About Maine West

In 2015 the trustees of the Betterment Fund challenged a group of local, state and regional nonprofits to explore and implement strategies to address systemic rural challenges in northern Oxford County through “increased collaboration across the conservation, education, health and economic sectors.”
 
With a focus in the Oxford Hills, River Valley and Bethel areas of northern Oxford County, Maine West partners committed to acting on the charge of the Betterment Trustees through network-based, collaborative approaches that:

  • Build relationships and social capital across all elements of the community;
  • Advance tangible, multi-sector projects to deliver near-term benefits to people, communities, and the environment; and
  • Build the capacity of partners and other area stakeholders to attract resources and implement projects that address persistent challenges and enhance long-term community well-being.
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Maine West Steering Committee at Bryant Pond, September 2021
Today, Maine West is a partnership of 14 organizations collaborating across sectors to position communities in northern Oxford County as attractive and viable places to live, work, do business, and raise families. Partners envision a place where:
 
  • Residents and businesses benefit from universal, affordable broadband internet access,
  • Students are engaged citizens with plans and pathways to meaningful futures,
  • Community health and well-being is bolstered by conservation and recreation initiatives,
  • Businesses are thriving and providing livable wage jobs to support Maine West residents.

​In pursuit of this vision, Maine West partners work together to advance work in three, cross-sector program areas: 

Guiding beliefs

Maine West partners’ collaborative work is guided by the following core beliefs:
  • Effective cross-sector collaboration will improve outcomes for people, communities and the environment;
  • Strong relationships and collaboration among project area communities will generate new opportunities to address regional issues;
  • Increased investment is needed to secure long-term community benefits;
  • Local and sector-specific work is important for its implicit value and as a testing ground for regional learning and replication;
  • Learning together, across sectors and across communities, will build local capacity;
  • Engaging people of all backgrounds, incomes and education levels is necessary to ensure work that is grounded and relevant to community well-being;
  • The health of people and of the land are interrelated and must be addressed together;
  • Systemic change takes time and requires both patience and experimentation.

Context for regional collaboration

Maine West’s work is grounded in a fundamental understanding of the history and the issues that shape the area’s communities, and acknowledges the following factors as critical to our work: 
  • Shifts in the region’s economic and employment patterns are changing the ways people interact with the land and with each other;
  • Demographic changes and a generally aging population present both challenges and opportunities for local communities;
  • Recreation and tourism amenities have long played a role in enhancing quality of life, generating economic activity and attracting new residents to the area;
  • The forest products industry is a critical contributor to the region’s economy and culture and has played a central role in shaping the relationship between people and the land
  • Rapidly changing technology and communication systems exert an important and continually evolving influence on people’s lives and livelihoods;
  • Oxford County lags behind state and national trends on important indicators of health and wellness;
  • The region’s communities have a history of collaboration, but also distinct histories and assets that require intentional approaches to common issues;
  • Maine West represents a small subset of the organizations and stakeholders who must be involved in shaping the region’s future.