Maine Community College System

The Foundation has made four large-scale grants to support the Maine Community College System (the System) and its colleges.

1. In 2012, the Foundation supported the System in purchasing 13 buildings and 600 acres at Good Will-Hinckley, enabling Kennebec Valley Community College to serve an additional 1,500 to 2,000 students;
2. In 2018, the Foundation began funding a System-wide initiative to expand workforce development skills training in high-demand sectors of the Maine economy;
3. In 2021, through a $15.5 million grant, the Foundation helped the System establish the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce, a System-wide initiative to provide short-term workforce training programs statewide; and
4. Most recently, based on the early success of the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce, which trained over 27,000 Mainers in just over two years, the Foundation awarded the System a $75.5 million grant in 2024 to further enhance and expand the program and to serve an estimated 70,000 additional Maine workers through 2029.

The Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce is a state-wide initiative providing short-term job training programs, or microcredentials, designed and offered in partnership with Maine employers, for Maine workers at every stage in their careers. The project provides: (1) foundational occupational skills training for those looking to enter a field or career; (2) more advanced skills training for current workers to “upskill” and keep up with evolving industry standards; and (3) scholarships for workers looking to pursue an associate’s degree or certificate and advance in their career. The Center’s short-term job training programs generally take days, weeks, or months to complete, and are free or discounted for the students. They are offered on a rolling basis throughout the year, onsite at the System’s colleges, at workplaces, online, and through third-party, industry-approved instruction.

Through the Center, the System has now become the statewide resource for short-term job training programs that align with the modern workforce’s demands. It has also become a nationally-recognized leader in building workforce readiness. Perhaps most impactful, with this model, the Center has transformed its relationship with Maine businesses – who, as partners of the Center, play a key role in the training programs offered. Learning opportunities, created hand-in-hand with employers, ultimately guarantee that curricula are aligned with current job market demands, ensure students gain relevant skills, and enhance students’ employability.

This latest grant brings the Foundation’s total investment in short-term job training at the Maine Community College System to $94.6 million.