Participation in the Community Resilience Partnership is open to all municipalities, federally recognized tribes, and unorganized territories in Maine. The benefits of joining the Partnership include access to funding opportunities, help with project development and grant writing, trainings on important topics, and peer-to-peer learning events.
To join the Partnership and become eligible to apply for grant funding, a community only needs to take 3 simple steps, listed below under Enrolling in the Partnership.
Communities may complete the steps to join on their own or by working with a service provider and neighboring communities to join the Partnership as a group. For communities who are just starting on the road to climate action, working with a service provider during the enrollment process can bring expertise that helps identify new opportunities and priorities.
After joining the Partnership, communities are eligible for Community Action Grants to support climate action and resilience. The information below describes how to get started and apply for funding for climate action in your community.
Need ideas? Get inspired with examples of climate projects by Partnership communities around Maine.
- Benefits of Joining the Partnership
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Tackling climate change is not easy. The Community Resilience Partnership offers many kinds of support for communities who are enrolled regardless of size, capacity, and previous experience with climate-related projects:
- The enrollment process is designed to help communities take stock of their current activities and identify a few next steps based on their priorities. Two tools, the Community Resilience Self-Evaluation and the List of Community Actions, help structure early conversations and can illuminate potential near-term projects.
- Once enrolled, communities are eligible to apply for Community Action Grants to undertake additional planning efforts or to implement the priorities identified during enrollment. These grants are offered twice a year.
- In addition to grants, enrolled communities have access to a Regional Coordinator who can help with developing future project ideas and then aid researching and applying for grants, especially federal grants.
- Enrolled communities may participate in training sessions hosted by the Regional Coordinators as well as peer-learning and networking opportunities regionally and statewide.
- The enrollment process is designed to help communities take stock of their current activities and identify a few next steps based on their priorities. Two tools, the Community Resilience Self-Evaluation and the List of Community Actions, help structure early conversations and can illuminate potential near-term projects.
- Enrolling in the Partnership
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Municipal governments, Tribal Governments, plantations, townships, and unorganized territories in Maine are all eligible “Communities” to enroll in the Community Resilience Partnership.
To join the Partnership, the Community must complete the following steps:
- Adopt a municipal resolution, or provide a letter from the Tribal Chief, that establishes or designates either a citizen committee or a municipal or tribal government employee to coordinate activities to reduce energy use and costs, transition to clean energy and make the community more resilient to climate change. Plantations, townships, and unorganized territories may alternately provide a letter containing the information above from a Board of Assessors, county UT coordinator, or county council. Sample language for the resolution is provided.
- Complete two self-assessments to assess existing progress and identify potential next steps:
- Community Resilience Self-Evaluation – Assess how the community is addressing resilience in existing planning and operations
- List of Community Actions – Indicate which actions the community has already completed or are in progress. (The List may also be a tool to identify future work.)
- Hold a public workshop(s) to review the self-assessment results and prioritize projects for implementation. Document the meeting agenda(s), participants, minutes, and priority action list, and a description of the steps taken ensure robust community engagement and participation of diverse community voices.
- Submit the community’s enrollment materials from the first three steps through this online form. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, there are no deadlines. (Communities must be enrolled, or have submitted enrollment materials, at the time they apply for a Community Action Grant.)
- Adopt a municipal resolution, or provide a letter from the Tribal Chief, that establishes or designates either a citizen committee or a municipal or tribal government employee to coordinate activities to reduce energy use and costs, transition to clean energy and make the community more resilient to climate change. Plantations, townships, and unorganized territories may alternately provide a letter containing the information above from a Board of Assessors, county UT coordinator, or county council. Sample language for the resolution is provided.
- How to Get Help Applying
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Communities that would like help to enroll in the Partnership and with applying for a Community Action Grant are encouraged to partner with a Service Provider Organization. We maintain the latest list of organizations that are interested in supporting communities here.
- Staying Enrolled
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To maintain active status in the program, every two years communities must:
- Update Primary Point of Contact information
- Submit an updated Community Resilience Self-Evaluation
- Where have you made progress? What areas are priorities to address next? What factors over the past two years are influencing your revisions?
- Please indicate any changes compared to the original self-evaluation, if possible.
- Submit an updated List of Community Actions
- We'd like communities to use this opportunity to revisit the list of actions and note any changes in priorities due to new strategies, goals, funding sources, or completed projects. This is a great time to host another community workshop and get resident input on future priorities, but this is not required.
- Please indicate any changes compared to the original list of actions, if possible.
Communities will be notified when the reenrollment deadline is approaching.
Reenroll your community now using the online reenrollment form.
If any of these reporting and progress requirements are not met, the community will be listed as inactive and ineligible for further grants. To reactivate, the community must submit an updated Community Resilience Self-Evaluation and List of Community Actions before the next grant deadline for which you are applying.
- Get Funding to Take Action
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Once a community is enrolled in the Partnership, they are eligible to apply for Community Action Grants. Municipal and tribal governments and unorganized territories in Maine may apply directly for funds to support projects that reduce energy use and costs and make their community more resilient to climate change effects, such as flooding, extreme weather, drought, and public health impacts.
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Visit our FAQs page to read answers to frequent questions.