CEI (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.)

For 47 years, CEI has empowered underserved communities, especially in rural areas, to access capital and build a sustainable future. As we celebrate the 54th anniversary of #EarthDay, we honor the intentions of its founder, the late Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, to forge a sustainable society, an “environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all human beings, and all other living creatures” through our continuing investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable food systems, all while advocating for national funding to support these initiatives. Our work bridges the gap: While new technologies often favor urban areas and the well-off, as a Community Development Financial Institution, CEI helps rural and other overlooked communities adopt solutions like solar power and aquaculture, which supports resilient coastal economies, and fostering economic and environmental resilience. We lead by example: We've mobilized over $70 million in solar projects, developed training programs for sustainable businesses, boosted environmentally sustainable lending know-how among our peers and influenced national funding allocation towards climate action. We’re just getting started: The Environmental Protection Agency's recent grant awards under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) recognize the power of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in driving climate solutions and getting financing to the communities that need it most. CEI is proud to be part of this movement, and over the coming months we will be competing for GGRF resources to empower rural communities on the path to a sustainable future. #GGRF #CDFI #ClimateAction #Solar #ClimateInvestment #ClimateResilience

Say "Bon voyage et bonne chance !" to the Maine delegation, including CEI's Hugh Cowperthwaite as they head to France to explore techniques for handling and preparing scallops in support of the scallop farming and commercial fishing sectors in Maine. "Quelle délicieux!" https://lnkd.in/gQEkVYzZ

📣 Call for Action: Tell your representative to support LD 2212 - An Act to Strengthen Maine's Ag, Food System and Forest Products Infrastructure Investment 📣 LD 2212, which was reported out of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry with a unanimous vote, is now on the Appropriations table. The Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee is meeting to finalize the budget and decide which bills to fund.   LD 2212 is the culmination of stakeholder and legislative work over the past 3 legislatures. This bill will fund the Maine Ag, Food, and Forest Products Infrastructure Investment Fund, to make meaningful and strategic investments to expand Maine food and farm related businesses’ capacity to produce and process food.   Please reach out to your legislators and to members of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee (AFA) and ask them to fund LD 2212. Check out our overview for talking points and how to find and communicate with your legislator and appropriators:   •      Find your state legislators: State Senator (https://lnkd.in/e8fNEJFR) or State House Representative (https://lnkd.in/eexRim5e) •      Contact the Appropriations Committee: https://lnkd.in/eHggFYXH •      Contact the committee clerk here: AFA@legislature.maine.gov •      Call or email legislators at home, on their mobile phone or at the State House: Tell them (or their aide) that you are calling about LD 2212 and briefly why you care about this issue. •      Legislators can also be reached at the following toll-free State House phone numbers: Representatives: 1-800-423-2900 or Senators: 1-800-423-6900 Amy R. Winston Bradley Russell

Applications for our second cohort of Justice Fellows will close soon! We are looking for a Data Fellow, a Grant Research Fellow, a Policy Advocacy Fellow, and if you have any ideas on how CEI can contribute to Economic or Community Development we also have an Open Option Fellow too! For more info, please visit: https://lnkd.in/e9zsAWp7

We are proud to be part of the Climate United network - organizations across the country committed to providing communities with the resources and financial tools to make a clean energy transition. We are #ClimateUnited.

Join CLIMATEWORK MAINE and CEI (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.) for the 2nd Annual Summit on Climate Change and Maine's Economy. The Summit brings together industry experts, thought leaders, and passionate individuals like yourself, all committed to limiting climate damage and preparing for a future or Maine. It is the state's largest gathering of people who are focusing on how Maine is changing and how climate change will reshape our economy. Don't miss this! More Information & Registration:  https://lnkd.in/gqRFGRyp. Use Promo Code: CEI for $25 off registration.

Took a break at the Brunswick Office to catch a few (diminishing and then reappearing) rays.☀️🌘 #Eclipse2024

Congratulation to Appalachian Community Capital for the selection of their proposal by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) of the historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The $500 million award to their Green Bank for Appalachia, Energy Communities, and Underserved Rural America (Green Bank for Rural America) will fund vital carbon mitigation, clean energy transition and climate resilience projects in rural areas, including Maine. From electrification to broadband internet, new technologies are adopted in a trickle-down fashion, where major urban centers and the well-off are the first to benefit from innovation. Meanwhile, rural communities, communities of color and areas with low-income residents are left behind for years or even decades at great cost to their economic and, often, physical well-being. This is why we are proud to serve on the steering committee for ACC’s Green Bank for Rural America, which takes a ground-up approach that prioritizes those who face challenges accessing the tools and financing they need to convert to clean technologies. We also applaud our other Community Development Financial Institution peers who were part of collations that received awards under the National Clean Investment Fund and the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator. We applaud the EPA for their selection of Community Development Financial Institution-led applications, as our industry’s strength in connecting financing and technical assistance to those who have been overlooked, dismissed, or disregarded by traditional finance, will make this large Federal investment reach the people and communities who need it most. #CDFI #ClimateAction #ImpactInvestment #ImpInv #GGRF

We're #hiring our second cohort of Justice Fellows in Brunswick, Maine. This year, we have three areas of focus: Grant Research, Policy Advocacy, and Data. If you have any ideas that contribute to the work of community and economic development, we have an open option too! Apply today or share this post with your network.

CEI is doing something special with its Child Care Business Lab, and it's being replicated in other communities where families are desperate to solve for quality, safe spaces for children while parents can work. Would you vote for their SOCAP Global proposal and help introduce the model to more partners? See the link below. #impinv #childcare Lumina Foundation Mano en Mano | Hand in Hand