Maine
Federal funding cuts are straining the nonprofits that keep this Maine island afloat
There’s still time to make a gift in 2025 to power BDN reporting for the year ahead. Make a donation now.
Since René Colson started working for Healthy Island Project in Stonington a decade ago, the small nonprofit has grown to do far more social work than anyone expected.
What began as a community health organization 35 years ago has become a multi-pronged social service agency for the bridged island in Penobscot Bay, which also includes the town of Deer Isle. The nonprofit runs three food pantries, sends schoolchildren home with food, delivers meals to seniors, helps people find and apply for resources, visits them in their homes, and tries to meet whatever needs they have.
“We create our own programs here because we have to. No one is coming here to save us,” said Colson, its executive director. “That did not take me long to figure out.”
The needs just keep growing, according to Colson and members of the organization’s board.
Some of that comes from a yearslong decline in other resources on the island, ongoing inflation and rising housing costs. But federal funding cuts under the Trump administration also mean Healthy Island Project and nonprofits like it are seeing larger gaps, less money available to fill them and more demands on their small staff.
In Stonington, other nonprofits build housing for its workforce, conduct research that helps its lobster industry, run its community center, conserve its land and provide arts programming. It’s an example of how much of the responsibility for providing such services is shifting to outside organizations, which are also filling holes in the state’s social safety net. Those gaps are now being stretched by abrupt changes in federal priorities — and locals are trying to patch them back together.
“Our nonprofits funnel revenue into our towns, and services into our towns, that towns and even state government can’t and don’t provide,” said Linda Nelson, Stonington’s economic development director, who is also a consultant for nonprofits. “So, we’re extremely dependent on those nonprofits for both delivery of services [and] actually acting as pipelines to the funding available for those services.”
Since January, nonprofits nationwide have seen funding abruptly cut, grants canceled and research projects terminated by the Trump administration. That’s taken a toll across sectors in Maine, but particularly health, human services and education, according to Jennifer Hutchins, executive director of the Maine Association of Nonprofits.
“Nonprofits are Maine’s invisible backbone, delivering critical services efficiently, contributing to economic growth and strengthening communities,” she said.
In 2023, about 20% of the state’s workforce was employed by nonprofits, which contributed $16 billion to Maine’s economy that year, the group said.
On a recent Wednesday morning, a former church building bought by Healthy Island Project was bustling. A Good Shepherd truck delivered food to supply its pantries, volunteers packed 130 lunches to deliver to seniors, and people arrived for coffee at tables decorated for Christmas.
“I don’t know, seriously, what seniors would do without HIP,” said Fran Roudebush, 89, as friends stopped to greet her before coffee hour.
There’s a need for its senior programming because resources have been dwindling on the island, particularly for residents over 65, who made up more than 30% of Stonington’s population in 2023. About 20% of its population lives at or below the poverty line, and almost a quarter of households on the island make less than $25,000 a year, according to a local housing report completed this year.
Hancock County’s last skilled nursing home shut down in neighboring Deer Isle in 2021, meaning people are staying in their homes for longer, according to Colson. Northern Light Health, which runs the nearest hospital and has ongoing fin ancial problems of its own, no longer employs an island social worker or sends visiting health care specialists.
Federal heating assistance funds previously reached towns through Downeast Community Partners, a community action agency that collapsed this year. Its contracts have been taken over by a similar agency based in Aroostook County, which is in the process of forming a new tri-county agency. Even organizations that have resources available in theory often don’t have enough money or staff to make it to the island, Colson said.
At the same time, inflation continues while a worsening shortage of affordable year-round housing threatens the economy and community, according to local officials and residents.
Island Workforce Housing, a nonprofit that creates housing that workers can afford, has built apartments on the island and is building more to help meet that need.
It has never received federal funding, which isn’t available for people in the middle-income range. But its work is an example of how nonprofits fund projects that communities need by attracting donors when public money isn’t available, according to Pamela Dewell, its executive director.
Some of the housing is needed for the town’s lobster industry, the busiest in Maine. A local report earlier this year said lobster dealers often house their own employees in order to keep a workforce.
Other aspects of the industry are researched and supported by the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, another local nonprofit that aims to keep fisheries sustainable and economically viable.
Grants it received during the Biden administration were canceled earlier this year, according to Executive Director Alexa Dayton, who declined to say what projects were affected. Some were later reinstated.
The center’s work reaches beyond Stonington, but it runs a free museum there, offers a maritime mentoring and education program for high school students, and conducts research relevant to the town’s fishing community, like opportunities for lobstermen to diversify their income with scallops and a cost survey of lobstering that could help inform new gear rules. Those three initiatives received federal money.
Dayton is less sure what will happen a year from now when current grants come to an end and new ones don’t open up, though she said she sees opportunities to get creative.
Fisheries research matters for Stonington because it needs to stay on the “cutting edge” and be able to help drive policy, according to Nelson.
Still, she and others interviewed for this story noted, federal funding has waxed and waned under different administrations; the island has been through lean times before.
Now, Nelson is encouraging wealthy and seasonal residents to make larger donations. So far, nonprofits said, they have been generous.
“When you say communities have to do it for themselves, we mean that the people that have resources need to take care of the people that don’t,” Nelson said. “It’s really as simple as that.”
As other organizations lose funding, Colson, of Healthy Island Project, expects to see more gaps that her nonprofit and its small staff will try to fill.
Though the group doesn’t receive federal money directly, fruits and vegetables for its ever-expanding food pantries come from Good Shepherd, which was hit by cuts earlier this year. People are still anxious about what’s ahead, what aid they might lose, or if their insurance costs will rise, according to Colson.
“We have grown, and our budget has continued to grow, in response to the needs around us at a time when the federal government has made severe cuts,” she said.
Competition for outside grants has also increased dramatically as other organizations lose federal funding and look to make up the difference. A growing Healthy Island Project is also applying to more of them than ever before.
But some funders are now limiting how much they award and how often, according to Susan Toder, a member of the group’s board. The organization is ready to do the work whenever money becomes available, she added.
Toder spoke with a reporter while packaging biscuits with Edythe Courville, 89, who has lived on the island since she was 3 years old — before a bridge connected it to the mainland. Throughout her life, the island has always been close knit, with residents ready to help each other, Courville said.
Despite the challenges and continued uncertainty, the women love both their work and a community ready to meet whatever needs arise. Spirits seemed high as the coffee hour started.
“What we do should be filled with light and joy and happiness,” Colson said. “We’re not defeated in any sense.”
BANGOR (BDN) — Maine’s Medicaid program lacks the proper controls to manage the billions of dollars going to health providers across the state, according to an audit released Thursday.
The findings from State Auditor Matt Dunlap’s office come amid a torrent of calls for increased scrutiny of how the state spends its MaineCare dollars and allegations of fraud, which has prompted another battle between President Donald Trump’s administration and Gov. Janet Mills.
Front and center in the growing debate is the embattled Portland health care provider Gateway Community Services, which is currently under investigation for potentially defrauding MaineCare largely through overinflated and underdocumented claims for interpreter services.
Dunlap’s report doesn’t mention either Gateway or interpreter services, but it does warn the state that inadequate monitoring of MaineCare could lead to federal regulators finding Maine out of compliance with its regulations. The state disputed that, but the watchdog’s words could add heat to a tense dispute between the Mills and Trump administrations.
Republicans stretching from top Medicaid regulator and former TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz to the Maine Legislature are pressuring Mills on the issue during her heated U.S. Senate primary. Dunlap himself is running in a Democratic primary for Maine’s open 2nd Congressional District.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services paused MaineCare payments to Gateway in December while it investigated “credible allegations of fraud.” The pause came as a result of an audit by DHHS that included a review of 15,000 claims made by Gateway between March 2021 and December 2022.
Dunlap’s report said the Program Integrity Unit, MaineCare’s internal auditing arm, “may not provide adequate monitoring of all Medicaid services. Medicaid programs are jointly funded by states and the federal government, but administration of the programs are mostly left to states.
In recent months, Oz has taken an increasing interest in how Maine is overseeing its program. He sent a letter demanding detailed information regarding the state’s oversight of Medicaid spending, outlining concerns and mentioning a federal criminal case against two interpreters who are charged with defrauding the federal government by filing false tax returns.
The case alleges that two interpreters filed false tax documents with the federal government showing their companies were paid for interpreter services that didn’t happen. The third defendant in the case was an employee of the Lewiston-based Bright Future Healthier You, who died after she was charged.
Bright Future Healthier You was the largest biller of MaineCare for interpreting services in the last 10 years. The company itself has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The case is the first case the federal government has brought in Maine since a 2021 report by a federal investigator that outlined a suspicious billing pattern for interpreter services. The report highlighted that the billing patterns seemed especially prominent among providers working with Maine’s Somali community and indicated widespread fraud within the MaineCare system.
Gateway was the second-highest biller of interpreter services in the last 10 years and has been the subject of numerous fraud allegations dating back to May 2025, when The Maine Wire, the media arm of the conservative Maine Policy Institute, first reported on claims from a former employee that Gateway falsified records.
Oz’s letter followed an audit performed by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services that found that Maine had made at least $45.6 million in improper Medicaid payments for support services for children with autism in 2023.
In November, widespread federal fraud prosecutions began in Minnesota, and with them, the employee, Chris Bernardini’s claims resurfaced in national conservative news outlets. Then, in December, U.S. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the top Republican on the House oversight committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury that identified Gateway, along with its founder Abdullahi Ali, as targets in a broader welfare fraud investigation.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services disagreed with Dunlap’s finding, saying it resulted from a “misunderstanding” of the federal regulations and how the department is structured. The department also said Dunlap’s findings discounted the regular ongoing checks the Program Integrity Unit undertakes on a more regular basis.
Dunlap said his office wasn’t persuaded by the department’s criticism and that the department “did not provide evidence of utilization control review procedures.”
WARREN, Maine (WWTW) – Dog owners are being urged to take steps to protect their pets from a potentially deadly virus.
The Midcoast Animal Emergency Clinic in Warren said on Tuesday that it is seeing a significant increase in canine parvovirus cases throughout the Midcoast and Augusta areas. Clinic staff also said they have been told about possible contamination at Quarry Hill Dog Park in Portland. Our media partner WMTW has reached out to city officials to learn more about the reported contamination there and mitigation efforts.
A spokesperson for the City of Augusta said there had been no formal notification from the state indicating a confirmed outbreak in the area, but that they had heard, anecdotally, of local cases.
The Kennebec Valley Humane Society did temporarily close in November due to an outbreak of parvo.
As of Wednesday, the city was not implementing any closures or restrictions at local dog parks, but officials were developing educational materials to help inform residents about canine parvovirus, including prevention and symptoms to watch for. These resources will be shared on the city’s website, social media channels, and posted at local dog parks.
What is canine parvovirus?
Animal experts say canine parvovirus (CPV, or parvo) is one of the most serious viruses that dogs and puppies can get. It typically causes severe illness in young and unvaccinated dogs. Parvo is spread by contact with contaminated feces. The virus can also live on surfaces that have been contaminated.
Parvo primarily affects the body’s rapidly dividing cells, meaning the intestinal tract and bone marrow are the most affected.
There is no specific cure for parvovirus in dogs and puppies, but there are treatments and vaccination is highly effective at preventing the virus when administered as directed by veterinarians.
In September of 2025, several animals in Houlton tested positive for the virus.
At the time, WMTW reported there had been an increase in cases in Maine since late 2024.
In the fall of 2025, the Eastern Maine Emergency Veterinary Clinic said dogs were being brought into their facility with the disease almost every week.
Puppies are most vulnerable to the virus, but older dogs that are unvaccinated and/or have compromised immune systems are also at risk.
If your dog is experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme lethargy, you are asked to quarantine them from other dogs immediately and seek veterinary attention.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
How far would you be willing to travel for delicious food or a unique experience? What about both?
There’s a restaurant in Lincoln, Maine, called Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express that you might want to consider visiting.
This small eatery specializes in express-style Japanese dining, boasting a 4.7/5 on Google, but it’s the visually mesmerizing and delicious super-sized sushi and appetizer platter boats that truly stand out.
Sushi Boat at Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express in Lincoln, Maine
Sure, Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express has a variety of foods to choose from when you’re feeling hungry, and there’s even some Chinese and Thai options as well.
But there’s something about ordering a meal that comes served up on a large wooden boat that sets the tone for a truly one-of-a-kind meal.
The Lincoln restaurant has that in both its sushi boat and Tokyo boat.
Let’s just say they are a feast for the eyes and mouth.
Looking at Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express’ menu highlights its sushi boat options, either for one or two, at $86 or $99, respectively. So go big or go home, right?
When Did Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express Open in Lincoln, Maine?
Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express is a relatively new venture, having opened in 2024 in Lincoln.
Right from its grand debut, the restaurant noted on its Facebook page that from “savory Hibachi and Teriyaki to Bento boxes and Sushi, every dish is crafted with fresh ingredients and mouthwatering flavors that will have you coming back for more.”
Not only was there a positive response from the outset, but that excitement for the restaurant has continued today, especially with the incredibly fun boat service loaded with food.
Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express
Here’s just a few recent reviews:
“Great food, friendly service fair prices! Worth the 70 mile round trip! Will be seeing us again!”
“The portions are very generous, the food was very tasty and all ingredients were fresh and well prepared.”
“The man that was there running things and cooking was SO friendly and helpful and hospitable. He kept bringing things out for us to try and talked to us and treated us like family.”
READ MORE: Hit Up All 5 Maine Restaurants Featured on Guy Fieri’s ‘Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives’ for the Ultimate Road Trip
At the end of the day, you could order a normal plate of sushi, or you could go all in and get a super boat of it. Sounds like a drive to this hidden gem location for a special meal seems like an adventure worth setting sail for.
Hungry for some sushi?
40 Maine Restaurants That are Worth a Long Drive to Get to
Thanks to our great listeners we were able to compile a list of many of Maine’s great restaurants, cafes, pubs and bakeries that are worth a long drive to get to.
These great spots can be found across the state and waiting for you to give them a try.
How many have you been to?
Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka
These Are 14 Must-Visit Hidden Gem Destinations in Maine
Gallery Credit: Megan
Jogging 101: Benefits for Your Body and Mind
Movie reviews reveal A Poet and All That’s Left of You dominate March with perfect 100% scores – Art Threat
Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm sues his parents, accuses them of misusing his money
Video: Will ICE Change Under Its New Leader?
Video: Trump’s Signature to Appear on Dollar Bills
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Video: Will ICE Change Under Its New Leader?
DHS shutdown breakthrough comes at cost for Republicans as funding fights nears end
Rubio joins crucial G7 talks as Iran war set to dominate second day
A surprise resignation could open the door for an independent to win a Montana Senate seat
Video: Savannah Guthrie Says She Believes Her Mother Was Taken for Ransom
-
Detroit, MI1 week agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Science1 week agoHow a Melting Glacier in Antarctica Could Affect Tens of Millions Around the Globe
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘Youth’ Twitter review: Ken Karunaas impresses audiences; Suraj Venjaramoodu adds charm; music wins praise | – The Times of India
-
Science1 week agoI had to man up and get a mammogram
-
Sports6 days agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
New Mexico4 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Texas1 week agoHow to buy Houston vs. Texas A&M 2026 March Madness tickets
-
Tennessee3 days agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson