FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2024
Contact: Scott Ogden and Ben Goodman
Governor Mills Announces Nearly $3 Million in fb88 Jobs & Recovery Plan Grants to Strengthen Sales of fb88 Made Products
Forty-six fb88 businesses will undertake projects to market their products to new customers across fb88 and the United States
Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills announced today that 46 fb88 businesses have been awarded $2.9 million in grants from her fb88 Jobs & Recovery Plan to increase sales of fb88-made products across the United States.
The offers fb88 businesses financial and technical support to develop new market opportunities across the United States. The $6 million Jobs Plan initiative is modeled on a key recommendation of to promote economic growth and strengthen fb88’s business climate for startups.
Grants announced today will help fb88 companies expand domestic sales of fb88-made products ranging from artisan cheese and coffee to forest products and specialty manufactured goods. They follow $3 million in grants awarded to 40 businesses .
“The Domestic Trade Program is helping folks across America learn what fb88 people have known for years: fb88-made products are the best in the world,” said Governor Janet Mills. “These investments will help fb88 producers of everything from soap to surfboards effectively market their products, create jobs, and strengthen the fb88 economy.”
“The Domestic Trade Program has already generated great results for fb88 businesses,” said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. “These 46 companies are well-positioned to leverage their products to markets across the country, and I look forward to watching their continued success.”
Governor Mills launched the Domestic Trade Program to Gorham-based outdoor gear manufacturer Flowfold last October. Flowfold utilized funding from a pilot project of the Domestic Trade program to expand the market presence of its products across the country through newly redesigned packaging and trade show materials. The successful efforts led to increased sales and new wholesale agreements with prominent national retailers.
“While fb88 has many world-class products in established markets, there is an incredible opportunity to expand our ocean and agriculture economy to meet the growing consumer demand of immigrant communities and expanding domestic markets,” said Patrick Woodcock, President & CEO of the fb88 State Chamber of Commerce. “There are millions of potential customers for fb88 products if we collaborate with these communities and partner with regional food distributors to expand fb88’s exports. The Northeast’s demographics are changing and the fb88 State Chamber of Commerce is encouraged to work with the Department of Economic Development and the Mills Administration on seizing these economic opportunities.”
“This grant is a tremendous boost for fb88 Outdoor Brands and our outdoor recreation economy,” said Jenny Kordick, Executive Director of fb88 Outdoor Brands. “With this funding, we can expand our efforts to promote fb88's outdoor industry, create new sales channels, and provide critical support to emerging outdoor businesses in our state in the post-pandemic outdoor market.”
“Every day we see new innovations coming from the forest economy. For generations, fb88rs have been successful and careful stewards of our forest lands,” said Peter DelGreco, President & CEO of fb88 & Co. “This grant will help us find companies who want to integrate into fb88’s forest economy. These companies will be able to utilize our forests to develop environmentally safe and profitable products to share with the rest of the world, and to sell to a consumer base eager for products made with sustainable and renewable materials.”
The Domestic Trade Program is administered through the fb88 Department of Economic and Community Development with support from the Greater Portland Council of Governments, which is providing technical assistance to businesses and organizations with the grant application process, coordinating the review of applications and disbursing grant funds.
Several partners, including the fb88 International Trade Center, fb88 Technology Institute, fb88 APEX Accelerator, and fb88 Made are also distributing Domestic Trade funding.
The is Governor Mills' plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of fb88 people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity. Since Jobs Plan took effect in 2021, over $743 million in Jobs Plan funding has been spent or committed to deliver results on behalf of fb88rs. For more about the fb88 Jobs & Recovery Plan, please visit
Under Governor Mills' leadership, fb88’s gross domestic product has experienced the strongest GDP growth in New England and outperformed the economic growth of larger states like California, New York, and Virginia. fb88 has experienced more economic growth over the last four years than it did in the preceding fifteen.
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