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Sustainability & Resilience

MCOG works with communities across Midcoast Maine to plan ahead, reduce risk, and secure funding for projects that protect infrastructure, natural resources, and local economies. 
 

Sustainability and resilience are about protecting what matters and making smart investments so communities can continue to thrive over time. 

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What We Do 
 

  • Community Resilience Partnership Support 
    We assist towns with enrollment, project development, and grant applications for funding through Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership. 
     

  • Climate Action Planning 
    We help communities develop practical plans that reduce risk, lower costs, and guide future decisions. This includes vulnerability assessments, greenhouse gas inventories, and community engagement to identify and prioritize actions. 
     

  • Project Development & Grant Writing 
    We work with communities to turn ideas into competitive, fundable projects. 
     

  • Project-Specific Consulting & Technical Assistance 
    We work directly with communities to define challenges, identify practical solutions, and move projects from concept to implementation. 

 


Our Work in Action  
 

Community Resilience Partnership Support 

MCOG helps communities participate in Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership, which provides funding and support for local resilience and energy projects. 
 

Through this program, communities can access: 

  • $5,000–$75,000 in funding (up to $175,000 for partnerships)  

  • Peer-to-peer connections with others working on similar issues  

  • No-cost project scoping and grant writing

Climate Action Planning

MCOG works with communities to develop climate action and resilience plans that reflect local priorities and provide a clear path forward. 
 

This work typically includes: 

  • Assessing vulnerabilities across infrastructure, economy, public health, and social systems  

  • Analyzing greenhouse gas emissions to understand where action will have the most impact  

  • Engaging residents, businesses, and community groups  

  • Identifying and prioritizing practical, locally supported actions 
     

This work helps communities align with state goals and access funding opportunities tied to the Maine Won’t Wait Climate Action Plan. 
 

Examples of our work: 

  • Topsham Climate Action Plan  

  • St. George & South Thomaston Climate Resilience Planning  

  • Regional climate planning efforts with partner organizations  

Project-Specific Consulting & Technical Assistance 

MCOG works directly with communities to carry out specific projects, bringing a range of in-house expertise to advance the work. 
 

We help: 

  • Define challenges and identify practical solutions  

  • Conduct analyses and develop project scopes  

  • Coordinate with engineers, agencies, and partners  

  • Move projects from concept through funding and implementation 
     

Examples of our work: 

  • Weathering the Storm: Regional Culvert Initiative  

  • Rising Tides: Safe Roads, Working Waterfronts, and Protected History  

  • Site-specific infrastructure and resilience planning projects  

  • Working waterfront  

Project Development & Grant Writing 

MCOG helps communities turn ideas into fundable, competitive projects and secure the resources to move them forward. 
 

This includes: 

  • Project scoping and refinement  

  • Identifying funding opportunities  

  • Developing strong grant applications  

  • Coordinating partners and supporting materials
     

Examples of our work: 

  • Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund (MIAF) applications  

  • Working waterfront funding proposals  

  • Multi-town and regional grant applications  

 

Work With Us 

Interested in bringing this work to your community? 
Contact Meg Rasmussen at mrasmussen@midcoastcog.com 

EDA Culvert Project

MCOG is happy to announce the launch of "Weathering the Storm: Resilient Stream and Tidal Crossings in Knox and Waldo Counties." This initiative responds to the critical need highlighted by the storm events of 2021 and 2022, which resulted in significant culvert failures across Knox and Waldo Counties.

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Our plan is to work collaboratively with communities in developing and implementing local and regional culvert and tidal crossing improvement plans for disaster recovery and resilience in Waldo and Knox Counties. Ultimately, this project will position municipalities for implementation funding by determining characteristics of vulnerable culverts, conducting pre-engineering work for highest priority culverts, matching culverts with specific funding opportunities, and working with towns to budget for matching funds.

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This project envisions a future where our roadways withstand the effects of increasingly severe storms, ensuring economic development, business continuity, and reliable access for residents. By addressing vulnerable culverts and tidal crossings, we will help create a safer, more resilient transportation network that supports our communities even in the face of extreme weather events. Together, we can build a resilient future for our region.

Rising Tides - Safe Roads, Working Waterfronts, Protected History

MCOG is assisting the Town of St. George in undertaking a unique engineering study to address flooding roads and impacts to their historic places caused by rising seas. Focusing on ten sites, this project will help residents understand the challenges and visualize solutions. At the same time, MCOG is helping to gather information on the important economic and community value of St. George’s local fishing and aquaculture activities and how sea level rise and increasingly severe storms impact the working waterfronts. Planning now will save time and money later!

St. George Working Waterfronts

Community Resilience Training – Building Community Capacity for Climate Planning

MCOG is partnering with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the Island Institute, and Region 1 Climate Council to bring an engaging climate planning experience to towns in the Midcoast. The training consists of a series of information sessions, small group workshops, and regional resource workshops to engage community members in thinking about the impacts of sea level rise and the range of resilience strategies available to address them.

 

For more information, go to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s website here.

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Programs & Projects

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  • Facilitating sub-regional collaborations 

  • Southern Midcoast Resilience Collaborative 

  • Coastal Knox Resilience Group 

  • Bath, Brunswick, Bowdoinham & Topsham 

  • Planning Forward with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Island Institute 

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For more information on Sustainability and Community Resilience, contact Meg Rasmussen at mrasmussen@midocastcog.com. 

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Questions?

Give us a call or an email so we can discuss with you how we can provide these services.

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