Southern Maine Climate Action Workshop

Wednesday, November 18th, 2026

University of New England, Biddeford Campus

This full day event will bring together municipalities, organizations, and communities from across the region in support of collaboration towards meaningful local climate action.

Registration and agenda to come.

This newly updated report provides an overview of recent climate trends and the climate hazards affecting communities across southern Maine. It explores how these hazards impact communities across sectors, including transportation and infrastructure, natural resources, public health, public services, the economy, and recreation. 

SMPDC staff have begun working with the Town of Shapleigh on a Municipal Climate Vulnerability Assessment (MCVA). Informed by input from local staff and community members, the assessment will highlight Shapleigh’s unique vulnerabilities to climate hazards. Findings will guide proposed strategies to help the community prepare for future impacts.

This year-long project is funded by a Community Action Grant from the State of Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership program and will be finalized in Spring of 2027.

More information and updates will be available soon on the Town of Shapleigh’s website.

Flood Ready Maine is a new initiative of the Maine Office of Community Affairs (MOCA)’s State Resilience Office that provides resources to communities to understand local flood risks and take action to protect property and prevent flood damage. The initiative was created through the passage of LD 1: An Act to Increase Storm Preparedness for Maine's Communities, Homes and Infrastructure.

Flood Ready Maine expands the technical assistance opportunities currently offered to municipalities by the State of Maine’s Floodplain Management Program to improve state-wide resilience to flooding, including:

• The creation of permanent regional floodplain manager positions at each of Maine’s 10 regional councils, responsible for helping communities administer local floodplain ordinances and implement local flood risk reduction projects
• Development of a new, online hub for flood maps, sea level rise maps, climate risk data, and guidance for local flood mitigation efforts
• Ongoing training and professional education opportunities for flood risk management in local communities

Laura Berry, SMPDC Sustainability and Resilience Senior Planner, will serve as Regional Floodplain Manager for the 39 member municipalities within SMPDC’s region. More information and resources will be shared in the coming weeks regarding resources and program offerings available to SMPDC municipalities.

Questions? Learn more on MOCA’s website or email Laura Berry at lberry@smpdc.org. 

$100 Rebate for Window Inserts: Homeowners in Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Ogunquit, and Wells are eligible for $100 off window inserts from Window Dressers through the Southern Maine Energy Navigator. This is a great resource to share with residents looking for accessible ways to improve home comfort and energy efficiency. 

Energy Navigator Office Hours are a regular opportunity for residents and community members to receive guidance on home energy efficiency. Sessions offer practical advice and support for residents at any stage of their energy-efficiency journey. Office hours are held virtually on the second Wednesday of each month. The next session is Wednesday September 9th.

You can find the Energy Navigator team at the following events in September:

Wells Energy Show – Energy Navigator table

• Wells Public Library, 1434 Post Rd, Wells
• September 13, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Berwick Library Workshop – Presentation

• Berwick Public Library 103 Old Pine Hill Rd
• September 16, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Passiv Haus Retrofit Symposium – Presentation

• Lemont Hall 2 Pleasant St Brunswick
• September 25, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Questions? Interested in shareable materials for your community, such as social media posts or flyers? Email us at navigator@energynavigatorme.org.

The City of Sanford has been named EcoMaine's 2026 eco-Excellence Municipality of the Year, recognizing the community's commitment to recycling, sustainability, waste diversion, and environmental stewardship. According to EcoMaine, Sanford stood out for its strong educational engagement, impressive recycling rate, and successful partnership with the Sanford Housing Authority through the Multi-Family Recycling Initiative.

A planned Saco apartment development could feature Maine's first residential electric "microgrid." The complex would feature a two-acre solar power array and 1 megawatt battery storage, which would provide primary power for high-efficiency heating, cooling and appliances for the 128-unit development. Read the story at Maine Public.

The Community Resilience Partnership recently visited the Town of Berwick’s community garden, which was funded in part by a Round 3 Community Action Grant. The garden brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to grow produce, volunteer, and build community. Check out the story on The Berwick Daily.

SMPDC partnered with the Ocean Park Association to host a community event focused on coastal climate resilience. Residents shared their experiences with coastal flooding, with nearly everyone reporting impacts from the January 2024 storms. Attendees also learned about the Climate Ready Coast Regional Coastal Resilience Plan and how communities can prepare for future impacts.

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 (NHWFPP) grants, administered by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), supports 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:

1. Innovator Grants ($75k - $300k): Support focused and locally relevant projects that motivate the prevention of household food waste
2. Catalyst Grants ($300k - $750k): Support 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.

Land Conservation Grants are available through the Maine Community Foundation. The Land for Communities (L4C) program is designed to address recommendations from Maine’s climate action plan. Projects must increase relationships to the land and/or water for underserved regions and people in Maine. Project support for land acquisition can be up to a maximum of $50,000, and support for projects such as stewardship needs or technical support can receive a maximum of $25,000. Applications are due Tuesday, September 15.

Flood Mitigation Assistance Swift Current Program grants, administered by FEMA, are available to help mitigate or eliminate the risk of repeated flood damage to buildings insured with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Example projects include structure elevation, structural retrofitting, or property acquisition. Eligible properties must either be repetitive loss or deemed substantially damaged. State, territory, Tribal, and local governments with a major disaster declaration made between June 1, 2025 and May 31, 2027 are eligible to apply. Applications are rolling.

Natural Resources Council of Maine Sustainability Grants are now open. The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) is offering another round of two grant programs: The Sustainability Grant Program and the Sustainable Maine Libraries Grant Program. These programs serve to advance sustainability initiatives in Maine communities. Up to $2,000 is available for projects that encourage the adoption of innovative and practical initiatives that divert waste. Maine libraries can receive funds for projects that promote workshops and learning programs around sustainability and waste reduction. Examples of past Sustainability Grant projects are purchase of reusable cloth bags to eliminate foam food containers and plastic bags, switching to reusable silverware at schools, and organizing an appliance, item, and electronic repair workshop. Applications due September 4 or December 4. 

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? Need guidance? We are here to help as your Regional Coordinator! Contact Melanie Nash at mnash@smpdc.org.