Island Institute

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.

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

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

• Community development services
• Marine economy programs
• Coastal climate resilience
• Working waterfront protection
• Nonprofit community grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Core 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

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Spruce Head Fisherman's Co-opcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026Partner 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 BoatworkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026Partner in the electric workboat project, building the vessel for the Spruce Head Fisherman's Co-op demonstration.
• ePropulsioncoreTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2026Technology partner providing the X-20 electric propulsion system with G230 23.5kWh battery for the electric workboat pilot.
• Sunrise County Economic CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2024Partner in the Future of Fishing initiative, providing business and community support in Washington County.
• Cold Current KelpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsland Institute provided funding and support to this Kittery, Maine startup developing skin care products from farmed kelp extract.
• Archipelago (Island Institute initiative)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsland Institute's arts marketplace that generated $392,000 for island and coastal artists in 2024.
• Luke's LobstermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in building resiliency and sustainability into the seafood supply chain through marketing and product diversification initiatives.
• Small Business Development Centers of MainemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the TIDE (Tools for Industry Diversification and Entrepreneurship) webinar series for lobster fishing families and businesses.
• ePropulsioncoreTechnology or IntegrationElectric 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

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/islandinstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/islandinstitute
• Instagraminstagram.com/islandinstitute
• Xx.com/islandinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/island-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Island Institute