U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 19 Maine organizations will receive more than $16 million in federal funding to support economic development projects across the state.

The $16,201,188 funding comes through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Fiscal Year 2026 Catalyst, Timber for Transit, and Forest Economy programs.

“The NBRC has been an important partner in helping Maine’s rural communities make investments in projects that strengthen local economies and improve quality of life,” Collins and King said in a joint statement. “This funding will support critical infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, housing, childcare, transportation access, and forest economy projects across our state. These investments will help communities address local needs, create jobs, and expand economic opportunity for Mainers.”

The funding will support a range of projects, including infrastructure improvements, workforce training, housing development, childcare access, transportation-related investments, and projects tied to Maine’s forest economy.

The bulk of the funding was awarded through the NBRC’s Catalyst Program, which provides support for locally driven economic and community development projects.

The Catalyst Program awards include:

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry — $1,000,000

Town of Livermore Falls — $1,000,000

Tree Street Youth — $1,000,000

Workforce Housing Coalition Western Maine Mountains — $1,000,000

Brooksville Town House — $902,938

Ashland Water and Sewer District — $680,000

City of Calais — $590,580

Old Town Water District — $520,000

IBEW Augusta Electrical JATC — $497,560

Central Maine Growth Council — $485,000

Spruce Mountain Educational Fund — $368,000

Northern Maine Development Commission, Inc. — $360,210

Town of Albion — $100,000

City of Augusta — $80,000

Matinicus Isle Plantation — $70,400

Town of Vinalhaven — $46,500

Two Maine projects also received funding through the NBRC’s Timber for Transit Program.

The City of Rockland will receive $4,000,000, while Main Street Skowhegan will receive $2,500,000.

The Timber for Transit Program supports projects that make use of wood products in transportation-related infrastructure.

Southern Aroostook Development Corporation will also receive $1,000,000 through the NBRC’s Forest Economy Program.

That program is aimed at supporting economic development projects tied to the forest products industry, a long-standing part of Maine’s rural economy.

The Northern Border Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership that supports economic and community development in distressed counties across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.