Winter community grants from Downeast Wind awarded to five local organizations

COLUMBIA, ME – February 22, 2022 – Downeast Wind and Apex Clean Energy are pleased to announce five organizations as the latest recipients of funds from the Downeast Wind Community Grant Program. The program, which recently concluded its fourth grant cycle, is designed to support individuals and organizations working to build healthy communities, support economic development, foster environmental sustainability, or promote education. “We are proud to once again recognize the amazing work so many non-profit organizations are doing throughout the Downeast region. These organizations truly care about our region and are working hard every day to make Washington County a better place to live,” said Downeast Wind Development Manager Robert Gee. The Coastal Washington County Institute of Technology (CWCIT) will receive a grant to provide laptops to the school's computer-aided design and pre-engineering programs. "The Coastal Washington County Institute of Technology is thrilled with the generous support of Apex Clean Energy," said CWCIT administrator Nancy Bailey. "We are in year two of offering local juniors and seniors the opportunity for CTE Education close to home. These funds will be used to purchase much needed computers for the CAD Program that we were unable to start without proper technology. This grant will help us reach that goal." Maine Access Points, a non-profit organization working to grow community capacity for overdose prevention education, support, and advocacy throughout the region, received a grant to reduce overdose deaths by investing in proven harm reduction strategies and support systems that meet the needs of rural, high-risk Mainers. MAP Executive Director Hilary Eslinger described the program. "Through innovative approaches, community outreach, and with help from Downeast Wind, MAP will support health and wellness in Washington County by increasing access to first-aid supplies and naloxone, as well as harm reduction health education," said Eslinger. A grant to the Downeast Salmon Federation will support the construction of a new public recreation and education space on the Pleasant River in Addison. The project includes a covered, ADA accessible bird observation structure near the Addison Town Boat Launch.  The Maine Seacoast Mission is receiving a grant to assemble and distribute prepared meals to Washington County residents suffering from food insecurity.  "Rural Maine can be a challenging place to live – especially in a cold winter. The support the Maine Seacoast Mission has received through the Downeast Wind community grant program is already at work feeding people in Downeast Maine from our food pantry and in their homes through our home delivery initiative," said Maine Seacoast Mission President John Zavodny. "Altogether, that’s over 240 meals we are able to provide to people in Washington County because of Downeast Wind community grants and Apex Clean Energy's support. Thank you!" The Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce applied for a grant to support a historic film series the chamber has planned for March 2022. Chamber director Sharon Mack was excited to hear their application was accepted. "Thank you to Downeast Wind for supporting the historic film and discussion series planned for this spring. Thanks to their support, we will be able to offer an honorarium to our speakers and provide quality experts to educate attendees about the deep and rich history of the greater Machias area," said Mack. Among Downeast Wind's top priorities is being a strong community partner to the residents, businesses, local governments, and non-profit organizations of Washington County. In addition to the support provided by the Downeast Wind Community Grant Program, the project will bring more than $20 million of new revenue to the Town of Columbia and Washington County to support community priorities as well as significant local spending, employment, and investment during project construction and operations. To learn more about the Downeast Wind community grant program, or to apply for a future grant, visit www.DowneastWindFarm.com

Downeast Wind Now Accepting Fall 2021 Community Grant Applications

Attention community organizations, educators, and changemakers in the Washington County area – The Downeast Wind Community Grant Program is now accepting applications for Fall 2021 grant awards. Earlier this year, the program provided $1,500 grants to five different local organizations working to build healthy communities, increase environmental sustainability, foster economic development, and promote education throughout the region, including: Downeast Hospice Volunteers American Legion Narraguagus Post #8  Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education  Downeast Lakes Land Trust  Downeast Salmon Federation Grants are typically awarded in $250 to $4,000 increments, with priority given to proposals that demonstrate meaningful impacts to the greatest number of area residents. We will be accepting applications until November 15, 2021 on our website: www.downeastwindfarm.com/grant Continue reading

Five Local Organizations Awarded $1,500 Community Grants from Downeast Wind

COLUMBIA, ME – July 7, 2021 – Downeast Wind and Apex Clean Energy have awarded $1,500 grants to five local organizations from the Downeast Wind Community Grant Program. The program's purpose is to support local changemakers and community leaders working to build healthy communities, support economic development, foster environmental sustainability, and promote education. Continue reading

Downeast Wind Community Grant Program Now Accepting Applications For Spring 2021 Grant Cycle

The Downeast Wind Community Grant Program is now accepting applications for its Spring 2021 grant cycle. The program provided more than $12,000 last year to support local organizations working to build healthy communities, increase environmental sustainability, foster economic development, and promote education, including support of the following organizations: Downeast Campus of Maine Seacoast Mission Women for Healthy Rural Living Downeast Equine and Large Animal Society Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center Washington County Community College Project SHARE Coastal Washington County Institute of Technology Community Caring Collaborative Continue reading

Four Washington County non-profits awarded Downeast Wind Community Grants

COLUMBIA, ME – Downeast Wind and Apex Clean Energy are pleased to announce four Washington County-based organizations as the recipients of community grants from the program’s Fall 2020 grant cycle. These funds are designed to support community organizations working in the following areas: Building Healthy Communities, Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability, and Promoting Education. “These organizations are doing impressive work on behalf of the communities and residents of Washington County. We are both thankful and proud to support them as they work to strengthen our region,” said Robert Gee, Project Developer for Downeast Wind. A grant for Washington County Community College will support the Pathways for ME program, which coordinates outreach and services for rural learners recovering from opioid addiction, working to mitigate the many factors that contribute to addiction and overdose mortality. Continue reading

Downeast Wind Now Accepting Fall 2020 Community Grant Applications

COLUMBIA, ME – October 1, 2020 – Apex Clean Energy and Downeast Wind are pleased to announce the opening of the Fall 2020 grant cycle for the Downeast Wind Community Grant Program. Grants are typically awarded in $250 to $4,000 increments, with priority given to grants that demonstrate meaningful impacts to the greatest number of area residents. We will be accepting applications until November 20, 2020 on our website: www.downeastwindfarm.com/grant The program was launched this past spring to help organizations in the Town of Columbia and the broader Washington County community. During the Spring 2020 grant cycle the program supported a number of programs, some of which are listed below: A $2,500 grant to the Downeast Campus of the Maine Seacoast Mission to support the organization’s Mission 2020 COVID-19 Response Project. A $500 grant to the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center to help continue its use of HIPPA compliant Zoom software to offer online programming to the people served by the Center throughout Washington County. A $500 grant to Women for Healthy Rural Living to expand public vegetable gardens and education initiatives designed to create a community that is stronger, healthier, and more food independent. Continue reading

Downeast Campus of Seacoast Mission, area non-profits among recipients of Downeast Wind Community Grants

COLUMBIA, ME – May 14, 2020 – Downeast Wind and Apex Clean Energy are pleased to announce the recipients of the first round of 2020 Downeast Wind Community Grant Program funds. These funds are designed to support community organizations in the following areas: Building Healthy Communities, Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability, and Promoting Education. “Several of these organizations are moving quickly to help communities impacted by the coronavirus and adjust their operations to better serve the community safely,” said Brian O'Shea, Public Engagement Manager with Apex Clean Energy. “We are thankful to each of them for their efforts and proud to support them as they support Downeast Maine residents during this difficult time.” The Downeast Campus of the Maine Seacoast Mission received a grant in support of the organization’s Mission 2020 COVID-19 Response Project. The funds raised for this effort provide direct support to families and households in maintaining housing, transportation, and other basic needs, as well as allowing the Mission to expand services, such as offering extra days at the Weald Bethel food pantry in Cherryfield. Continue reading

Tax Increment Financing and Community Benefit Agreements Approved

In late February residents of the Town of Columbia and Washington County Commissioners each approved Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Community Benefit Agreements between the localities and Downeast Wind. These agreements not only guarantee specific amounts of revenue to local governments over the lifetime of the project, but also guard against tax shift losses, preserving state aid levels for the respective communities. Continue reading

Apex Clean Energy Announces Launch of Downeast Wind Community Grant Program

Grants will support programs and organizations serving the Town of Columbia and Washington County in the areas of public health, economic development, sustainability, and education Continue reading

County Wide News: Columbia meeting focuses on Downeast Wind project

Paul Williamson, a senior development manager with Apex Clean Energy, opens his presentation about the Downeast Wind project during a public-information meeting held at the Columbia Town Office on Wednesday, February 5. Williamson and two other specialists discussed various aspects of the $240-million, 30-turbine project proposed for Columbia and the Unorganized Territories farther north. Approximately 50 people attended the meeting. (County Wide News Photo by Brian F. Swartz) By Brian SwartzCounty Wide Free Press COLUMBIA — Their parked vehicles filling the parking lot, approximately 50 people attended a February 5 public-information meeting at the Columbia Town Office to learn the latest updates on the wind-farm proposed for central Washington County. Downeast Wind officials hosted the meeting, required by Maine law as planning proceeds on the $240-million project being undertaken by Apex Clean Energy, based in Charlottesville, Virginia. The company has studied for several years the wind potential on the uplands stretching from Cherryfield and Columbia into the unorganized territories.  Downeast Wind representative Robert Gee opened the meeting at the advertised 6 p.m. and introduced Paul Williamson, a senior development manager responsible for Apex Clean Energy projects in New England and upstate New York. The Washington County project is the company’s first in Maine. Continue reading