Anchored in Our Mission, Ready to Meet the Moment
The past year brought tremendous change and uncertainty to the communities we serve, reflecting a nationwide sense that the ground beneath us is shifting. As we look ahead to a future that can feel both overwhelming and uncertain, we remain anchored in our mission, ready to meet the moment. In 2025, Island Institute refreshed its strategy to ensure our focus remains where it matters most: on the people, places, and partnerships that define Maine’s coast. We know our communities, readers, and supporters rely on us to be a steady, trusted presence amid complexity and contention. That’s why we’ve sharpened our work around four strategic priorities designed to strengthen island and coastal communities:
- Build a prosperous and enduring marine economy
- Advance community-led climate solutions
- Increase critical community capacity
- Be the most trusted voice on coastal issues
These priorities reflect both who we are and what the moment demands: focus, collaboration, and bold action. They guide our work, ensuring that our impact endures even as conditions change. Despite the fluidity of the moment, one truth remains: we’re built for this.
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The Year At a Glance
Awarded $214,000 in grants to 56 small businesses and organizations
Awarded $135,535 in scholarships to 61 students from island communities
Partnered with 2,281 individuals, 572 organizations, and 93 municipalities
Supported 191 communities with projects, grants, and technical assistance
GIVE TODAY!
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Building a Prosperous and Enduring Marine Economy
EASTERN EDGE SEA SALT: Diversifying Downeast
Kelly Hinkle, known as the Downeast Cowboy by hundreds of thousands of social media followers, is a second-generation lobsterman and one of only two second-generation kelp farmers in Maine. When the small kelp processing business he runs with his father, Ronnie, lost access to their sea salt supply, they did what lobstermen do best: they adapted. This industrious father-son duo set out to make their own, launching Eastern Edge Sea Salt.
This winter, Kelly and Ronnie will sell their first batches of sea salt, cultivated from seawater sourced from a Downeast cove and evaporated in their greenhouses. With support from Island Institute, they bought a moisture meter—an essential piece of equipment for salt production— and purchased packaging to bring their Maine-made sea salt to market. By building on their deep connection to the ocean, the Hinkles are proving that innovation and tradition go hand in hand along Maine’s working coast.
Advancing Community-led Climate Solutions
Exploring Nature-based Solutions
Intensifying storms and rising seas are accelerating shoreline erosion along Maine’s coasts, threatening people, homes, and community infrastructure. Traditional “hard” or “gray” infrastructure—concrete seawalls, rip rap, and other human-engineered solutions—can protect shorelines but are costly and often create negative impacts on nearby areas. Many municipalities and landowners are turning to nature-based solutions, innovative approaches that use natural processes to reduce erosion while benefiting coastal ecosystems.
Island Institute staff, with support from Island Institute Fellow Lorren Ruscetta and Maine Conservation Corps Fellow Emma Polhemus, help island communities in Casco Bay explore these approaches. Through site visits, education, peer-to-peer learning, and technical resources, we’re helping communities address climate challenges with the best available science and practices.
[Island Institute Shore Corps Steward] Emma (Polhemus) provided a new way of seeing and understanding the impact sea level rise is having on coastal bluffs. Her work has provided valuable insights for navigating effectively for the future. ”
— Eliza Adams, Chebeague Island Selectboard
Increasing Critical Community Capacity
ERIN DENT: Supporting a Community Planning Its Future
Erin Dent, Island Institute Fellow in St. George, worked closely with the community to gather input, interpret data, and ensure residents’ priorities shaped the town’s planning. She facilitated the community-driven planning process and authored St. George’s comprehensive plan, guiding the town’s development over the next decade—from housing to protecting working waterfronts—while charting strategies for long-term climate resilience. Erin has helped St. George craft a plan that reflects the town’s values and strengthens its ability to adapt and thrive.
Being a Trusted Voice
Bringing Big Ideas to the Big Screen
Island Institute’s seventh installment of the Climate of Change film series, Aquaculture for People and Planet, reached more than 500 attendees across Maine, from Freeport to Mount Desert Island. The short film features findings from Island Institute’s new greenhouse gas assessments of Maine’s lobster, kelp, mussel, and oyster supply chains.
These reports and accompanying film identified opportunities for seafood businesses to reduce emissions and increase their bottom-line. To inspire action that strengthens Maine’s coast, we use storytelling to spark curiosity, create connections, and share knowledge.
Watch Island Institute’s seventh installment of the Climate of Change film series, Aquaculture for People and Planet
Financials
Island Institute’s fiscal year 2025 (FY25) results reflect an organization in strong financial health, sustained by the generosity of our donors and the careful management of organizational investments. Long-term investments comprise approximately 81% of the Institute’s total net assets and grew by 11% in value during FY25. This growth, coupled with strong philanthropic revenues, provides essential support for our programmatic efforts.
Our balance sheet remains resilient, with no organizational debt and multiple financial reserves in place, including board-designated funds, a contingency fund, and operating cash reserves. In FY25, programmatic work accounted for 76% of total expenditures, underscoring our commitment to directing resources toward impact.
Looking ahead, we are confident that continued fiscal discipline, strong fundraising, and meaningful programmatic investments will ensure Island Institute remains well-positioned to navigate economic turbulence and create lasting impact along Maine’s coast for many years to come.
The Impact of Philanthropy
Island Institute is grateful to the donors and grantmakers whose support enables us to deliver the impact outlined in this report. Your generosity allows us to mobilize resources, build partnerships, and create lasting solutions to the challenges faced by Maine’s island and coastal communities. Thank you!
The top funds supported by donors in FY25 reflect our continued work at the intersection of climate change and the coastal economy. Unrestricted support remained a critical source of funding for Island Institute’s operations and ability to respond quickly to community needs. New this year, the Trusted Voice Initiative was introduced to support science communication and storytelling, reinforcing Island Institute’s important role as a resource for understanding the complex issues facing Maine’s island and coastal communities.
GIVE TODAY!
To learn about specific philanthropic priorities and explore ways you can make a meaningful impact, reach out to our Philanthropy team at membership@islandinstitute.org or (207) 747-1180.
