Press Releases

ROCKLAND, ME—Archipelago Fine Arts is celebrating summer with a new exhibition including Jean Kigel, Caroline Loder, Dylan Metrano, Lacey Goodrich, Wayne Hall, Michele O'Keefe, Stephanie Crossman, Jeff Barrett, Carolyn Kemp, and Lin Lisberger. The public is invited to a reception at the First Friday Artwalk on August 5th. The show will be up until August 28th.

KENNEBUNK, ME—We’re excited to share with you our latest environmental initiative. We’re partnering with the Island Institute, a key community nonprofit organization near and dear to our home state of Maine. Ramblers Way Farm employees will contribute 5% of their paid work hours volunteering for the Island Institute.

NORTHPORT, ME—As Maine’s largest river system, the Penobscot River carries a deep cultural and economic history of our region. The future health of this vast watershed will be discussed at the first Penobscot Watershed Conference, April 9, 8am-5pm at Point Lookout in Northport, Maine. We will kick off events with a free pre-conference film screening and panel discussion hosted by the Island Institute and other local and regional non-profit organizations.

PORTLAND, ME—At a press conference today, Island Institute economic development director Briana Warner announced a new report on the state of broadband internet connections on Maine islands. The report analyzed the speed and reliability of internet service on thirteen of Maine’s fifteen year-round islands.

SOUTH PORTLAND, ME—The Island Institute presented the Island Energy Innovation Award to the Block Island community and Deepwater Wind today at the organization’s sixth annual Island Energy Conference. The award recognizes their leadership in community-developer relations in the creation of America’s first offshore wind farm. 

ROCKLAND, ME—Island Institute’s sound fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the third consecutive year that Island Institute has earned this top distinction.

MONHEGAN, ME—Monhegan Brewing Company and the Island Institute today announced the release of a new island-themed beer. The "summer blonde" brew is named 15, after the fifteen year-round island communities on the Maine coast. A portion of proceeds from beer sales will benefit the Island Institute's work on those islands.

ROCKLAND, ME—The Island Institute today announced scholarship awards to 68 students through its Island Education Fund. The scholarships, totaling $150,300, benefit island students attending colleges, universities, and technical schools across the U.S. and Canada.

“These scholarships are made possible by the generous support of our donors,” said Karen Burns, the Institute’s community development director. “Because of their generosity, dozens of island students will have help paying for college or other post-secondary education. That’s a big deal for these communities.”

ROCKLAND, ME—The Island Institute today praised the report from the commission studying the effects of ocean acidification on Maine’s marine life and fisheries and called on the state and federal government to respond by enacting the recommendations contained in the report. The report, released this morning, was approved unanimously by a diverse group that included fishermen, aquaculturists, marine scientists, regulators, and other stakeholders.

ROCKLAND, ME—The Island Institute today announced that it has received a grant of $90,285 from the Grants to Green Maine program for energy efficiency upgrades to its headquarters in Rockland. The grant will be used to make energy-saving retrofits to the historic building, including a new, high-efficiency wood pellet boiler. Work on the upgrades is expected to begin in January.