Island Institute
Island Institute is a 40-year-old Maine-based nonprofit that works with 100+ island and coastal communities on climate resilience, marine economy diversification, and community capacity building through fellowship programs, toolkits, grants, and publications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersRockland, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Island Institute does
Island Institute is a 40-year-old nonprofit organization headquartered in Rockland, Maine, that works with the state's island and coastal communities to address climate change impacts, marine economy transitions, and community capacity challenges. Founded in 1983 and operating with 51–100 employees, the organization delivers programmatic interventions across three strategic priorities: marine economy (including working waterfront protection, marine electrification, and the Future of Fishing initiative for lobster industry diversification), climate solutions (resilient energy and adaptation), and community capacity (including the Island Fellows Program placing graduate-degree fellows in coastal communities for 24-month terms). Its product portfolio spans toolkits (Electric Boat Toolkit, Future of Fishing Toolkit, Calling Your Bluff Toolkit, Shoreside Charging Infrastructure Report), media properties (The Working Waterfront newspaper, Island Journal, From the Sea Up podcast, Climate of Change film series), the Archipelago arts marketplace, and grant/scholarship programs administered through the Glenn Fund and Community Impact Fund.
Island Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Island Institute
- Legal name
- Island Institute
- Website
- https://islandinstitute.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Island Institute is a 40-year-old Maine-based nonprofit that works with 100+ island and coastal communities on climate resilience, marine economy diversification, and community capacity building through fellowship programs, toolkits, grants, and publications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Island Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)
Keywords
Where Island Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rockland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Island Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Donations and Grants: Island Institute operates as a 40-year-old nonprofit organization that sustains its operations through philanthropic support from donors, members, and grantmaking organizations. They receive grants from federal agencies (USDA, SBA, DOE), corporate donors, and individual supporters.
- Federal Grants: The organization receives federal grant funding from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture ($201,000 grant for Fellows program) and the Small Business Administration ($1.4 million award for lobster industry support).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels11 records
Island Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Island Institute is a nonprofit community development organization that delivers fellowships, grants, scholarships, toolkits, publications, and research reports to Maine's island and coastal communities. Its portfolio supports climate adaptation, working waterfront protection, marine economy diversification (including marine electrification and lobster industry resilience), and community capacity building. Programmatic delivery is anchored by the Island Fellows Program, the Community Impact Fund, The Working Waterfront newspaper, the Island Journal, and the Archipelago arts marketplace.
Product overview
Island Institute operates as a community development nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of programs, publications, and resources rather than a commercial software product. The core offerings include the Island Institute Fellows Program for professional development in coastal communities, combined with practical toolkits (Electric Boat Toolkit, Future of Fishing Toolkit, Calling Your Bluff Toolkit) that provide hands-on resources for marine economy diversification and climate resilience. The organization produces media products including The Working Waterfront newspaper, Island Journal annual magazine, the Climate of Change film series, and the From the Sea Up podcast. Additional offerings include the Resource Library, Community Impact Fund grants, TIDE financial education webinar series, and Profit Decoder digital tool for the lobster industry. The Shoreside Charging Infrastructure Report provides research supporting marine electrification efforts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Working Waterfront: A 32-year-old community newspaper covering island and coastal Maine communities.
- Island Journal
- Island Fellows Program
- Archipelago
- From the Sea Up Podcast
- Climate of Change Film Series
- Center for the Marine Economy
- Center for Climate and Community
Products and services
- Island Institute Fellows Program A 24-month professional fellowship program that places college and master's degree graduates in Maine's coastal and year-round island communities to build sustainability and strengthen local capacity for managing historical, cultural, natural, economic, and information resources.
- The Working Waterfront Newspaper A 32-year-old signature community newspaper covering island and coastal Maine news, featuring journalism on working waterfronts, the marine economy, and coastal issues.
- Island Journal An annual publication with 40+ issues and nearly 4,000 pages offering insights into island and coastal life through personal profiles, stories, fiction, poetry, and photography.
- Community Impact Fund A grant fund supporting Maine's working waterfronts and providing financial resources for economic resilience and community infrastructure projects in island and coastal communities.
- Electric Boat Toolkit A comprehensive toolkit designed to guide marine businesses and municipalities through the transition to electric propulsion, drawing on Island Institute's marine electrification expertise.
- Future of Fishing Toolkit A toolkit of events, webinars, business resources, and written reports aimed at enhancing economic stability of Maine's island and coastal communities through diversified fishing industry support.
- Calling Your Bluff Toolkit Educational materials developed with islanders from Long, Chebeague, Great Diamond, and Little Diamond Islands for island and coastal communities addressing shoreline change and erosion.
- Profit Decoder Financial Tool A customized financial management tool designed specifically for Maine's lobster industry, helping lobstermen gain greater control over business finances and navigate industry challenges.
- Archipelago Arts Marketplace An online marketplace selling products from island and coastal Maine artists, generating $392,000 for artists in 2024.
Quantifiable outcome
- 185 communities served with projects, grants and technical assistance
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Island Institute
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Island Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Island Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Spruce Head Fisherman's Co-opcorePartner in the 'Wattson' electric workboat pilot project for daily lobster co-op operations. The 16-foot aluminum alloy electric skiff powered by ePropulsion technology is the first high-voltage electric workboat used by Maine lobstermen.
- Fogg's BoatworkscorePartner in the electric workboat project, building the vessel for the Spruce Head Fisherman's Co-op demonstration.
- ePropulsioncoreTechnology partner providing the X-20 electric propulsion system with G230 23.5kWh battery for the electric workboat pilot.
- Sunrise County Economic CouncilmajorPartner in the Future of Fishing initiative, providing business and community support in Washington County.
- Cold Current KelpminorIsland Institute provided funding and support to this Kittery, Maine startup developing skin care products from farmed kelp extract.
- Archipelago (Island Institute initiative)minorIsland Institute's arts marketplace that generated $392,000 for island and coastal artists in 2024.
- Luke's LobstermajorPartner in building resiliency and sustainability into the seafood supply chain through marketing and product diversification initiatives.
- Small Business Development Centers of MainemajorPartner in the TIDE (Tools for Industry Diversification and Entrepreneurship) webinar series for lobster fishing families and businesses.
- ePropulsioncoreElectric boat technology partner for the electric workboat initiative supporting marine electrification in Maine's commercial fishing industry.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Island Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI): Maine-based community development financial institution supporting working waterfronts, small businesses, and fisheries through lending, grants, and technical assistance. Directly comparable as a Maine-focused nonprofit/ CDFI serving the same island and coastal communities with overlapping marine economy priorities.
- Gulf of Maine Research Institute: Portland, Maine-based nonprofit combining marine science, education, and community engagement to support a climate-ready Gulf of Maine. Directly comparable for marine climate research, K-12 and community education programs, and coastal stakeholder engagement in the same geography.
- Maine Community Foundation: Maine-based community foundation providing grants, loans, and leadership to strengthen communities statewide. Comparable as a Maine-focused grantmaking and community development organization supporting similar coastal communities, though with a broader statewide focus versus Island Institute's coastal/island specialization.
- Maine Coast Fishermen's Association: Maine-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting sustainable commercial fishing and the fishermen who depend on it. Highly comparable as it serves the same lobstermen and fishing families with advocacy, training, and community support, including climate adaptation resources.
Others
- Coastal States Organization: National nonprofit association representing the coastal states' agencies on ocean and coastal policy. Comparable as a coastal policy and funding advocacy organization aligned with Island Institute's working waterfronts and marine economy interests, though operating at the state-government policy level rather than direct community service.
Broad incumbents
- Maine Sea Grant: Federal-state-university partnership based at the University of Maine supporting marine research, education, and outreach. Comparable for marine science research and coastal community engagement in Maine, though operating as a federally funded extension program rather than an independent nonprofit.
- The Nature Conservancy (Maine): Global conservation organization with significant Maine chapter presence working on coastal resilience, fisheries, and climate adaptation. Comparable as a larger, better-resourced incumbent operating in the same geography with overlapping marine conservation priorities, though with a broader global mandate.
Regional players
- Conservation Law Foundation: New England-based environmental advocacy organization working on climate, clean energy, and ocean protection. Comparable as a regional nonprofit engaging on coastal resilience and marine policy, with overlapping lobster industry and waterfront issues, though with a broader New England footprint and more litigation-heavy approach.
- Island Housing Trust: Maine Peaks Island-based nonprofit addressing workforce and year-round housing affordability on Maine's islands. Comparable as a community development nonprofit serving the same year-round island communities Island Institute supports, though narrowly focused on housing rather than the broader marine economy and climate mission.
- Downeast Institute: Maine marine research and education nonprofit focused on aquaculture and coastal ecology in Downeast Maine. Comparable as a smaller, geographically focused marine nonprofit with overlapping marine economy and community engagement work, though more narrowly focused on aquaculture science.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Island Institute social profiles
Digital presenceIsland Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Island Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Island Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Island Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Island Institute
What does Island Institute do?
Island Institute is a nonprofit community development organization that delivers fellowships, grants, scholarships, toolkits, publications, and research reports to Maine's island and coastal communities. Its portfolio supports climate adaptation, working waterfront protection, marine economy diversification (including marine electrification and lobster industry resilience), and community capacity building. Programmatic delivery is anchored by the Island Fellows Program, the Community Impact Fund, The Working Waterfront newspaper, the Island Journal, and the Archipelago arts marketplace.
Is Island Institute a public or private company?
Island Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Island Institute founded?
Island Institute was founded in 1983. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Island Institute based?
Island Institute is headquartered in Rockland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Island Institute make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are federal Grants.
Who are Island Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI), Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Maine Community Foundation and Maine Coast Fishermen's Association. Coastal States Organization is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Maine Sea Grant and The Nature Conservancy (Maine). Regional players are Conservation Law Foundation, Island Housing Trust and Downeast Institute.
Does Island Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Island Institute.
What industry is Island Institute in?
Island Institute's product category is Nonprofit Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAMAI, Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8600.