The Aroostook Partnership is proud of its sustained positive impact across Aroostook County and Maine. Our efforts and investments help spur meaningful change and support our area businesses and communities. Working together, our Partnership is committed to growing and sustaining a robust economy in the northernmost part of Maine.
Appointed to Maine’s Strategic 10-year Economic Development Plan working group in 2019 which hosted two summits and eight regional meetings with over 1,000 total participants.
Secured $100K in DECD funding for population and talent attraction efforts (co-sponsored with NMDC) in 2023. Funding used in part to redevelop and market the OpportunitiesAroostook.com website.
Developed the Northern Forest Products Industry Cluster which was instrumental in gaining a new multimillion-dollar harvester training program at 3 community colleges. This group also won the 2015 National Association of Development Organization (NADO) Innovation Award.
Developed the Leadership Aroostook Program with Husson University in 2021 to offer professional development training to area early- and mid-career professionals. Leadership Aroostook is run annually at the Presque Isle MSAD1 Adult Education Center.
Provided financial support to develop the Aroostook County Childcare Resource Center in 2025 to offer affordable and accessible childcare, educational training, and support for area providers.
Hosted Aroostook County Housing Summits in 2024 and 2025 to address the need for housing across all income levels and provide grounded solutions to spur development.
Worked with the Aroostook Legislative Delegation to secure the development and implementation of a state $10M Charter Transportation and Border Business Assistance Grant program in 2021.
Biennially host the Aroostook Day at the Legislature as part of our state and federal legislative outreach and advocacy efforts.
Routinely engage in robust state and federal legislative advocacy efforts to support County economic development and area businesses. This includes support leading to the passage of Maine’s LD-1670 “An Act to Attract Investment to Loring Commerce Centre” in 2016 and LD-1859 “An Act to Improve Access to Child Care and Early Childhood Education by Establishing Regional Resource Hubs” in 2025.