WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has selected the Greater Portland region as one of the first 12 designated “Manufacturing Communities” nationwide under the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative. IMCP is designed to accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in communities around the nation by supporting long-term economic development strategies that help communities attract and expand private investment in the manufacturing sector and increase international trade and exports.

“This designation is proof positive that Maine can lead the way in revitalizing the American manufacturing sector,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “With this announcement, the Greater Portland region is poised to leverage federal resources that could help attract manufacturing investment, create jobs, and become an even more powerful economic force for Maine.”

From the 70 communities that applied, the Greater Portland region, led by the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG), was selected along with 11 other communities by an interagency panel. Selections were based on the strength of the applicant’s economic development plans, the potential for local impact in the communities, and the depth of partnerships across the public and private sector to carry out the plans.

While this was not a grant competition, the 12 designated Manufacturing Communities, including GPCOG, will receive coordinated support for their strategies from across eleven federal agencies (listed below) and programs with $1.3 billion available in federal economic development assistance; a dedicated federal liaison at each of these agencies to help navigate available federal resources; and recognition on a government website, accessible to prospective private foreign and domestic investors, looking for information on communities’ competitive attributes. 

• Appalachian Regional Commission
• Delta Regional Authority
• Environmental Protection Agency
• National Science Foundation
• Small Business Administration
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Commerce
• U.S. Department of Defense
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Department of Transportation

In order to earn the designation, communities had to demonstrate the significance of manufacturing already present in their region and develop strategies to make investments in six areas: 1) workforce and training; 2) advanced research; 3) infrastructure and site development; 4) supply chain support; 5) trade and international investment; and 6) operational improvement and capital access.

###