Blog

It seems like there is a general unease as we head into another Maine winter. The days are getting colder and shorter, COVID cases are starting to rise again. Like us, you are probably starting to worry a bit about the isolation of getting through the winter. Add to that the fact that many of the small business owners we work with are the sole employee/owner of their business. In the best times, being a small business owner can be lonely and isolating, and living in a pandemic only amplifies…

Since March, Maine’s island communities have faced a variety of logistical and other unique challenges in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. But thanks to a new state effort to distribute…

Twenty-five years ago, I made a conscious choice to avoid the issue of race. And because I am a white woman, living in a majority white community, I had the…

It might feel early, but right now is a great time to lay the groundwork for the holidays. Here’s how to make your online marketing painless but profitable so you…

During the summer of 2019, I took the Casco Bay Lines ferry to Cliff Island. Upon arrival, I noticed small trenches dug up on the sides of roads and properties,…

If something is important to you, you should care for it. As I sit down to write about the Island Institute and the Maine Island Trail Association, this is the statement that comes to mind. In many ways, this idea embodies both organizations and Maine’s coast more broadly.

Last Friday, Governor Janet Mills announced a $200 million program that will provide grants to Maine businesses with less than 50 employees that have been deeply impacted by the ongoing pandemic. There is a tight window for applications, so we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit more about the grant. 

Last August we shared our first Business Podcast round-up, so it felt like a good time to update the list. First of all, a lot has changed in the world and the business landscape, and there are some great podcasts to help you make sense of the current climate. And second, we are about to re-launch our own Commercial Currents podcast, and our series "Business in Uncertain Times."

The Maine Climate Council needs your help! Whether you’re a municipal official, a volunteer on a local sea level rise committee, or a resident concerned about sea level rise in your own town, your feedback is valued, and we invite you to have your voices heard.

About 20 years ago, a family friend from California told me while she was visiting northern Michigan that she didn't bother to eat seafood in the Midwest, because being able to enjoy the freshness and taste of seafood in her home state—a state that sits on the ocean—meant her palate didn't appreciate the lesser quality that us land-locked citizens were forced to accept. At the time, I thought her comment was rude and pretentious, but then I started thinking about the fresh food I had access to.