Senator Collins Announces More Than $425,000 for Main Street Skowhegan

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that Main Street Skowhegan has been awarded $425,111 from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for Phase II of the Revitalization of Central Maine Recompete Plan.  This advances Main Street Skowhegan to the final round of federal funding through EDA’s Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, which will award an average of $20 to $50 million in implementation funding.  Main Street Skowhegan was one of 22 applications selected out of more than 500 applications.

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo contacted Senator Collins to notify her that Main Street Skowhegan has been selected.

“Main Street Skowhegan is committed to revitalizing the community while honoring the region’s rich heritage,” said Senator Collins.  “This federal funding will support Main Street Skowhegan’s initiative to help individuals reenter the workforce, helping to promote economic development in the greater Skowhegan and Waterville area.”

"Strategy development funding from the EDA will increase our capacity and help our coalition lay the groundwork for Recompete Plan Implementation and the opportunity to compete for an additional $20 to $50 million to tackle rural Maine economic and workforce challenges head-on," said coalition leader Kristina Cannon, President and CEO of Main Street Skowhegan.  "Our strategies for regional growth and resilience rely on more than just traditional solutions; they are comprehensive, community-centric, and asset-based.  We thank Senator Collins for her support in securing this important federal funding."

The Revitalization of Central Maine Recompete Plan is a coalition led by Main Street Skowhegan to connect residents to good jobs, helping to revitalize the downtown economy in the Skowhegan/Waterville Route 201 corridor.  Coalition members include Sappi North America, New Balance, Central Maine Growth Council, and Kennebec Valley Community College, among others.

The Recompete program, authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act, targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment is significantly lower than the national average, with the goal to close this gap through flexible, locally driven investments.  Earning the title of Recompete Finalist is an endorsement of the community’s strategy to create and connect workers to good jobs in geographically diverse and persistently distressed communities across the country. 

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