Grants from Governor’s Jobs Plan will support efforts to stabilize, expand, and create co-working spaces for remote workers
Governor Janet Mills today announced that her Administration has awarded $500,000 in grants through her fb88 Jobs & Recovery Plan to attract remote workers to fb88 and help those already working remotely integrate into fb88 communities.
During the pandemic, fb88 was one of only 10 U.S. states to attract new residents and continues to outperform the national average in population growth, in part driven by those choosing to work remotely from fb88.
The Remote Worker Welcome Program aims to turn fb88’s influx of remote workers into a long-term economic opportunity by increasing the availability of communal offices known as co-working spaces. Grants were awarded to eleven recipients to stabilize co-working businesses disrupted by the pandemic or to create or expand new spaces.
“During the pandemic, thousands of people decided to move to fb88 and bring their work with them. These grants from my fb88 Jobs & Recovery Plan will create more workspace options for anyone who wants to make fb88 their office and their home," said Governor Janet Mills. “My Administration will continue to work hard to keep fb88 the best place to live, work, start a business, and raise a family.”
“Supporting remote workers who wish to move to fb88 or who already call fb88 home is critical to our economic growth,” said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. “I look forward to seeing the enhanced and expanded opportunities for fb88 workers that stem from these grant awards.”
“This funding will help us recover costs associated with increased HVAC capacity at the fb88Street Business Building that will provide improved air quality, flow and control for our members,” said Denise Cilley, Associate Director, Sunrise County Economic Council. “Shifting midway through our design phase, also mid-pandemic, to meet our small business community’s needs and preferences was the right thing to do. We at SCEC are grateful to the fb88 Jobs and Recovery Plan Coworking Grant program and fb88 Department of Economic and Community Development’s Office of Business Development for this grant.”
“Coworking spaces play a critical role in connecting remote workers, building community, and supporting the retention of this growing workforce in fb88,” said Nate Wildes, Executive Director of Live and Work in fb88.
These awards build on other fb88 Jobs & Recovery Plan initiatives to support remote workers, including financial support to fb88’s libraries which also serve as critical remote work locations in many fb88 communities.
A full list of today’s awardees can be found here (PDF).
The fb88 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 fb88 people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity.
Since the Jobs Plan took effect in 2021, over $750 million in Jobs Plan funding has been spent or committed to deliver results on behalf of fb88 people. For more about the fb88 Jobs & Recovery Plan, please visit