KVCOG can provide technical assistance for these, and other grant projects of interest to your municipality. For assistance, please reach out to us at  or (207) 453-4258.

• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) 
• Northern Boarder Regional Commission (NBRC) SEID Grant
• ConnectME Infrastructure Grants
• Efficiency Maine Municipal Energy Efficiency Funding
• Coastal Community Grant Programs
• Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Projects Grant
• USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers Expansion

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)

The following programs are available to Maine Communities and in certain instances, Counties through the Office of Community Development. For specific information on applications dates and program eligible activities, refer to the individual application packages and the current Program Statement.

Full program descriptions and application materials are available on the Maine DECD website.

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Northern Boarder Regional Commission (NBRC) 

2021 State Economic & Infrastructure Development (SEID) Program

About the SEID Program

Approximately $4.6 MM for each state, up to a $1,000,000 maximum award to eligible infrastructure projects, up to a $350,000 maximum award for all other types of eligible projects. All funds are in the form of reimbursement for eligible expenses incurred after a Notice to Proceed has been fully executed. Maine's program area includes Androscoggin, Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington counties.

• Materials available on NBRC Website: March 8, 2021
• Letters of Interest: Due March 26, 2021 by 5:00pm EST
• Application portal open: April 15, 2021
• Applications: Due May 14, 2021 by 5:00pm EST

Visit NBRC's website for full timeline and more information.

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ConnectME Grants

Infrastructure Grants

Infrastructure grants are awarded to support investments in expanding the availability of broadband service in the state. Communications service providers and community leaders are encouraged to partner on infrastructure grant applications. Currently, preference is given to projects that propose the greatest relative improvement to existing internet service in unserved areas only.

Deadlines:

• April 12, 2021 for broadband provider expansion projects.
• April 29, 2021 for community-driven broadband projects. 

More information, and application materials for both programs found on ConnectME's website.

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Efficiency Maine Municipal Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Towns under 4,000 residents are eligible for energy efficiency upgrades from Efficiency Maine. Eligible projects include heat pumps and interior lighting upgrades for municipal facilities.

Applications due by March 31, 2021.  

Learn more and apply on Efficiency Maine's website. 

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Coastal Community Grant Programs

Coastal Community Planning Grants

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) seeks applications for a new round of Coastal Community Grants for FY 2022. The grants are for municipal and regional projects in Maine’s Coastal Zone. Funding for those technical assistance grants comes from Maine Coastal Program’s annual grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Proposals are due Thursday, April 15, 2021.

The Three Categories, focus on building community resiliency and adapting to climate change, as addressed in Maine's Climate Action Plan:

• Ensuring Sustainable, Vibrant Coastal Communities
• Restoring Coastal Habitats
• Preparing for coastal storms, erosion and flooding, coastal hazards

View the grant program statement and more information on MPAP's website. 

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Shore and Harbor Planning Grants

The Maine Coastal Program is currently seeking applications for a new round of coastal grants for FY2022. Shore and Harbor Planning Grants support municipal and regional projects in Maine’s Coastal Zone. Proposals are due Monday, May 3rd, 2021, 5pm.

View the Shore and Harbor Planning Grant Program Statement

Program Goals

Shore and Harbor Planning Grants promote: sound waterfront planning and harbor management, balanced development of shore and harbor areas, planning for waterfront infrastructure improvements, planning for climate resiliency and access to the shore. Funds may be used for development of plans for waterfront facilities and amenities, harbor and mooring plans, waterfront vulnerability assessments and resiliency plans, development of regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to waterfront conservation and improvement, development of planning studies for public and working access, development of plans and designs for harbor improvements, and development of management plans for municipal waterfront facilities.

Note: For this grant round, distribution of awards will place emphasis on coastal waterfront climate resilience with a focus on projects that advance the recommendations identified in Maine Won’t Wait: A Four-Year Plan for Climate Action. https://www.maine.gov/future/sites/maine.gov.future/files/inline-files/MaineWontWait_December2020.pdf
Released in December 2020, the Plan identifies the need for communities to be proactive about understanding, planning and acting to reduce their risk from climate change.

Potential Funding Activities: Examples of projects below re not meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather provide ideas for projects that would be eligible for funding.

• Harbor Planning (in particular, to implement recommendations consistent with comprehensive plans), including – Development of Harbor Management Plans, creation of Harbor Ordinances, preparation of Mooring Plans, with attendant data bases and mapping support, data collection, mapping, data base development, and analysis activities needed to support harbor planning activities, harbor traffic control and safety planning. 

• Planning and Design Projects for Harbor Improvements – Integration of public access with waterfront development to preserve unique natural, cultural, and village assets that contribute to sustainable development and tourism infrastructure.  Planning and design of facilities and improvements for public and working access, dredging studies (non-federal, and for federal match), support for research and demonstration of new materials and techniques for ramps, piers and wharfs, floats, and moorings. Development of plans or strategies to address the impact of coastal storms and flooding on waterfront infrastructure. Planning and design of improvements to existing and aging infrastructure so that it may better serve the waterfront community into the future.

• Municipal Facilities Management Plans – Management and business plans for operations of municipal fishing piers, marinas, and water access sites and facilities, development of related rules and ordinances, creation of model or standardized lease arrangements for municipal use.

• Working Waterfront Planning and Improvement Projects – Project planning and development support for projects seeking funding from the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program

• Right of Way Rediscovery Projects – Research to help communities find and assert public rights-of-way to the shore.  Funding provided under this category can be used for deed and legal research and property surveys.

• Harbor Dredging-related Research Projects – Research to help communities identify and quantify the socio-economic value of federally-designated, shallow-draft harbors maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). Socio-economic research that documents these values can assist a coastal community in working with the ACOE and Maine’s congressional delegation to secure federal funding for ACOE maintenance dredging of small, shallow-draft harbors. 

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Grants for Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Projects
Watershed-Based Plan Development (Maine DEP)

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has release of its Request for Applications (RFA) - Grants for Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Projects Watershed-based Plan Development. DEP is inviting applications for projects to help communities develop nine-element watershed-based plans to restore impaired water bodies or protect threatened waters that are named on DEP's Nonpoint Priority Watersheds List. DEP anticipates that $75,000 of Section 604(b) and 319 Federal Clean Water Act funds will be available. DEP expects to award 2 to 4 NPS grants with individual awards ranging from approximately $10,000 to $50,000.

The RFA, current application, Question & Answer Summary and all amendments related to this RFA, can be obtained on the Maine DEP website.

Applications must be submitted to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, via e-mail, to the following email address: . Application submissions for 2021 must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm, local time, on April 28, 2021.

Applications will be opened at the Burton M. Cross Office Building, 111 Sewall Street - 4^th Floor, Augusta, Maine the following business day. Applications not submitted to the Division of Procurement Services’ aforementioned email address by the aforementioned deadline will not be considered for contract award.

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 USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers

USDA Reopens Program Sign-Up to a Larger Share of Producers with Plans to Expand Outreach and New Programming

USDA will reopen sign-up for CFAP 2 for at least 60 days beginning on April 5, 2021. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has committed at least $2.5 million to improve outreach for CFAP 2 and will establish partnerships with organizations with strong connections to socially disadvantaged communities to ensure they are informed and aware of the application process.

Please stay tuned for additional information and announcements under the USDA Pandemic Assistance to Producers initiative, which will help to expand and more equitably distribute financial assistance to producers and farming operations during the COVID-19 national emergency. Please visit www.farmers.gov for more information on the details of today’s announcement.

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