Recognizing the realities of the changing regional economy of Coastal Maine, Governor John Elias Baldacci established Maine's North Star Alliance Initiative in 2006. The North Star Alliance Initiative, NSAI, is a revolutionary industry-led collaborative, synthesizing business, R&D, education, workforce, and economic development resources to re-skill a workforce and launch a new regional economy in coastal Maine. Referred to as the “Four Pillars of Economic Development”, the strategy focuses on building capacity and addressing gaps in Workforce Development, Research and Development, Outreach and Market Development, and Capitalization and Infrastructure Development.
The targeted industry sectors of Maine's North Star Alliance include a vast range of enterprises that make up or support the marine trades and those that utilize advanced composite materials, including boat building, marine/waterfront infrastructure, marine service and repair, building products, sporting goods, and ballistic armor. These industries represent the majority of the economic base of Maine's midcoast region.
The Initiative strategically partners with three major industry associations. These are the Maine Composites Alliance, Maine Built Boats Inc., and the Maine Marine Trade Association. Additional partners include the University of Maine, the Maine Community College System, the Maine Technology Institute, the Maine Community Foundation, local and regional Workforce Investment Boats, regional economic development districts, the Governor's Office, and the State Departments of Labor, Economic and Community Development, and Education.
Maine's North Star Alliance Initiative will serve the eight counties that comprise Maine's coastal region (York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Hancock, Waldo, and Washington) as well as the additional four counties most affected by the impending closure of the Brunswick Naval Air Station: Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscot, and Piscataquis. This region also encompasses the four local areas authorized under the Workforce Investment Act and comprises 12 of Maine's 16 counties. The Initiative will address needs identified by targeted industries located within this region that are critical to their growth and expansion.
A collaborative effort of this size and scope has never been attempted in Maine before.