AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills and Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Heather Johnson announced Thursday, Oct. 15 that the Mills Administration has begun distributing the first round of financial awards to Maine small businesses and non-profits through the Maine Economic Recovery Grant Program.

Grant letters notifying the recipients of their award were sent Oct. 14 in collaboration with Maine’s seven Economic Development Districts, which will distribute funds by early November.

The program, backed by $200 million in Federal CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF), provides some financial relief for businesses and nonprofits that incurred business disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a press release stated. 

“The grants are intended to help sustain the viability of Maine’s small businesses and nonprofits — not to replace lost profits — and will provide short-term relief to help stabilize Maine’s economy,” the release stated. “At the same time, the Administration continues to focus on the state’s long-term goals described in the state’s 10-year strategic economic development plan. The program draws on a recommendation from the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee.” 

The 2,329 awards — which include 2,072 to small businesses and 257 to nonprofits — total $105 million dollars, and average just over $45,000 per award with recipients spanning the entire state, the release stated. 

The hospitality sector, particularly lodging and accommodations, represent the largest percentage of recipients, drawing 35 percent of the awards statewide, the release noted.

“There is no question that Maine’s small businesses are struggling to survive unprecedented economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Mills. “While these funds will not make them whole, they offer some lifeline to keep afloat those small businesses that are at the core of our economy. I encourage all eligible businesses and nonprofits to apply for the second round of this relief as I continue to call on Congress to provide more direct aid to the State of Maine.”

“There are a number of areas of our economy that have been severely impacted as a result of the pandemic,” said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of Economic and Community Development. “We hope this program can help support businesses during this difficult time.”

Grants awarded through the Maine Economic Recovery Grant Program may be used to cover expenses including: payroll costs and expenses; rent or mortgage payments for business facilities; utilities payments; necessary operating expenses; expenses incurred to replenish inventory or other necessary re-opening expenses; purchase of personal protective equipment required by the business or business related equipment. Funds must be spent on operations that are strictly within Maine. Recipients are liable for any misuse of funds, and the grants are subject to audit.

Below is a breakdown of organizations in Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties receiving funding through Phase 1 of the program, as of Oct. 16. To see the full list of recipients statewide, see the attached PDF. 

The three municipalities, regardless of county, receiving the most aid to its businesses in the Midcoast were Camden ($1,975,138.27 for 43 organizations), Rockland ($1,936,526.37 for 39 organizations) and Belfast ($1,261,138.29 for 30 organizations). 

In Knox County, 135 organizations received a combined $6,294,762.91. 

In Lincoln County, 85 organizations received a combined $3,388,529.75

In Waldo County, 72 organizations received a combined $2,874,940.30. 

In sum, $12,558,232.96 was distributed to 292 organizations in Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties.

APPLETON
Raven Transport Inc. — $2,394.86
Maine Cater — $32,176.39
The Fragrance Farm Inc. — $55,046.09
Sea Breeze Home and Commercial Services LLC — $7,798.77
Penobscot Windjammer Company — $57,174.03

BELFAST
Matt Adragna Contracting Inc. — $100,000.00
City Drawers, Inc. — $24,865.12
Bowen's Tavern LLC — $34,550.55
Trillium Events INC — $100,000.00
Darby's Inc — $88,856.66
Ananda Yoga and Wellness — $4,395.80
Quantum Insulators — $38,771.52
Maine Youth Alliance — $35,457.85
Waldo County YMCA — $100,000.00
Rhonda Feiman LLC — $7,154.87
Waterfall Arts — $100,000.00
Frunsons LLC — $23,807.24
Fiddlehead Artisan Supply LLC — $27,820.67
Belfast Senior Organization — $1,086.24
John Hurley Painting, Inc. — $21,458.69
Mann, Inc. — $949.77
Belfast Bay Brewing Co., Inc. — $17,487.15
John Murphy Custom Woodworking — $6,512.20
Bell the Cat Inc. — $29,512.74
Kids Unplugged, LLC — $9,082.54
Seascape Motel — $36,518.82
Daily Soup LLC — $80,349.54
Our Town Belfast — $14,397.34
Savorys — $100,000.00
Meanwhile LLC — $29,245.50
Maine Farmland Trust — $100,000.00
Anne Warren DBA The Belfast Framer — $7,742.43
GO Lab, Inc. — $100,000.00
Vinolio — $18,796.98
Commercial Intelligence — $2,318.07

BOOTHBAY HARBOR
Linekin Bay Holdings LLC — $91,710.55
Bayside Inn B&B — $27,270.86
Bayberry House Bed and Breakfast — $24,537.65
Flagship Inn — $100,000.00
Cicci, Inc. — $100,000.00
Clifton Cane — $85,322.06
Downeast Candies, Inc. — $18,853.54
LMV Corp — $8,359.69
Daniel Kaler & Sons Inc. — $7,335.09
The Financial Coach Inc. — $9,302.20
The Hutch — $7,575.60
Eventide Specialties — $26,884.52
Harbour Towne Inn — $9,794.95
Mirabile Family LLC — $49,617.00
Jennie Mitchell — $81,480.99
Captain Sawyer’s Bed and Breakfast LLC — $37,277.45
The Harborage Inn (ADDA LLC) — $45,785.07
Osborn Makarewicz LLC — $100,000.00
RDR Enterprises Inc — $100,000.00
Shannons Unshelled — $16,944.00

BREMEN
Windward Cruise Company — $100,000.00
Community Shellfish, LLC — $76,851.44

BRISTOL
Sisters Soap, LLC — $3,979.62

BROOKS
Brooks Ambulance, Inc. — $17,448.87
Brooks Preservation Society — $41,377.93

CAMDEN
A Little Dream — $32,177.15
Serendipity Fine Consignment, Inc. — $45,038.30
Take Me To Maine, LLC — $35,589.12
Thomas Street Studios — $29,891.73
The Village Shop — $13,098.62
Nicholas Brown — $13,803.64
Lord Camden Inn — $100,000.00
Quarterdeck, Inc. — $12,743.95
Leeward, Inc. — $7,586.66
Megan Cushman Skincare — $763.17
Hurricane Island Outward Bound School — $100,000.00
Barndog's Residence, Inc. — $19,969.90
Saltwater Classroom — $1,694.40
PopTech Institute — $81,229.88
Camden Riverhouse Hotel — $18,982.28
Camden Harbor Cruises — $100,000.00
Distant Journeys, Inc. — $100,000.00
Ellen Noble Heckerd PT MS PC — $1,329.79
Molyneaux Road Rental — $556.12
ICP LLC — $70,816.89
Blemaster & Cohn, Inc. — $84,862.68
Franny's Bistro — $46,862.28
Yankee Packet Company — $52,765.32
Courier Publications, LLC — $100,000.00
Mid-Coast Recovery Coalition — $100,000.00
MaineSchooners.com — $47,943.97
Peter Ott's — $77,309.24
Page Gallery, LLC — $42,469.34
Maine Windjammer Cruises — $42,762.03
Green with Envy Salon PC — $32,746.42
Lewis R. French Corp — $48,416.73
Camden Whitehall Inc. — $100,000.00
Schooner Exploration Associates of Maine, LLC — $31,929.82
Breda, LLC — $100,000.00
63 High St, LLC — $48,465.53
Blue Harbor House Inn, LLC — $70,180.39
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine — $31,873.11
Acute Grinding, Inc. — $11,356.14
Schooner Heron — $31,787.21
Small Wonder Gallery — $32,731.99
Aquafortis Associates LLC — $4,999.61
Shannon Sommer Skincare — $22,370.49
Camden Deli, Inc. — $28,034.37

CUSHING
Gary A. Jones — $8,710.78
Desperate Measures Fisheries — $24,091.69

DAMARISCOTTA
S Fernald’s Country Store, Inc. — $25,069.44
Spine by Design Inc. — $23,540.41
T and T Restaurants LLC — $55,579.37
Barn Door Baking Company LLC — $48,220.71
Central Lincoln County YMCA — $100,000.00
Pemaquid Mussel Farms — $62,548.40
About Face, Inc. — $24,204.14
Shapers LLC — $790.32
Savory Maine Dining & Provisions — $6,748.96
Chickadee Flea, LLC — $6,200.43
Maurer and Partners Corp. — $100,000.00

DRESDEN
Christopher Paine — $3,609.19
Red’s Eats — $8,794.51

EAST BOOTHBAY
D W Moore LTD — $59,900.56

EDGECOMB
Cod Cove Inn Management LLC — $59,174.78
Compass Rose Events, Inc. — $100,000.00
Midcoast Conservancy — $100,000.00
Ed Hamilton, Inc. — $41,523.67
Seguin Software Corp — $28,324.36
Eben Blaney Fine Furniture — $2,757.62

FREEDOM
Chases Daily — $16,371.30
Chases Daily — $16,371.30

HOPE
Brodis Blueberries — $18,855.85
Fields Dive Service — $56,884.34
Kimberly Harrison — $17,627.68
Alford Lake Camp — $87,152.67
Sweet Tree Arts — $95,800.53

ISLE AU HAUT
Shore Shop Gifts, LLC — $2,016.12

ISLESBORO
Islesboro Electrical Services Inc. — $19,709.68
A Staples Carpenter For Hire, Inc. — $59,519.06
A Staples Carpenter For Hire, Inc. — $100,000.00

JEFFERSON
Dale E. Hunt Painting — $10,733.66

LIBERTY
Liberty Graphics, Inc. — $100,000.00
Lake St. George Brewing Co., Inc. — $16,328.65
Liberty Craft Brewing LLC — $28,910.29

LINCOLNVILLE
Inn at Sunrise Point LLC — $100,000.00
Salt Water Farm Enterprises LLC — $10,242.98
Accent Painting, Inc. — $30,780.47
Spouter Inn Bed and Breakfast, Inc — $3,865.61
Tanglewood Camp and Learning Center — $67,897.15
Harrison Hospitality — $1,702.89
Glenmoor by the Sea — $71,649.85
Bay Leaf Group Inc. — $1,965.92
Whale's Tooth Pub Inc. — $38,753.49
L'Auberge Inc — $58,521.79
ZR Management, LLC — $100,000.00

MATINICUS
F/V Lori Ellen — $19,085.93
George Tarkleson — $18,955.82

MONHEGAN
Black Duck Emporium, Inc. — $10,308.42
Monhegan Brewing Company, LLC — $20,462.26

MONTVILLE
Pressed for Cider LLC — $1,298.31
Frye Mountain Diversified, Inc — $40,361.44

NEW HARBOR
Pemaquid Investment Properties LLC — $55,063.44
The Little Red House — $13,741.39

NEWCASTLE
Maine Boats LLC — $55,516.64
Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts — $15,814.38
Jeffrey Sandner — $27,632.31
OceansWide — $59,020.06
Damariscotta Good Coffee LLC — $21,063.16
The Fat Friar’s Meadery — $721.30
Salt Bay Trading Company — $11,325.07
Bostick Design LLC — $67,147.16
Oxbow Brewing Company LLC — $100,000.00
Paper Moon Jewelry — $1,548.95
Indian Trail Antiques — $18,031.40
Nick Kutch Builder — $6,782.68
Mexicali Blues Inc. — $100,000.00

NOBLEBORO
Coastal Woodworking — $8,460.03
NorthStar Driving LLC — $530.98
Lincolnville Telephone Company — $100,000.00
Country Coach Charters LLC — $70,253.41
Kieve Wavus Education Inc. — $100,000.00

NORTH HAVEN
Waterman's Community Center — $48,753.10
Nebo Island Lodge — $51,597.41

NORTHPORT
Atlantic Blanket Company — $63,466.98

OWLS HEAD
Scott Herrick — $5,773.52
Maine Marine Consultants — $14,984.51
The Owls Head Transportation Museum — $100,000.00

PALERMO
Rental Royalty 1 — $18,065.41

PORT CLYDE
Monhegan Boat Line — $100,000.00

ROCKLAND 
Cutwater, Inc. — $100,000.00
Benjamin Productions — $734.87
Daughters, LLC — $28,467.17
OUT Maine — $16,410.53
Salty Waves Salon — $2,419.40
Friends of the Strand Theatre — $41,942.01
Art Space Gallery — $3,165.99
Grasshopper Shop of Rockland, Inc. — $100,000.00
Ripples Inn Inc. — $9,927.61
Curator INC — $19,485.28
Duvall Design, Inc — $14,529.42
CJS Corporation — $19,801.84
Bean Maine Lobster — $100,000.00
John C Foss — $52,701.12
180 Sealcoating, Inc. — $12,032.05
Anything Goes For Us — $33,533.13
Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors, Inc. — $40,119.45
Home Kitchen Cafe — $86,351.85
Just Friends Hair Design — $33,245.86
Hurricane Island Foundation — $100,000.00
Trekkers, Inc. — $26,606.91
Primo, Inc. — $100,000.00
Danica Design Inc — $27,528.12
Trade Winds Motor Inn — $100,000.00
William M. Lowe, Inc. — $100,000.00
Silver Dream, Inc. — $77,696.73
Rock City Employee Cooperative — $100,000.00
The Coastal Children’s Museum — $11,672.56
Endeavour Craftsmen, Inc. — $39,563.39
Rockport Homes, Inc. — $44,918.52
Center for Maine Contemporary Art — $100,000.00
Continuum Physical Therapy — $100,000.00
Hoboken Gardens Floral Boutique — $13,533.98
Rockland Harbor Hotel — $100,000.00
Sharp's Point South — $47,109.68
The Sail, Power, and Steam Museum — $40,324.79
Victory Chimes Inc — $14,057.84
hello hello books INC — $66,938.85
J&J Lobster, Inc. — $11,707.42

ROCKPORT
Glen Cove Inn, Inc — $100,000.00
Strawberry Hill Motor Inn — $100,000.00
Corron Chiropractic — $25,399.73
Kincora Lodge Inc — $15,125.13
Bay Chamber Concerts, Inc. — $100,000.00
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship — $100,000.00
Maine Coast Weddings & Special Events — $24,503.89
David C. Olivas DDS — $16,414.11
Starlight Lodge Rockport LLC — $80,983.22
Central Hospitality Inc. — $100,000.00
Island View Inn — $100,000.00
Mid-Coast Recreation Center — $46,717.49

SEARSMONT
Evergreen Valley Farm & Greenhouses — $3,758.39

SEARSPORT
The Maker's Guild of Maine —  $11,574.45
Stone Fox Farm LLC — $2,195.38
Five Tales Hospitality — $64,019.49
CPK Foods, LLC — $17,628.57
P McCormack Economy LLC — $15,469.91

SOUTH THOMASTON
Breen Fisheries, Inc. — $23,589.53
Xtreme Measures, Inc. — $44,402.70
Seabreeze Cove — $9,000.76
MKM Island Lobster Inc — $100,000.00
Weskeag Inn Bed and Breakfast LLC — $1,050.99

SOUTHPORT
Southport Island Marine LLC — $21,068.94
Newagen Seaside Inn, Inc. — $100,000.00

STOCKTON SPRINGS
Just Barb's — $86,067.94
Thistle Industries, LLC — $100,000.00
Make Good Time — $6,997.90

SWANVILLE
Anglers, Inc. — $100,000.00

TENANTS HARBOR
Jackson Memorial Library — $100,000.00

THOMASTON
The Uproot Pie Company, LLC — $12,992.80

THORNDIKE
Larry B. Ward — $36,052.62

TROY
Shady Lane Farms of Troy — $867.90

UNION
Alizarin Inc. — $13,282.49
Herbal Revolution Farm and Apothecary — $6,371.77

UNITY
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association — $100,000.00
Unity Barn Raisers, Inc. — $2,716.07

VINALHAVEN
Elaine A Crossman — $4,950.70
Tidewater Motel — $17,071.55
Lindsay Davis — $59,156.24
Carver's Harbor Market — $12,309.28

WALDOBORO
Roof Dog Inc. — $14,703.55
Harkins Consulting LLC — $14,799.03
Red Griffin LLC — $16,383.13
Odd Alewives Farm Brewery, LLC — $3,965.51
Magma Metalworks Inc — $16,329.70
Sheldon Sanborn — $1,779.88
Maine Top Mill L3C — $10,982.93

WARREN
Magpie Creative — $16,640.13
A.P. Duffy Corp. — $9,246.03
Harmony Hill Farm, LLC — $3,187.04
Perseus Partners, LLC — $70,157.58

WASHINGTON
Bedford Falls LLC — $45,665.02
TWG Southport, LLC — $100,000.00
Medomak Camp — $100,000.00

WESTPORT ISLAND
Northend Lobster Co-op — $30,395.68

WINTERPORT
Mid Maine Vending, Inc — $9,655.01
Meadow Ridge Farm, LLC — $18,588.68
Winterport Winery — $13,600.33

WISCASSET
Sarah and Sons Restaurant Inc. — $21,212.41
Seacoast Coffee Company — $26,853.09
Quality Machine Tool Inc. — $18,576.09
Water Quality and Compliance Services Inc. — $38,863.61
Wiscasset Public Library — $100,000.00
Chewonki Campground — $14,320.51

WOOLWICH 
Anthony Keefe Enterprises — $48,648.51
Brunswick Tour and Travel Service — $7,162.47
Mainer News Cooperative — $22,458.86