Governor Mills Announces $500,000 in Grants to Help Expand Local Food Production and Agricultural Education

Program created by Governor Mills will help schools and communities across Maine grow fresh, local food and extend growing season

Augusta, MAINE – The Mills Administration has awarded $500,000 to 10 Maine communities to expand local food production and agricultural education through the construction of durable, shared-use greenhouses.

Governor Mills conceived the Community Greenhouse Grant Program during the pandemic when market and supply chain disruptions exposed Maine’s dependence on food imported from other states and countries. From a student-run farmers market in Limestone to food pantries in Oxford County to inner-city afterschool gardening programs in Portland, the program, created in last year’s biennial budget, will provide grants to help communities, schools, and nonprofit organizations purchase greenhouses to increase local food production, extend their growing season, and teach the next generation how to grow food.

“Growing up in rural Maine, I developed a great respect for the value of planting, growing, and harvesting fruits and vegetables, but not everyone has the space or the know-how to run their own garden,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I am hopeful that this program, like the Victory Gardens of World War II, will bring Maine people together, teach people of all ages to grow their own food, and help more communities become self-reliant.”

“These projects represent an investment in Maine communities and the next generation of growers,” saidAgriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Amanda Beal. “Whether located at a school, nonprofit, community center, or public institution, these greenhouses will become places where people learn, grow food together, and strengthen local food systems for years to come.”

The Governor’s Community Greenhouse Grant Program builds upon a $20 million investment to strengthen farm and food processing infrastructure through the 2022 Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program of her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan. The Governor has consistently championed efforts to teach young people about farming and agriculture, proclaiming 2025 as the “Year of Youth in Agriculture” and highlighting youth agricultural programs like the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s 4H programs.

Community Greenhouse Grants of $15,000 to $100,000 were awarded through a competitive process for the purchase and construction of permanent greenhouses. Projects must be designed to increase local food production and access, expand agricultural and nutrition education, foster partnerships among schools, nonprofits, municipalities, and community organizations, and create lasting resources that serve residents beyond the grant period.

2026 Community Greenhouse Grant Recipients 

Alfond Youth & Community Center, Waterville

The Alfond Youth & Community Center will purchase and install a greenhouse to expand youth-centered education, seedling propagation, and community food production. The greenhouse will support the organization’s Garden to Table, Kids’ Kitchen, and Greenhouse to Your House programs, providing hands-on instruction in agriculture, nutrition, sustainability, and food systems while increasing the availability of fresh produce and seedlings for families throughout central Maine.

Healthy Acadia, Washington County 

Healthy Acadia will construct an on-site greenhouse at Downeast Restorative Harvest in Machias to extend the growing season and increase production of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, greens, broccoli, cabbage, and more. The greenhouse will expand access to fresh, locally grown produce for food security partners across Washington County while creating a year-round space for education, volunteer engagement, and hands-on agricultural training. Through partnerships with local organizations, the project will strengthen community food systems, build practical growing skills, and increase access to nutritious food for residents throughout Downeast Maine.

Healthy Island Project, Stonington 

Healthy Island Project will purchase and install a greenhouse to increase year-round access to fresh, locally grown food for residents of Deer Isle and Stonington. Produce and seedlings will support the HIP Community Pantry, Magic Food Bus, Salt Air Senior Lunch Box Program, and community meals. The greenhouse will also host educational programs focused on gardening, nutrition, food preparation, and greater island food self-sufficiency. 

Limestone Community School, Limestone 

Limestone Community School will purchase and install a greenhouse to expand its Outdoor Science Program and provide students with year-round, hands-on learning in agriculture, nutrition, and environmental science. Students will grow fresh produce for use at school and through a planned student-run farmers market. The project will also increase access to locally grown food in a rural community with a short growing season and limited local produce availability.

MSAD 33–Valley Unified Education Service Center, St. Agatha 

MSAD 33 will purchase and install a greenhouse to support extended-season food production and agricultural education in the St. John Valley. Students will grow leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other produce for school meals and community distribution while participating in hands-on STEM, nutrition, and sustainable-agriculture instruction. The greenhouse will serve as a shared regional resource for MSAD 33, partner Valley Unified schools, and community organizations.

Oxford Hills Community Gardens, doing business as Alan Day Community Garden, Norway

Alan Day Community Garden will purchase and install a greenhouse to expand its production of affordable, donated vegetable seedlings from approximately 4,000 to at least 8,000 annually. Seedlings will be distributed to households, schools, food pantries, churches, and community organizations throughout Oxford County. The greenhouse will also provide a year-round space for gardening, nutrition, cooking, and sustainable-agriculture education.

Portland Community Squash, Portland 

Portland Community Squash will purchase and install a greenhouse to improve food access and expand food-systems education for its diverse membership. Produce will be used in sliding-scale café meals, sent home with students, and grown in member garden plots, including reduced-cost and no-cost plots for families facing financial barriers. The greenhouse will also provide hands-on agricultural and cooking education to Portland public school students participating in the organization’s youth programs.

Regional School Unit 50, Dyer Brook 

RSU 50 will purchase and install a greenhouse that will serve as a living STEM classroom and increase access to fresh produce in southern Aroostook County. Students will apply concepts in biology, chemistry, and data science while learning about crop production, soil health, food safety, water conservation, and sustainability. Produce will support the district’s monthly food pantry, student-led farmers’ markets, and, as production expands, school meal programs.

University of Maine System, acting through the University of Maine, Swanville

The University of Maine will partner with the Waldo County Sheriff’s Department and Waldo County Bounty to purchase and install a greenhouse at the Maine Coastal Regional Re-entry Center Garden. The greenhouse will extend the growing season, increase produce donations to food pantries throughout Waldo County, and provide residents of the re-entry program with hands-on education in horticulture, greenhouse management, soil health, crop planning, and food production.

Veggies to Table, Newcastle 

Veggies to Table will purchase and install a greenhouse to increase year-round production of fresh, organic produce for neighbors experiencing hunger. The protected growing space will extend the farm’s season, improve crop reliability, and increase donations through more than 35 partner organizations, including food pantries, schools, meal programs, health centers, and low-income housing communities. The greenhouse will also support workshops, volunteer training, apprenticeships, and hands-on agricultural education.

About the Program 

The Community Greenhouse Grant Program reflects DACF's ongoing commitment to strengthening Maine's agricultural economy by supporting projects that improve food security, expand educational opportunities, and build resilient local food systems. More information about the Community Greenhouse Grant Program is available at https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ard/grants/community-greenhouse.shtml.