Tamara Benson, a service provider with the Center for Ecology Based Economy (CB), briefed the group on the state’s Community Resilience Partnership (CRP) and the grant opportunities it makes available to enrolled communities.

Benson said communities enrolled in CRP become eligible for no-match grants supporting a set of pre-approved actions. "There is a list of 96 actions that are eligible for no match grant funding through the community resilience partnership," she said, and noted the last cycle’s single-community award was roughly $75,000 while collaborative applications with multiple communities previously yielded larger awards (around $175,000).

Benson said the program’s application cycle is becoming annual, with a May deadline and an anticipated funding announcement in January. She offered to confirm Rangeley’s enrollment status and to share contact details: "I would be happy to put my email in the chat… anyone who has questions."

Rangeley reported it has reenrolled in CRP and identified two near-term project categories for potential funding: upgrading appliances in municipal buildings (energy-efficiency measures) and developing a storm-debris management plan to preserve eligibility for FEMA reimbursement following events.

The meeting highlighted practical applications: a storm-debris management plan was described as important to document "cradle to grave" removal and GPS tracking to ensure FEMA reimbursement; heat-pump installations at municipal facilities were cited as a past CRP-supported project that saved fuel and operating costs.

What’s next: Tamara offered to help communities draft or coordinate applications and suggested collaborative applications with neighboring plantations could increase award size. Rangeley and other plantations agreed to share prior paperwork and to follow up with Tamara for technical assistance.

No grant applications were approved at the meeting.