Island Institute

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

Island Institute We boldly navigate climate and economic change with island and coastal communities to expand opportunities and deliver solutions.

Join us next week at the inaugural Electric WaterCraft Forum! ⚡️🚤This two-day, invitation-only event brings together sta...
10/15/2026

Join us next week at the inaugural Electric WaterCraft Forum! ⚡️🚤

This two-day, invitation-only event brings together stakeholders from across the marine electrification sector. Highlights include case study discussions, exhibits, sea trials, and networking.

Want to help establish Maine as a national leader in electric boats? Apply today and join the movement at the link in our comments!

📅 October 22–23
đź“Ť Lyman-Morse in Camden, Maine

10/13/2026

‼️ We have an update on the potential federal funding cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from Island Institute's Nick Battista.

The proposed cuts are particularly focused on climate resilience and environmental monitoring—programs that are essential for Maine's coast and working waterfronts.

That's why we're calling on YOU to share what NOAA means to you and your community. A few sentences is all it takes to tell policymakers what these critical investments mean for Mainers.

Learn more and speak up at the link in our comments! 🔗✨

Despite the recent much-needed rain, Maine still faces drought and increasing wildfire risks.Maine has been experiencing...
10/09/2026

Despite the recent much-needed rain, Maine still faces drought and increasing wildfire risks.

Maine has been experiencing drought since the summer of 2025. From this summer to fall, with above average temperatures and below average precipitation, the drought worsened from moderate to severe to extreme along much of the coast.

Learn more about how climate change is affecting our water supply by checking out the latest installment in our Waypoints series, which reflects data through mid-September.

Meet the new (and returning) Island Institute Fellows!For more than 25 years, we've placed Fellows in island and costal ...
10/08/2026

Meet the new (and returning) Island Institute Fellows!

For more than 25 years, we've placed Fellows in island and costal towns to support community-identified projects focused on climate resilience, the marine economy, and affordable housing.

Visit the link in our comments to learn about these young professionals' backgrounds and the work ahead! 🔗✨

This year's Island Institute Fellows cohort, left to right:
🔹 Emerson Wesselhoff, Damariscotta
🔹 Elizabeth Dyer, Islesboro
🔹 Ted Arnold, Chebeague
🔹 Alifaire Noreen, Blue Hill
🔹 Kate Cart, Phippsburg
🔹 Emma Butterfield, Isle au Haut
🔹 Liz Dudley, Monhegan
🔹 Kaylee Neat, Cranberry Isles (not pictured)

On Matinicus, unreliable access to power has made day-to-day life more difficult for generations.A new documentary, prod...
10/07/2026

On Matinicus, unreliable access to power has made day-to-day life more difficult for generations.

A new documentary, produced by CIC USA, follows the story of a community-led commitment to upgrading Matinicus’s energy system from a failing diesel generator to a solar and storage microgrid, saving the community an estimated 23,000 gallons of diesel each year.

In the video, Island Institute's Nick Battista speaks to the importance of energy resilience in Maine’s rural and island communities. We’re proud to have played a part in supporting the town of Matinicus in their effort to achieve energy independence.

Watch the documentary and learn more here: https://bit.ly/4dKbVOn

With its quaint village and dramatic cliffs, Monhegan is often considered one of Maine's most beautiful islands.Island I...
10/02/2026

With its quaint village and dramatic cliffs, Monhegan is often considered one of Maine's most beautiful islands.

Island Institute’s multimedia storyteller, Madison McClintock, describes the “ephemeral sweetness” of visiting Monhegan for the first time, where life 12 miles offshore "demands deep respect."

Check out her full photo essay in The Working Waterfront newspaper, linked below! 🗞️👇✨

Happy National Lobstah Day! 🦞Maine lobster is delicious and iconic, but before it ever makes it onto your plate, it take...
09/25/2026

Happy National Lobstah Day! 🦞

Maine lobster is delicious and iconic, but before it ever makes it onto your plate, it takes hard work on the water. From hauling traps to sorting the catch, Maine lobstermen put in long days in every season and all kinds of weather.

That work supports a network of working waterfronts, local businesses, fishing families, and coastal communities shaped by life on the water for generations.

So, go buy a lobster, support a local lobsterman, and help keep Maine’s working waterfronts thriving!

📸 From the working waterfronts of Swan's Island, Stonington, Cushing, and Port Clyde.

We’re thrilled to announce that National Audubon Society has launched its first fully electric passenger boat at Hog Isl...
09/23/2026

We’re thrilled to announce that National Audubon Society has launched its first fully electric passenger boat at Hog Island Audubon Camp with support from Island Institute, ePropulsion, and Mack Boring & Parts Co.!

The vessel, which is used to transport people and supplies between Hog Island and Bremen, can make over 25 round trips on a single charge. It's the latest step in Hog Island's decades-long commitment to understanding environmental change and building coastal resilience.

We are so proud to support this project that demonstrates how clean energy can support the people, organizations, and ecosystems that make Maine’s coast thrive. As Island Institute's Lia Morris puts it, "Hog Island gives us a chance to show just how many ways this technology can support coastal operations. The case for clean, quiet boats keeps getting stronger."

Island Institute’s electric boat initiative is made possible with funding support from Builders Vision, Maine Technology Institute, the State of Maine, and corporate sponsors.

A boat powered by electricity and a whole lot of Maine ingenuity.We recently climbed aboard Maine Ocean Farms' 100% elec...
09/16/2026

A boat powered by electricity and a whole lot of Maine ingenuity.

We recently climbed aboard Maine Ocean Farms' 100% electric workboat, Heron, to tour their oyster farm and see marine innovation in action.

Island Institute was proud to help bring Heron to the water last summer—a major milestone for marine electrification in Maine and a glimpse of what’s possible for the future of our working waterfront. And this kind of progress doesn’t happen alone.

Thank you to Maine B**r Company for partnering with Island Institute and investing in the people and ideas moving Maine forward—their 1% for the Planet giving, combined with guest donations, enables their support of nonprofits to grow each year. Their support helps projects like Heron come to life, building a stronger, more sustainable marine economy.

Here’s to the boats, businesses, and big ideas powering Maine’s coast into the future.

Address

386 Main Street
Rockland, ME
04841

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 4pm
Thursday 9:30am - 4pm
Friday 9:30am - 4pm

Telephone

(207)5949209

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Island Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Island Institute:

Shortcuts

Share

Category