What NMDC does

Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC) is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1975 and headquartered in Caribou, Maine. It serves as the federally designated Economic Development District, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Small Business Development Center host, USDA Microenterprise Development Organization, Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and State of Maine Regional Planning Commission for Aroostook, Washington, Penobscot, and Piscataquis counties in northern and eastern Maine — a service area encompassing more than 100 municipalities and unorganized territories. Its core products and services include a Business Finance Division offering SBA microloans up to $50,000, small business loans up to $1,000,000, and Brownfields Cleanup Loans up to $250,000; the Maine SBDC at NMDC providing free one-on-one business advising; the Center for Business Growth entrepreneurship program; the Maine APEX Accelerator for government contracting assistance; the CDBG Program for municipalities; and a Regional Planning practice covering land use, transportation, waste management, and housing (including the Aroostook County Affordable Housing Toolkit and Wolastoq-St John Restoration Initiative). Underlying technology is limited to a standard web CMS, Google Analytics, Microsoft Forms intake, and the Center Dynamics scheduling platform — no proprietary technology stack.

Revenue mechanics combine federal and state grant funding (EDA, SBA, USDA Rural Development, FAME, Maine DECD), interest and fees from administered revolving loan funds across Caribou, Houlton, Van Buren, Limestone, and Madawaska, and member community dues plus fee-for-service planning contracts with municipalities. NMDC also hosts and provides management support for affiliated programs including Aroostook County Tourism (ACT), the Aroostook Municipal Association (AMA), and the Aroostook Partnership.

Name

NMDC

Legal name

Northern Maine Development Commission

Website

https://nmdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NMDC is a non-profit regional economic development organization headquartered in Caribou, Maine, serving small businesses, entrepreneurs, municipalities, and tourism stakeholders across Aroostook, Washington, Penobscot, and Piscataquis counties with business loans, free advising, planning, and tourism services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Caribou

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal and state grants: Funding from Economic Development Administration (EDA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), USDA Rural Development, Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), Maine DECD, and other federal/state sources that fund program operations.
2. Loan interest and fees: Interest and fees from SBA microloans (up to $50,000), small business loans, and Brownfields cleanup loans, administered across multiple revolving loan funds including Caribou, Houlton, Van Buren, Limestone, and Madawaska.
3. Municipal dues and fee-for-service: Member community dues from towns and counties plus fee-for-service planning and technical assistance contracts with municipalities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NMDC is a non-profit regional economic development organization that delivers small business financing (SBA microloans, small business loans, Brownfields cleanup loans), free one-on-one business advising, entrepreneurial support, government contracting assistance, municipal planning, regional transportation and waste management services, Community Development Block Grant administration, and tourism marketing for Aroostook, Washington, Penobscot, and Piscataquis counties in northern and eastern Maine. Operating from offices in Caribou, Eastport, and Lincoln, the organization leverages multiple federal designations (CDFI, EDA, SBDC, USDA Microenterprise Development Organization, PTAC) to deliver services that conventional lenders and consultancies cannot offer in the region.

Product overview

NMDC (Northern Maine Development Commission) is a non-profit regional economic development organization serving Aroostook and Washington Counties, plus portions of Penobscot and Piscataquis counties in Maine. Rather than a unified software product, NMDC delivers a portfolio of complementary programs and services organized across multiple divisions. The Center for Business Growth @ NMDC (CBG @ NMDC) provides entrepreneurial support and is complemented by the Maine Small Business Development Center (Maine SBDC) at NMDC for free business advising and the Maine APEX Accelerator for government contracting assistance. The Business Finance Division offers Micro Business Loans, Small Business Loans, and Brownfields Cleanup Loans. The Aroostook County Tourism (ACT) program markets the region under the 'Aroostook, The Crown of Maine' brand. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program administers community development grants to municipalities. The Regional Planning Department offers land use, transportation, housing, and waste management planning services — including the Wolastoq-St John Restoration Initiative and the Aroostook County Affordable Housing Toolkit — that together form a comprehensive economic development ecosystem for northern and eastern Maine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Business Growth @ NMDC (CBG @ NMDC): Entrepreneurship and small business support program designed to encourage and support a new crop of entrepreneurs in the Aroostook Washington Economic Development District (AWEDD) region.
• Aroostook County Tourism (ACT)
• Maine APEX Accelerator
• Maine Small Business Development Center (Maine SBDC) at NMDC
• Wolastoq-St John Restoration Initiative

Products and services

• Center for Business Growth @ NMDC (CBG @ NMDC) Entrepreneurship support program offering confidential business counseling, training classes, one-on-one counseling, youth entrepreneurship programs, mentor matching, and access to financial capital for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs in the AWEDD region.
• Maine Small Business Development Center (Maine SBDC) at NMDC Free business advising service for potential and existing business owners in Aroostook County and bordering towns, offering one-on-one management assistance in accounting, business start-up/acquisition, government procurement, financial management, marketing and sales, operations, and succession planning.
• Maine APEX Accelerator Training and technical assistance program helping local businesses find, win, and perform on government contracts, including group trainings, individualized counseling sessions, registration and certification support, bid preparation, and post-award contract management.
• Business Loans Program Loan portfolio offering Micro Business Loans up to $50,000 (low fixed rates, 5-10 year terms), Small Business Loans up to $1,000,000, and Brownfields Cleanup Loans up to $250,000 at 3% interest for up to 25 years, available to businesses in Aroostook, Washington, Northern Penobscot, and Piscataquis counties.
• Aroostook County Tourism (ACT) Tourism marketing program promoting Aroostook County under the brand "Aroostook, The Crown of Maine" through year-round multichannel marketing campaigns across digital platforms, social media, broadcast, and print media, plus eight annual promotional maps and guidebooks.
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Planning assistance and grant administration for municipalities covering Community Development (Home Repair Network, Housing Assistance Grants, Public Infrastructure Grants, Downtown Revitalization, Public Service Grants), Economic Development (Microenterprise Grants, Direct Business Support), and Technical Assistance.
• Wolastoq-St John Restoration Initiative Regional stream crossing restoration initiative focused on improving aquatic connectivity for fish and ecological restoration in the Wolastoq/St. John watershed, partnering with multiple state, federal, and tribal agencies.
• Regional Planning Services Comprehensive regional planning services addressing land use, housing, community development, natural resources, transportation, and environmental issues for municipalities in northern Maine, including land use planning, scenic byways, bicycle planning, emergency preparedness, and waste management.
• Aroostook County Affordable Housing Toolkit Housing planning toolkit for communities including LD2003 model wording, comprehensive planning guide, guidance on land use, zoning, minimum dwelling size, density and height bonuses, missing middle housing, building forms and uses, pre-approved plans, case studies, funding resources, and land banks.

Quantifiable outcome

• over $160 million in public and private financing facilitated since 1977
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Maine Small Business Development Centers (Maine SBDC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMDC hosts the Maine SBDC service center in northern Maine serving Aroostook County and bordering towns. Partnership is part of SBA, Maine DECD, University of Southern Maine, and NMDC collaboration providing free one-on-one business advising, training, and technical assistance.
• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)coreOthersNMDC Executive Director Robert Clark was elected to the NADO Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 term representing the Eastern region on the 66-member Board. NADO provides training, information, and representation for Regional Development Organizations throughout the U.S.
• Maine Office of TourismcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAroostook County Tourism is a program of the Maine Office of Tourism hosted at NMDC. The partnership strengthens the economy of northern Maine through tourism marketing, promotion, and development.
• Maine APEX AcceleratorcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNMDC hosts the Maine APEX Accelerator program, part of a nationwide network providing training and technical assistance to local businesses for government contracting opportunities. Helps businesses obtain registrations, certifications, and bid preparation.
• State of Maine Department of Economic and Community DevelopmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership leveraging the Economic Recovery Implementation Hub (ERIH) program to deliver COVID-19 relief funding. Five key partner organizations in Aroostook County collaborate including SCORE Maine, Southern Aroostook Development Corporation, Cooperative Development Institute, Four Directions Development Corporation, and New Ventures Maine.
• Aroostook PartnershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAroostook Partnership represents 100 businesses in Aroostook County and works collaboratively with NMDC on regional economic development and Empowerment Zone advocacy.
• Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the Regional Transportation Program providing transportation-related technical support and planning assistance to northern Maine's municipalities. Collaboration on scenic byway designations and proposed US Bike Route.
• Maine Department of Public Safety - Office of the State Fire MarshalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration on code enforcement training, certification, and standards for municipalities in NMDC's service area.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI): Maine-based CDFI providing small business loans, advising, and community development financing statewide. CEI is a direct peer — same CDFI model, same geography, but with a larger portfolio and broader Maine footprint, making it the closest functional comparator to NMDC's Business Finance Division.
• Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC): Regional economic development organization serving eastern Maine with business lending, planning, and workforce services. EMDC is structurally analogous to NMDC — multi-county service area, federal designation-driven program mix, and overlapping customer base in Washington and Penobscot counties.
• MaineStream Finance: Maine CDFI focused on small business and microenterprise lending across the state. MaineStream overlaps directly with NMDC's SBA microloan and small business loan products, serving a similar rural borrower profile but at broader geographic scale.
• Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC): Maine regional planning and economic development agency providing municipal planning, economic development, and housing assistance. SMPDC operates in southern Maine but executes the same regional planning, CDBG administration, and economic development functions as NMDC's Regional Planning Division.

Regional players

• Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP): Community action agency serving Aroostook County with workforce development, housing, and anti-poverty programs. ACAP is a regional peer operating in NMDC's exact geography but with a different programmatic lens (human services vs. economic development), and the two organizations coordinate on ERIH relief funding.
• Four Directions Development Corporation: Native-owned CDFI serving Wabanaki communities and rural Maine. Four Directions is a peer in the same geography and CDFI category, collaborating with NMDC through the ERIH relief partnership and overlapping on microenterprise lending for underserved populations.
• Vermont Community Loan Fund: Vermont-based CDFI providing small business loans, microloans, and community facility financing. VCLF operates in an adjacent rural New England economy with a similar product mix to NMDC's Business Finance Division, making it a useful outside-of-Maine peer benchmark.
• RCAP Solutions: Regional community development organization providing housing, community development, and small business support across rural New England. RCAP Solutions is a peer in rural community development services with overlapping small business support and municipal capacity-building programs.

Others

• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): Industry association representing the U.S. network of regional development organizations. NADO is not a competitor but a peer ecosystem — NMDC's Executive Director sits on NADO's Board, and the association provides training and policy advocacy relevant to NMDC's operations.
• Opportunity Finance Network (OFN): National network of CDFIs providing capital, training, and policy advocacy. OFN is the industry backbone organization for CDFI-certified entities like NMDC and an enabling peer for benchmarking, peer lending, and federal funding advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/momentumaroostook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbgnmdc
• Instagraminstagram.com/cbgnmdc

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NMDC