Economic and Community Development

The SMPDC Economic Development Division provides a wide array of services and programs to support a strong regional economy and the goals of Southern Maine communities for economic growth. We serve as an economic development resource for both municipalities and businesses.

Our primary mission is to assist in the strengthening of our local and regional economies in partnership with our municipalities and the County Government. Some of this work is completed solely within our organization and a significant amount of this work is completed through local, regional, State and federal partnerships. Broadly speaking, we strive to strengthen the regional economy through the retention of existing businesses, encouraging the growth and development of new and existing businesses and entrepreneurs and the attraction of businesses located beyond our borders.

 

Services and Information Available

  • Data
  • Sources of Financing
  • Grants
  • Economic and Community Development Planning
  • Business Plan Development
  • Technical assistance for entrepreneurs and microenterprises
  • Networking & convening for regional collaboration

 

What's New

 

Coming Soon!

  • Southern Maine Digital Inclusion Plan update to be released in early 2026 - stay tuned!
  • 2027 CEDS update in development!

 

Recent Projects & Impact

Broadband & Digital Inclusion

As part of Maine Connectivity Authority's 2023-2025 Regional and Wabanaki Broadband Partners (RWBP) program, SMPDC served as one of several partners coordinating region-wide efforts to accomplish statewide goals for the advancement of digital opportunity and broadband internet availability. This initiative was developed to create a stakeholder infrastructure by convening community partner institutions with vested interest in bridging the digital divide in our communities throughout the greater York county region. Together with these partners, SMPDC formed the York County Regional Digital Inclusion Coalition.

This program was funded by the Digital Equity Act of 2021 and guided by the shared guidance of York County Regional Digital Inclusion Coalition members. To learn more about the accomplishments of this program, visit https://smpdc.org/broadband.

 

SMPDC Economic Recovery Hub Program

The goal of the Economic Recovery Hub Program was to strengthen the network and success of small businesses in the York and Southern Oxford Counties as they continued to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This program was funded by Federal ARPA funds awarded by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). From 2023 to 2025, SMPDC implemented this $766,000 grant award by providing financial and technical assistance for small businesses in our service area who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic but were unable to access prior rounds of pandemic relief funding.

SMPDC recruited an array of regional partners to advance the program's goals, including the Small Business Development Center, SCORE, Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council, Saco Main Street, Heart of Biddeford, and many others. Eligible businesses received grant awards up to $15,000, as well as technical assistance with bookkeeping, web design and social media planning services from an array of local business support providers. After processing more than 200 applications since the Hub program was initiated in 2023, SMPDC has issued $484,000 in financial assistance grants and provided technical assistance to more than 90 small businesses and nonprofits in the region.