page, State of http://janus.state.me.us/homepage.asp
The official Maine home page offers information on the state government and agencies, quasi-independent agencies, and tourism information. It also serves as a clearinghouse for links to other resources within the state. These links are organized into categories: Business and Economic Links, Doing Business with Maine, Related Government Internet Resources, and State Resources. State resources include individual city listings. Publications available on the web site include the monthly Maine IS Technology (MIST) publication; the complete laws of Maine; and a searchable electronic state directory which is also available for downloading in PDF format (access to portions of the directory is restricted to state employees).
Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Maine http://www.mainemep.org/
The Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership is a nonprofit center providing small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses with assistance to maintain and improve their competitiveness. It is part of a network of 70 such centers nationwide. The web site includes information on the partnership and the services it provides. It also includes case studies of businesses assisted, and links to other online resources in Maine.
Rural Development Council, Maine mrdc.umext.maine.edu
The Maine Rural Development Council is a partnership of federal, state, and local governments and non-governmental agencies and organizations to shape state policies, promote collaborative efforts, and develop innovative projects, all for the betterment of rural Maine. The web site includes information about the council, its membership, mission, history, projects, and plans; statistical and demographic information about rural Maine and the state; and recent news updates on rural issues. It also has the Rural Connections newsletter online, and links to other rural development sites, organized by their location.
Rural Water Association, Maine www.mainerwa.org
The Maine Rural Water Association is a private non-profit organization working to help rural water and wastewater systems provide safe drinking water and protect the environment at an affordable cost to users. The web site includes information about training programs, upcoming events, press releases and announcements, and the national Quality on Tap! Water quality education program. It also has an extensive directory of water and wastewater-related resources on the internet.
Small Business Development Centers, Maine http://www.mainesbdc.org/
The Maine Small Business Development Centers consist of eight centers and sixteen satellite offices offering business assistance and information services to small businesses throughout Maine. The web site offers information about the centers' locations, counseling services, upcoming training events, and work-study programs.