About the Community Resilience Partnership
The Community Resilience Partnership is funded through the Governor’s Office of Planning, Innovation, and the Future (GOPIF) to help towns access funds and technical support to improve their climate resilience. Through the partnership, towns can access no-match Community Action Grants (CAGs) as well as training, grant writing and technical assistance for other opportunities.
The program has already provided $4.75 million to municipalities through-out the state over the last year. It has funded projects that reduce energy costs and/or make communities more resilient to severe weather and changing environments. More funds have just been approved for the coming year. Five Washington County communities have already received CAGs through this program and leveraged another $3.2 million for infrastructure upgrades and habitat improvement.
Community action grants are given directly to communities enrolled in the partnership to implement the 72 resiliency actions in the Maine Won’t Wait Climate Action Plan. These range from Transportation, Building Design, Supporting Natural Resources Jobs, Clean Energy, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Protecting Natural Areas, Improving Infrastructure, Assessing Vulnerable Infrastructure, Planning for Community Resilience, Strengthening Public Health and Engaging the Community.
Enrolled municipalities are eligible for up to $50,000 each grant round (happening about once every nine months) or up to $125,000 when two to five communities partner on a project. These funds can also be used as a match for other grants that support any of the 72 prescribed actions.
Grants applications are next due in late June 2023.
Steps for enrolling in the partnership:
1) Complete a self-assessment of current resilience and identify which of these 72 actions have already been undertaken.
2) Hold a public meeting to review the self-assessment results and develop a prioritized project list.
3) Adopt a resolution of commitment. This would be done at an official select board or council meeting.
4) Complete the Community Resilience Partnership application here.
Towns may submit an enrollment application either before or while submitting their first CAG
application.
Additional technical assistance
Towns looking for assistance enrolling in the partnership can contact a free Service Provider.
This a list of all service providers looking to assist communities in joining the partnership .
For more information on the program visit: https://www.maine.gov/future/climate/community-
resilience-partnership or contact local regional coordinator, Tanya Rucosky. at Trucosky@sunrisecounty.org