13 May 2025

PRESENT: Ivan Fernandez, Kelsey Preecs, Tom Meuser,

STAFF: Michael Ashmore, Lucy Martin

Meeting started at 3:00

Meeting Notes

  1. Welcome
  2. AmeriCorps General Update
    1. Michael informed the Task Force that funding for all of Maine’s AmeriCorps was terminated by the federal government and that Volunteer Maine is attempting to collaborate with program leads to understand how to best support them and the members with resources, including potential other employment/service opportunities
  3. Service Fellows Update
    1. Lucy updated the Task Force that LD876 has passed unanimously through its committee and was sent on to appropriations. This LD would allocate an additional $700,000 from the state for the Maine Service Fellows program
    2. All of the sites have Service Fellows enrolled and both the cohort of host site supervisors and Maine Service Fellows have been onboarded
    3. Maine Service Fellows will be attending NOAA trainings at the beginning of June
  4. Climate Corps Network
    1. Lucy informed the Task Force that the Green Employer’s Learning Cohort funding timeline was extended into October so that it can be used for the National Governor’s Association Service to Workforce Policy Academy goals as well
    2. Lucy informed Kelsey and Ivan that some of the funds had already been distributed to programs in the Climate Corps Network for professional development opportunities.
    3. Lucy also discussed how participation of non-AmeriCorps Network programs in June’s working group for the NGA Service to Careers Pathways was being explored, now that there was termination of federal funding. Programs such as Island Institute, Goodwill, and the Muskie School of Public Service interns were mentioned as possibilities.
    4. Lucy discussed her meeting with Brenda Zollitsch of the University of Southern Maine School of Public Service and Brenda’s research from the past two years on the different skills that employers in the innovation/green jobs sectors are prioritizing in prospective employees. Brenda is planning to  design trainings around these skillsets and her research in collaboration with Volunteer Maine
  5. Volunteer Leadership Conference Planning Committee (20 minutes)
    1. Ivan offered a host of suggestions for possible panelists for the MVLC panel based on stewardship/volunteerism in outdoor recreation/natural sciences such as Acadia National Park and the Lakes Association.

Meeting ended at: 3:56