GROWSMART MAINE SUMMIT 2025
Rural Opportunity Roadmap: Navigating Maine’s Future Amidst a Changing Policy Environment
Information for attendees
When to show up and how to access the space
Registration opens at 8:15am – feel free to show up any time between then and 9:00am to make sure that you don’t miss a thing! Bagels, coffee, juice and other nice breakfast appointments will be available.
Please enter through the Paul J. Schupf Art Center (entrance on Main Street) and make you way upstairs to the second story landing. Our registration table and wonderful staff/volunteers will be there to greet you.
Parking
There are several free parking lots within walking distance of the Waterville Opera House/Paul J. Schupf Art Center, including The Concourse, Head of Falls. Two-hour parking is also available on Main Street before 5pm and is unlimited in the evening and on weekends.
WHY WE’RE HOLDING THIS SUMMIT…
Maine’s rural communities are defined by local heritage and spirit, and impacted, for better or worse, by the intersections of Federal, state, local policies and investments. This summit will delve into how Maine’s rural communities can navigate the complex interplay of federal, state, and local policies and investments to build resilient and prosperous futures, while preserving their distinct sense of place.
WHAT YOU’LL DO AT THE SUMMIT
Each year, the GrowSmart Maine Summit brings together 200+ people from across Maine. The focus changes each year, yet the program consistently encourages networking to delve deeper into keynote presentations as we explore what each of us can DO as a result of what we’ve heard and seen.
- Maine Smart Growth Awards highlight the projects, policies, and people contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous Maine.
- Community Spotlights feature smart growth projects so attendees can ask questions and learn from the practical experiences of communities from across Maine.
- City Experience Tours offer attendees a choice from several curated walks in the downtown area before the reception to round out the day.
- * American Planning Association members can earn 4 CM credits for attending the GrowSmart Maine 2025 Summit. Log your CM credits here: https://www.planning.org/
events/eventmulti/9318276/
See more information on our keynote speakers below!
Community Spotlights
Community Plate is a Maine-based nonprofit dedicated to fostering connection and creating community through shared meals and stories. Together, they reimagine the community potluck using storytelling as a source of connection and entertainment.
The Downeast Maine National Heritage Area supports programs and partnerships that connect people with the stories, experiences, natural environment, and culture shaped by the many, many generations of lives lived there.
The Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority (MRLBA) creates vibrant, prosperous, and sustainable communities by facilitating and coordinating redevelopment in partnership with municipalities, public organizations, counties, and state agencies.
The Wabanaki Alliance In June of 2020 the tribes in Maine (Mi’kmaq Nation, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation) formed the Wabanaki Alliance. The Wabanaki Alliance was formed to educate people of Maine about the need for securing sovereignty of the tribes in Maine.
Mano en Mano works with farmworkers statewide and immigrants in Downeast Maine to empower them to thrive.
Waterville Community Land Trust supports neighborhood preservation and improvement through the development of affordable housing and other community assets.
Plan the Port is an interactive experience that focuses on a coastal Lego Town, where participants place infrastructure and building pieces in growth areas that impact the Town Fund, Public Water/Sewer, Local Aquifer, Stormwater, and School District.
League of Women Voters of Maine is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES) empowers young people to become successful entrepreneurs and leaders by providing them with the tools and resources they need to start and grow their own businesses.
City Experience Tours
“Rural Manufacturing and Using Local, Sustainable Building Materials” Film and panel discussion
Location: Opera House Auditorium. A showing of the 25-minute film, “The Comeback Mill” by Maine filmmaker Josh Gerritsen, followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, hosted by GrowSmart Board member and architect Becca Casey. Topics include mill redevelopment and rural innovation, investing in existing infrastructure, and the role of storytelling and the creative economy to inspire and engage.
Local Food Security and Access
Location: Outdoors. This experience is based around conversation and a walking tour focused on food security in the Waterville area. Hear from the local food pantry director and a local food rescue group. A short walk in town ends at the Waterville Farmers’ Market. Led by Kim Lindlof, Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce.
Walkable Waterville
Location: Outdoors. This tour will feature open and green spaces that are meant to connect people to Waterville’s natural resources and will include the Head of Falls, the 2-Cent bridge, Scott Park, and ending at the Waterville Farmers’ Market.
Waterville Creates
Location: Outdoors. Led by Shannon Haines, Executive Director, Waterville Creates: This tour will feature downtown arts and culture anchors, including the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, Waterville Opera House, Waterville Public Library, and Greene Block + Studios, as key components of the the larger arts ecosystem and the social infrastructure that makes Waterville a vibrant and resilient community.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Tony Pipa is a senior fellow in the Center for Sustainable Development at the Brookings Institution. Tony launched and leads the Reimagining Rural Policy initiative, which seeks to modernize and transform U.S. policy to better enable equitable and sustainable development across rural America. He also launched and leads the Local Leadership on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiative, which explores the approach cities and local institutions are taking to solve local problems while driving progress on global policy and transnational issues.
Tony has three decades of executive leadership experience in the philanthropic and public sectors addressing poverty and advancing inclusive economic development in the U.S. and globally. He served as chief strategy officer at the U.S. Agency for International Development and held multiple senior policy positions at the agency. He also led the U.S. delegation at the U.N. to negotiate and adopt the SDGs, serving as U.S. special coordinator for the Post-2015 Agenda at the U.S. Department of State.
His work on the international stage built upon a legacy of philanthropic leadership to advance community and economic development. While at the Triangle Community Foundation, he created one of the first programs nationwide focused on helping donor advisors maximize their philanthropic impact. He served as founding CEO of the Warner Foundation in Durham, North Carolina, focused on improving race relations and economic opportunity in the state, and subsequently helped launch the Foundation for Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. He has played a principal role in the start-up of multiple philanthropic ventures focused on addressing poverty and improving distressed communities.
Sarah Craighead Dedmon is the Town Manager in Machias, the former editor of the Machias Valley News Observer, and a freelance journalist focused on the issues impacting Washington County. Raised in New Hampshire, after graduating from the University of Nebraska, Sarah worked in the tech industry in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Boston, before relocating to Maine in 2012, where she resides with her husband, two children, and two dogs.
Bonita Tompkins is a social entrepreneur and passionate advocate for empowering underserved communities. As the CEO of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES) in Farmington, Maine, she leads initiatives designed to address critical community challenges, particularly those affecting youth. Bonita’s leadership is characterized by her dedication to fostering community and
creating opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Under her guidance, CES has become a vibrant hub for empowerment, offering business focused programming. Her commitment to social impact is reflected in establishment of a retail store and makerspace on Main Street in Farmington. CES also launched a tiny home project in collaboration with Kennebec Cabin Company, home of Maine Cabin Masters, and 26 other Maine-based businesses, addressing youth homelessness in Franklin County.
Currently, CES is scaling its efforts to develop an Entrepreneurial Center for Franklin County, amplifying its reach and impact.
Bonita is recognized for her persistence and tenacity in overcoming barriers. She is a champion of integrity and an advocate for systemic change, tackling obstacles with a solutions-focused mindset.
Moderator – Larissa Holland is an infrastructure sustainability professional with cross-sector experience in stakeholder engagement, community development, and project/energy management. In addition to working as an Aviation Sustainability Consultant with C&S Companies, Larissa serves as the Development Advisor for JustME for JustUS, a youth-led and rural-led nonprofit ensuring young people in rural Maine have their voices heard throughout our state, especially around issues of climate, environment, and economic opportunities. Larissa was the first in her family to attend college and has since graduated from Smith College with a degree in Environmental Science & Policy (ES&P) and Architecture. She thoroughly enjoys helping necessary projects become critical solutions to complex, urgent problems, as well as hosting dinner dress-up parties, riding her second-hand road bike, and hiking Maine’s coast.
Registration Information
Non-Member Registration Rate
$100 – In-Person Attendance
$25 – Senior/Student Rate
Member Registration Rate
$50 – In-Person Attendance
$25 – Senior/ Student Rate
If you, your business, or organization are already a member of GrowSmart or qualify for the Senior/Student Rate, please contact Amanda Vermillion at membership@growsmartmaine.org for a promo code.
We are currently in the planning stages for the 2025 Annual Summit. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor for our event, please feel free to reach out to Amanda Vermillion.
Your support is welcomed for the success of the 2025 Annual Summit!