To help tourist businesses get started for 2011, the Maine Coast Welcome Center has launched "What Tourists Want" a newsletter highlighting what works for our business partners. Featuring an idea from a seasoned professional of 30 years in the B&B trade, the newsletter with show how businesses connect to tourists. Check it out on our Blog and sign up to recieve yours via email.

Waldo Community Action Partners (WCAP) has a new website–a dynamic, information-rich site that will be updated and maintained by WCAP staff.

Waldo Community Action Partners’ mission is “to create opportunities for people to improve their quality of life.” They aim to make a big impact on Waldo County citizens by expanding opportunities for health, comfort, and financial and personal development. The site provides information and contacts for public transportation, education programs, energy services, emergency resources, health programs and community projects.

Using revolutionary web techniques, Pica Design programmed the site so that users with disabilities can navigate it without the use of a mouse. Site visitors can also follow quicklinks and visual icons to intuitively locate the content they need. We consulted WAI* and Section 508** to understand the needs of the disability community, then created solutions that we implemented across the site. The site also includes a private website for the WCAP staff to communicate and share documents between departments. To read more about the project and the site's tools, click here.

MaineStream Finance is pleased to offer small and micro business owners loans and technical assistant to start or expand a business.  We are a community development financial institution and subsidiary of Penquis, a community based non-profit organization.  We seek to improve access to credit for business entrepreneurs.

MaineStream Finance has an experienced team to serve business owners.  Jim Macomber, our Micro Business Counselor, was selected as the 2008 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Home-based Business Champion for both Maine and New England.  As CEO, I have over 30 years banking experience with small and micro businesses, plus, expertise with SBA, FAME, RD and similar loan programs.  MaineStream is committed to helping businesses succeed.  The following is a sample of our services:

Micro Business Loans

• Amount:                      Up to $50,000
• Term:                           Up to 20 years
• Loan Purpose:             Purchase inventory, equipment, computers or real estate
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        • Building renovation & improvements
• Eligibility:                   10 or fewer employees

If a loan request exceeds our loan limit or does not meet a qualification for funding, we actively partner with other community development organizations to meet client needs.

 

Micro Business Classes & Workshops

• Business 101
• Incubator Without Walls Program (IWW)
• One-on-one technical assistance

Workshops are free and offered in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Knox Counties. 

We hope you will consider MaineStream Finance as a resource for small and micro business owners.  Please feel free to contact us for more information or visit our website at www.mainestreamfinance.org.   We look forward to hearing from you!