FocusMaine in Augusta has announced a three-year, $6.9 million challenge grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation.

The grant will help FocusMaine strengthen and transform the state’s economy by expediting the growth of the food and bioeconomy and building talent pathways to bolster a robust workforce. To that end, the grant will fuel the organization’s three-year strategic plan, ensuring the continuation of effective programs and a shift into more innovation and stakeholder engagement to strengthen Maine’s food and bioeconomies. The grant also enables FocusMaine to launch and continue programs that expand Maine’s blue economy with the New England Ocean Cluster and develop a robust Maine bioscience collaborative with the University of Maine and the Roux Institute, working alongside Maine & Company, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and other institutions in the state.

“We greatly appreciate the Harold Alfond Foundation’s generous grant, enabling us to continue momentum in our sector-level economic development approach,” said FocusMaine president, co-founder, and co-chair Andrea Cianchette Maker. “With our valued partner organizations, we are catalyzing jobs for tomorrow to replace the jobs of yesterday and developing the workforce for those jobs, helping to shape Maine’s economy for future resilience and growth.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Ron and Patty Thomas)