GrowSmart Maine

What GrowSmart Maine does

GrowSmart Maine is a 501(c)(3) statewide nonprofit organization headquartered at 227 Water Street, Suite 208, Augusta, Maine. Founded in the mid-2000s (with documented programmatic milestones beginning in 2006), the organization convenes communities, policymakers, and cross-sector stakeholders around a proprietary "10 Principles of Smart Growth" framework, and serves as a non-partisan policy advocate and technical-assistance provider for Maine municipalities. Its programmatic portfolio includes the USDA-funded Building Community Strength capacity-building program for rural communities, the Community Resilience (climate adaptation) program, Planning for Agriculture, the Kennebec Broadband Partnership / Digital Equity work, Housing Forward Communities, the Downeast Food System Partnership, and the annual statewide Summit and Maine Smart Growth Awards. Supporting the programs is a curated resource library of 22 printed Community Guides, the Planning for Agriculture Toolbox, Municipal Tools for Solar Siting, Mapping Maine, and a webinar series.

The organization's "technology" is a methodology plus curated content stack rather than a software product. Distribution is direct via its website (growsmartmaine.org), a Mailchimp newsletter, organic social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube), in-person convenings (the rotating-city Annual Summit, regional forums, walking tours), webinars, and direct policy engagement with the Maine Legislature and federal representatives. GrowSmart Maine also serves as fiscal sponsor for three aligned advocacy entities — the Maine Zoning Atlas, the Maine Broadband Coalition, and Mainers For Smarter Transportation (M4ST) — extending its operational footprint across broadband, transportation, and zoning verticals.

Revenue mechanics combine four streams: tiered memberships (Individual $15–$250+, Business Supporting <$1,000 to Investing >$5,000, Nonprofit <$500 to >$2,500, plus a Municipal tier); one-time and recurring donations via the "Give Smart to GrowSmart" program; federal and regional government grants (USDA $304,636 in October 2023; Northern Border Regional Commission $388,700 announced July 2025); and Summit/event sponsorships tiered from $250 (5th Tier) to $5,000 (1st Tier), supplemented by Lead Conference Partner and In-Kind categories. Small fiscal-sponsorship fees from affiliated nonprofits provide a minor additional stream. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Larissa Holland, and is undergoing a CEO transition from Nancy Smith (15-year tenure, retiring) to Leigh Hallett (start date August 3, 2026).

Name

GrowSmart Maine

Legal name

GrowSmart Maine

Website

https://growsmartmaine.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GrowSmart Maine is a 501(c)(3) statewide nonprofit that convenes Maine municipalities, policymakers, and cross-sector partners around smart growth planning, providing advocacy, technical assistance, grant-funded capacity-building programs, and curated planning resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Advocacy

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Silviculture & Reforestation Services (Nurseries, Planting, Tending) (IMAMAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

Keywords

• Smart growth advocacy
• Community planning resources
• Land use policy
• Rural development grants
• Municipal technical assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Augusta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Tiered individual/family ($15 student/senior/young professional; $50 Supporting; $50-$250 Partnering; >$250 Investing), Business (Supporting <$1,000; Partnering $1,000-$5,000; Investing >$5,000), Nonprofit (Supporting <$500; Partnering $500-$2,500; Investing >$2,500), and Municipal membership categories with annual recognition, voting rights, and complimentary Summit/webinar registrations.
2. Donations (One-time and Recurring): "Give Smart to GrowSmart" recurring donation program (Monthly, Quarterly, or Yearly cadences) plus one-time donations processed via LGL Forms; supports general operations and programs.
3. Government Grants: Federal and regional grants including a $304,636 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant for the Building Community Strength program supporting 10 rural Maine communities, and a $388,700 Catalyst Grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission for rural prosperity initiatives.
4. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: Acts as the fiscal sponsor for Maine Zoning Atlas, Maine Broadband Coalition, and Mainers For Smarter Transportation (M4ST), accepting donations on their behalf.
5. Summit & Event Sponsorships: Tiered sponsorship packages for the Annual Summit ($5,000 1st Tier down to $250 5th Tier) plus Lead Conference Partner and In-Kind Sponsor categories — sourced from foundations, banks, utilities, healthcare, and planning organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GrowSmart Maine helps Maine communities navigate change by convening stakeholders, sharing thought leadership, and advocating in alignment with its 10 Principles of Smart Growth. It delivers technical-assistance programs (Building Community Strength, Planning for Agriculture, Community Resilience, Kennebec Broadband Partnership, Housing Forward Communities), publishes curated resource libraries (Community Guides, Planning for Ag Toolbox, Municipal Tools for Solar Siting), hosts the annual Summit and webinar series, and conducts state and federal policy advocacy.

Product overview

GrowSmart Maine is a 501(c)(3) statewide nonprofit, not a software vendor. Its offering is a portfolio of advocacy programs, educational convenings, and community-planning resource libraries organized around smart growth principles in Maine, rather than a unified software product or platform. Core programmatic modules include Building Community Strength (USDA-funded rural capacity-building), Community Resilience (climate adaptation), Planning for Agriculture (farmland protection), Kennebec Broadband Partnership / Digital Equity, Downeast Food System Partnership, and Housing Forward Communities / Housing Opportunities. Supporting offerings include the annual GrowSmart Maine Summit, Maine Smart Growth Awards, the Maine Alliance for Smart Growth coalition, a Webinar series, and resource libraries such as Community Guides, the Planning for Agriculture Toolbox, Municipal Tools for Solar Siting, Mapping Maine, and Racial Equity and Land Use resources. Together these form a coordinated nonprofit portfolio where the annual Summit and Maine Alliance for Smart Growth serve as convening/coalition layers, the named programs deliver grant-funded capacity-building and policy work, and the resource/tool libraries support direct technical assistance to Maine municipalities and communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Community Strength Capacity-Building Program A USDA-funded ($304,636) capacity-building program providing training, technical assistance, and grants to 10 rural Maine communities to address climate resilience, affordable housing, and economic development challenges.
• GrowSmart Maine Annual Summit An annual statewide convening on smart growth featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, community spotlights, walking tours, and the Maine Smart Growth Awards. Summit 2026: Building Community Strength is scheduled for October 29 in Rockland; past host cities include Biddeford, Waterville, and Bangor.
• Community Guides library A library of 22+ printed community guides offering resources on how to grow smart, covering topics relevant to Maine municipal planning and community development.
• Planning for Agriculture program A program that helps communities plan for farmland protection and viability, including the Planning for Ag Toolbox with resources on solar siting, farmland conservation, voluntary municipal farm support, and agricultural policy advocacy.
• Community Resilience program A program area focused on helping Maine communities adapt to climate change, sea level rise, flooding, and storm impacts, providing guidance documents, workshops, and nature-based solutions resources.
• Kennebec Broadband Partnership (Digital Equity) An initiative advancing digital equity and inclusion in Kennebec County, including the Digital Equity and Digital Inclusion Plan submitted to the Maine Connectivity Authority and nearly $60,000 in grants to local nonprofits and libraries in 2024.
• Downeast Food System Partnership A partnership program supporting the food system in the Downeast Maine region, connected to GrowSmart Maine's broader smart growth and rural economic development work.
• Housing Forward Communities A program supporting Maine communities in expanding housing options, including advocacy for ADUs, multifamily permitting, manufactured housing rehabilitation, and affordable housing policy.
• GrowSmart Maine Webinars A series of recorded and live educational webinars on smart growth topics including walkability, solar siting, climate resilience, and rural development, offered to members and the public.
• Maine Smart Growth Awards An annual awards program designed to recognize diverse activities that contribute to smart growth and serve as real-life illustrations of the benefits smart growth brings to Maine communities; 2025 winners announced October 20, 2025.
• Maine Alliance for Smart Growth coalition A statewide coalition coordinated by GrowSmart Maine involving hundreds of stakeholders working to develop forward-thinking legislative proposals (e.g., Policy Action 2023 and Policy Action 2025) on smart growth issues.
• Municipal Tools for Solar Siting A resource set providing municipalities with tools, guidelines, model ordinances, and best practices for solar siting that balances renewable energy development with agricultural land preservation. Includes a downloadable PDF, webinar recordings, and links to partner resources.
• Public Policy / Policy Action advocacy Policy advocacy workstream covering Policy Action, Planning for Ag Policy, and Smart Growth Policy, including legislative testimony, letters of support, and advocacy updates at the state and federal level.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded $304,636 USDA grant to deliver training, technical assistance, and grants to 10 rural Maine communities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wabanaki Alliance Tribal CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowSmart Maine has been a member of the Wabanaki Alliance Tribal Coalition since 2022, supporting equity, economic opportunity, and environmental stewardship for the Wabanaki Nations through legislative advocacy (LD 785, LD 395, LD 958).
• Partners for Rural America (PRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRA was founded in 1998 to support its member State Rural Development Councils (SRDCs); GrowSmart Maine participates as an SRDC member and has signed joint letters to federal officials on USDA Rural Development funding and Department of Agriculture reorganization.
• Maine Zoning AtlascoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerGrowSmart Maine is the proud fiscal sponsor of the Maine Zoning Atlas (edit.zoningatlas.org/atlas/status/?areatype=state&areaid=23), accepting donations on its behalf.
• Maine Broadband CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowSmart Maine serves on the steering committee for the Maine Broadband Coalition and acts as its fiscal sponsor. Co-coordinates the Kennebec Broadband Partnership and has awarded $60,000+ to digital equity initiatives across Kennebec County.
• Mainers For Smarter Transportation (M4ST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerM4ST is fiscally sponsored by GrowSmart Maine; the organization accepts donations on M4ST's behalf and coordinates transportation-focused smart growth advocacy.
• AARP of MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a Smart Growth Partner; co-sponsors GrowSmart Maine Summits (e.g., 2nd Tier sponsor of 2023 and 2024 Summits).
• The Nature Conservancy (Maine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Growth Partner and 2nd Tier sponsor of the 2023 and 2024 GrowSmart Maine Summits.
• Maine AuduboncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Growth Partner; collaborates on solar siting guidance (Solar Toolkit and other resources).
• Maine Farmland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Growth Partner and co-host of forums (e.g., Farm Friendly Communities forum); provides farmland and solar development guidance.
• Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Growth Partner; co-serves on the Maine Broadband Coalition steering committee.
• Build MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Growth Partner; co-convenes statewide Policy Action legislative proposals.
• Kennebec Savings BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner1st Tier sponsor ($5,000) of the 2023 GrowSmart Maine Annual Summit.
• Central Maine PowerminorGTM or Marketing Partner2nd Tier sponsor ($3,000) of the 2023 and 2024 GrowSmart Maine Annual Summits.
• Bingham ProgramminorGTM or Marketing Partner2nd Tier sponsor of the 2023 GrowSmart Maine Annual Summit; listed as a Smart Growth Partner.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Smart Growth America: National nonprofit advancing the same 'smart growth' framework GrowSmart Maine uses at the state level. Closest mission peer: both convene, publish policy guidance, and advocate for compact, mixed-use, transit-oriented development. Smart Growth America operates at federal scale while GrowSmart Maine is the Maine-specific instantiation of the same playbook.
• Maine Farmland Trust: Maine-based nonprofit focused on farmland protection and viability — overlapping with GrowSmart Maine's Planning for Agriculture program and Smart Growth Principle #6 (preserving farmland). Co-hosts forums (e.g., Farm Friendly Communities) and shares Smart Growth Partner status, making it both a peer and an operational collaborator.
• Maine Coast Heritage Trust: Statewide Maine land conservation nonprofit that protects natural and agricultural lands — directly comparable to GrowSmart Maine's land-use preservation work. Operates with a similar Maine-only geographic scope, mixes grants/donations, and engages in related state-level conservation policy advocacy.
• 1000 Friends of Oregon: Oregon statewide nonprofit founded in 1975 to promote compact growth and land-use planning — the original state-level smart growth organization and a structural template for organizations like GrowSmart Maine. Engages in land-use policy advocacy, publishes guidance for municipalities, and convenes a coalition.
• Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC): Vermont statewide nonprofit advocating for smart growth, land use, and natural resource protection — the closest single-state structural peer to GrowSmart Maine in a neighboring state. Publishes municipal guidance, runs policy advocacy at the State House, and convenes a cross-sector coalition.

Broad incumbents

• Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI): Maine-based CDFI and community development organization with broader economic-development scope than GrowSmart Maine — including lending, business advising, and rural prosperity programming. Already a Smart Growth Partner and co-steering-committee member with GrowSmart Maine on the Maine Broadband Coalition.
• Conservation Law Foundation: New England-wide environmental advocacy organization with active Maine operations that engages in land-use, transportation, and climate policy advocacy — overlapping with GrowSmart Maine's policy and climate resilience programming, but at much greater scale and with a litigation toolkit GrowSmart Maine does not have.

Regional players

• Northern Forest Center: Nonprofit serving New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine communities on rural economic development, housing, and land conservation — overlapping mission with GrowSmart Maine's rural prosperity work but across a multi-state geography rather than Maine-only.
• Island Institute: Maine-based (with mid-coast offices) nonprofit focused on coastal and island community resilience, broadband, and economic development — comparable programmatic mix to GrowSmart Maine's community resilience and digital equity work, but centered on island and coastal communities.

Others

• Maine Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation that funds many of the same nonprofits, municipal initiatives, and rural development programs that GrowSmart Maine serves. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem peer — frequently a funder or partner counterpart to GrowSmart Maine's programmatic work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/growsmartmaine
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCs32rMuNxGk80zSmDcF-XKA
• Facebookfacebook.com/growsmartmaine
• Instagraminstagram.com/growsmartmaine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/growsmart-maine

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 GrowSmart Maine