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The Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan News - June 6, 2022

Government and Politics

June 7, 2022

From: Maine Governor Janet Mills

The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is Governor Mills’ plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity. To learn more, visit the Jobs Plan website and subscribe to receive updates.

JOBS PLAN SPOTLIGHT

Governor Mills Announces Doubling of Apprenticeships: Governor Mills announced on June 3 that 14 organizations will receive $12.3 million to expand apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships across Maine as part of her Administration’s effort to strengthen Maine’s workforce through her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan. The funding is expected to provide more than 3,000 Maine people with new apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship opportunities, more than doubling the number of Maine’s current apprentices. The funding is also expected to expand apprenticeship opportunities to more than 50 new occupations and add more than 150 new employer sponsors to Maine’s current total of 121 registered sponsors.

FEATURED JOBS PLAN PROGRAMS

Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Upgrades for Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Businesses: Governor Mills and Efficiency Maine have launched a $4 million program from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to help Maine hospitality businesses make energy-efficiency improvements and reduce their energy costs. Applications are currently being accepted on the Efficiency Maine Trust website.

Workforce Transportation Pilot: The Maine Department of Transportation has launched a $5 million Workforce Transportation Pilot program, an initiative of Governor Mills’ Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, to pursue and develop transportation solutions that connect workers with employers across Maine. The program will provide competitive grants of up to $750,000 to local and regional partnerships to pilot ways to connect workers and employers through ridesharing, vanpools, and other subsidized transit options. Applications are currently being accepted on the Department of Transportation's website.

Competitive Grants for Higher Education: Maine's Department of Education is now accepting applications from private higher education institutions for the Competitive Grants for Higher Education program, which will provide funding to the state's private higher education institutions to help address critical workforce needs.

-- Work-Based Learning Experiences: Grants of up to $200,000 to provide internships, registered apprenticeships, career mentoring, and other work experience support for students or graduates to connect them to careers in specific Maine industries. Applications are being accepted through June 8, 2022 on the Division of Procurement Services website (RFA #: 202204069).

-- New or Expanded Programs: Grants of up to $2 million to develop a new or expanded certificate or degree program that addresses priority workforce needs in specific Maine industries. Applications are being accepted through June 16, 2022 on the Division of Procurement Services website (RFA #: 202205071).

Direct Care Recruitment Campaign: The Mills Administration has launched a $1.5 million campaign to bolster Maine's health care workforce and attract and retain health care workers through a series of targeted marketing and outreach campaigns. This initiative, a collaboration between the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Economic & Community Development, includes launching the new Caring for ME website to help attract and develop direct care and behavioral health workers in Maine.

Rural Affordable Housing Rental Program: On May 10, 2022, Governor Mills and MaineHousing announced the Rural Affordable Housing Rental Program, which will provide $20 million, $10 million of which comes from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan's Rural Affordable Rental Development Program, to developers to build affordable rental housing units in rural areas of the state. Applications are currently being accepted on the MaineHousing website.

Pre-K Expansion Grant Funding - Informational Session for Round 2 Grants: On June 23, 2022, Maine's Department of Education will host an informational presentation to provide information on the next round of funding to expand public pre-kindergarten programs. A grant application will be opened to school administrative units by early fall of 2022. Register here to attend.

DOING BUSINESS WITH THE JOBS PLAN

RFA and RFP opportunities to collaborate with the State of Maine to deliver Jobs Plan programs

Maine Industry Partnerships for Workforce Development: Maine’s State Workforce Board is seeking proposals to expand existing or create new industry-driven partnerships that address employment needs of businesses within industries negatively impacted by COVID-19. Through the Maine Industry Partnerships for Workforce Development, the Maine Department of Labor will adopt a sector-by-sector approach to workforce development, partnering with businesses in certain sectors to identify their most important workforce needs and then working with training and educational organizations to develop skilled workers who can meet those needs. Proposals are being accepted until June 28, 2022. More information and application instructions are available on the Division of Procurement Services website (RFA# 202204054).

Clean Energy Partnership - Workforce Initiative: The Governor’s Energy Office is seeking proposals for programs and services that advance workforce development and training for the clean energy and energy efficiency fields (CE&EE) to be delivered as part of the Clean Energy Partnership. Qualified entities are encouraged to submit proposals to provide technical training, develop curriculum and/or training tools, provide experiential learning, job placement services to current and potential energy efficiency and clean technology employees, and/or other services related to CE&EE workforce development and training. Proposals are being accepted until July 22, 2022. More information and applications instructions are available on the Division of Procurement Services website (RFP #: 202205077).

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THE JOBS PLAN

Maine is a National Leader in Allocating Federal Funding for Economic Recovery: Maine was highlighted by the non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in a March 2022 report as a national leader in deploying American Rescue Plan Act recovery funds towards talent, jobs, and innovation. Maine is:

-- Investing a larger share of relief funds on workforce development than all states but two

-- Investing a larger share of relief funds on higher education than all states but one

-- Investing a larger share of relief funds on business assistance than all states but one

Citation in US Treasury Early Trends Report: Earlier this month, the United States Treasury published Early Trends in How Local Governments are Using Fiscal Recovery Funds to Recover from the Pandemic and Invest in the Future, in which they cited Maine's national leadership on using Jobs Plan funding to promote training and stackable credential programs as a way to empower incumbent front line health care workers to advance in their careers.

Hermes Creative Awards: On May 1, 2022, the winners of this year's Hermes Creative Awards were announced, honoring print and digital platforms across industry and sector that are deemed to have achieved excellence in communication, messaging, and design. The Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan website, launched in January 2022, won a gold medal in the Government Website category, with a score of 98 on the judges' assessment.

NEWS & UPDATES

June 3, 2022 - Governor Mills Announces $12.3 Million To More Than Double Apprenticeships for Maine People & Strengthen Maine’s Workforce

May 31, 2022 - Governor Mills Promotes Free Community College at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor

May 28, 2022 - Governor Mills Celebrates Grand Opening of The Good Crust in Canaan, Promotes Maine Jobs Plan Investments to Strengthen Agricultural Businesses in Rural Maine

May 25, 2022 - Governor Mills Tours MaineGeneral Health’s Alzheimer’s Care Center, Promotes Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Grant Program to Make Respite Care More Affordable for Caregivers Across Maine

May 25, 2022 - Mills Administration Announces $3.7M Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Initiative to Develop Industry-Specific Approaches to Expanding Maine's Workforce

May 19, 2022 - Mills Administration Announces $5-million Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan To Connect Workers and Employers Through Shared Transportation

May 18, 2022 - Governor Mills Promotes Importance of Expanding Child Care During Visit to Child Care Center in Windham

May 17, 2022 - Governor Mills Highlights Responsible Aquaculture as Opportunity to Create Jobs, Strengthen Economy, and Promote Maine Seafood

May 12, 2022 - Mills Administration Launches $1.5 Million Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Initiative to Promote Health Care Careers

May 10, 2022 - Governor Mills & MaineHousing Announce $20 Million to Expand Affordable Rental Housing in Rural Maine

May 4, 2022 - Governor Mills Announces ConnectMaine Approval of Broadband Infrastructure Grants

May 2, 2022 - Governor Mills & Efficiency Maine Announce $4 Million Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Program to Reduce Energy Costs for Hospitality Businesses