New Project to Strengthen Coastal Climate Readiness in Southern Maine 

SMPDC is partnering with the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and Nearview to advance coastal resilience planning capacity in southern Maine. The team was awarded funding through the Maine Coastal Program’s Coastal Community Grant program to update and enhance regional resilience planning resources while providing new opportunities for municipal staff and partners to build skills and capacity.

Building on the success of Climate Ready Coast Southern Maine and the Decision Support Tool for Nature Based Strategies, this project will provide needed data and software updates to these tools, and create opportunities for trainings and personalized technical assistance.

Over the next year, the project team will:

• Update the Climate Ready Coast: Southern Maine coastal resilience planning and mapping tools
• Update the Decision Support Tool with new data
• Convene a regional Coastal Resilience Working Group meeting
• Deliver trainings and technical assistance to support local resilience planning efforts.

Work begins this summer, and communities throughout the region will have opportunities to participate through trainings, workshops, and one-on-one support.

Stay tuned for upcoming announcements and ways to get involved.

On June 9th, community members and stakeholders joined the Town of Kittery and the Climate Ready Kittery project team for a workshop focused on the future of two flood-prone roadways:

1. Whipple Road near Gate 2 to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
2. Route 1 at the Spruce Creek crossing near the Kittery Outlets

Over the past year, the project team has worked with engineers, municipal staff, and local and state partners to assess current and future flood risks at both locations. During the workshop, attendees reviewed draft conceptual designs for infrastructure improvements intended to reduce flood impacts and improve long-term resilience to sea level rise and coastal storms. The event gave community members an opportunity to provide input on the proposed concepts, share local knowledge, and help shape the future of these important transportation corridors as the project advances into preliminary engineering design.

This input will help inform the selection of a preferred design for each site as the project advances into preliminary engineering design. The resulting designs will position the Town and its partners to pursue future funding opportunities and move resilience improvements toward implementation.

Melanie Nash, SMPDC Sustainability and Resilience Planner, facilitated a panel at the Community Resilience Partnership's Stronger Communities Summit on June 10th at the University of Maine, Orono. The panel focused on projects including the Town of Newcastle's battery lending program and the Town of Mariaville emergency response improvements.

SMPDC staff convened with fellow sustainability professionals at the 2026 New England Municipal Sustainability (NEMS) Network Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island on June 4th and 5th. Planners, scientists, and activists came together to share work towards advancing clean energy and climate resilience in municipalities around New England.

On June 11th, staff members convened with planners from around the state at the 2026 Spring Conference for the Maine Association of Planners (MAP). Engineers working to develop nature-based solutions for shoreline stabilization along the Kennebec River pointed out historic water level markers on a site walk in downtown Hallowell, pictured left. Participants observed eroding shoreline along the Kennebec River near Granite City Park, pictured right.

The Maine Climate Council held their quarterly meeting on June 16th. SMPDC's Sustainability and Resilience Director Karina Graeter, a member of the Transportation Working Group, and Sustainability and Resilience Planner Melanie Nash, a member of the Community Resilience Working Group, attended in person and participated in discussions about how to make progress on Maine Won’t Wait over the next few years despite federal headwinds.

Karina Graeter and SMPDC's Director of Strategic Initiatives James Rather shared the results of the Southern Maine Energy Resilience Plan at the Economic Development Council of Maine’s annual meeting on June 18th. They presented the economic impacts of power outages to our businesses and the regional economy, and led a discussion around ways energy resilience should be incorporated into economic development planning.

The Maine Trails Program has extended its grant application deadline to July 17, 2026. The Maine Trails Program (MTP) is a statewide initiative to support the design and development of trails for outdoor recreation and active transportation.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program application period is being re-opened. The updated opportunity incorporates recent federal guidance. Funding is intended to reduce or eliminate the risk of flooding for buildings insured with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). State, territory, Tribal, and local governments are eligible to apply. Applications due by 3:00 PM, Thursday, August 6.

Coastal Community Planning Grant applications are now open. For single applicants, the maximum award is $50,000. Groups of eligible applicants may submit applications for collaborative projects with a maximum award amount of $75,000. Applications are due Monday, August 31, 2026.

Shore and Harbor Planning Grant applications are now open. The program provides resources for shoreline access planning, waterfront and harbor planning, identification and resolution of waterfront use conflicts, and planning, feasibility, and design efforts for resilient waterfront infrastructure. For single applicants, the maximum award is $50,000. Groups of eligible applicants may submit applications for collaborative projects with a maximum award amount of $75,000. Applications are due Monday, August 31, 2026.

National Household Wasted Food Prevention Project grants, administered by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), support efforts that prevent food waste. Eligible projects will help households to buy, store, prepare, and use food in ways that reduce food waste. Awarded projects will introduce behavior changes that prevent food waste through actions such as meal planning, improved food storage, portion management, and intentional decision-making when purchasing food. Two funding opportunities are available:

• Innovator Grants ($75k - $300k): Focused and locally relevant projects that motivate the prevention of household food waste
• Catalyst Grants ($300k - $750k): Larger-scale projects focused on implementation of household food waste prevention strategies

Questions can be submitted to EWF.rfa@wwfus.org by August 14. Applications are due September 1.

Coming Soon: New England Heat Pump Accelerator will be opening applications in the coming weeks. The grant’s goal is to provide funding to test innovative ways to overcome local barriers to heat pump adoption in low- and moderate-income households and communities. The Accelerator will fund between 20 and 40 grants through multiple RFP rounds, with each grant ranging from $100,000 to $500,000.

Want more info on funding opportunities?

The Southern & Midcoast Resilience Coordinator Collaborative (SMRCC) compiles a comprehensive, up-to-date list of grant opportunities to support community resilience projects.

Interested in applying for funding and need guidance? We are here to help as your Regional Coordinator! Contact Melanie Nash at mnash@smpdc.org.