PRESS RELEASE
January 16, 2012
GrowSmart Maine
309 Cumberland Avenue
Suite 202
Portland, ME 04101
207.699.4330
CONTACT: Mary H. Mayo
GrowSmart Maine Receives $46,000 Grant
PORTLAND – GrowSmart Maine has received a $46,000 grant from the Quality of Place Fund of the Maine Community Foundation for its work to promote Maine’s quality of place by integrating working and natural landscape conservation, economic growth, and community revitalization. $10,000 of this award is intended to support GrowSmart Maine's Summit 2012.
GrowSmart Maine will use these funds to undertake a formal review of the issues raised in the landmark report Charting Maine’s Future, analyzing progress, risks and opportunities since 2006. By including specific recommendations, suggestions and case studies, Charting Maine's Future 2020 will serve as Maine's strategic plan for sustainable growth for years to come. The project will culminate in a statewide summit in the fall of 2012.
GrowSmart Maine will also continue in its work to identify regulatory redundancies and other impediments to smart growth; build toward the completion of “ReEnvisioning the Highway Strip” to follow on the success of the Maine Model Town project in Standish; and advocate for sustainable prosperity in Maine.
GrowSmart Maine promotes quality of place by convening and engaging in public conversations about Maine's future, contributing common sense policy analysis, educating the public, advocating for state and local change, and supporting model practices.
In 2009, the Environmental Funders Network (EFN), a joint project of the Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Philanthropy Center, launched a collaborative funding initiative, “From Vision to Action: A Commitment to Maine’s Quality of Place.”
The Quality of Place Initiative supports projects that strengthen the link between the natural and built environments, emphasize public engagement, and take seriously the process and action elements required to build and sustain collaborations.
The Environmental Funders Network has awarded over $1.5 million over three years for 15 projects. “These organizations are committed to enhancing quality of place across Maine by strengthening the link between the natural and built environments through public engagement and collaboration,” said Bo Norris, current chair of the EFN steering committee.
This is the third year the EFN has supported GrowSmart Maine.
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