PORTLAND — Twelve community organizations across Maine will benefit from $12 million in grants from the Maine Connectivity Authority to fund digital improvements.

Among the recipients are SeniorsPlus and YWCA Central Maine in Lewiston, and Franklin County Adult and Community Education in Farmington, which are set to receive $3.3 million in total between them, the authority announced Friday.

The grants come as a part of the Maine Connectivity Authority’s Connectivity Hubs grant program, which is aimed at bridging the gap in communities that suffer from limited access to digital resources. The grant program is funded through the ARPA Capital Projects Funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

With executive contracts to be finalized in the coming weeks, the recipient organizations will work to expand their capacity for “people to access educational and workforce training programs, use telehealth to improve access to health care, and provide access to high-speed internet, computers, and technical support, especially for those facing the most barriers,” Maine Connectivity Authority said in a news release.

“One of the exciting parts about this project is that there’s a range of different types of populations that will be served and types of organizations (that) have been awarded the funding,” said Jessica Perez, a digital equity manager at the Maine Connectivity Authority.

While officials from the area organizations could not be reached for comment Friday, their proposals outlined some details about their plans.

“SeniorsPlus will be adding a building on the property that they already are on. There’s a parking lot that they will use,” Perez said. “YWCA is not moving or expanding their facilities. They will be making renovations inside their existing space. And then Franklin Adult Ed will be purchasing a building in downtown Farmington.”

The grant amount varies for each organization. Franklin County Adult and Community Education is set to receive $1,773,574, and SeniorsPlus is expecting $900,000. YWCA Central Maine’s grant amount was announced to be $651,928.

“We had a range of amounts that we would accept. The minimum was $250,000 and it was up to $2 million. It was up to the organization to identify what their needs were and what that was going to cost,” Perez said.

Maine Connectivity Authority is not funding the programming that is to be offered, but only funding the capital improvement or the purchase of buildings, or the cost of renovations and equipment.

“We want to make sure that they have the funding that they need to complete the project. We don’t want them to be under-resourced. The financial commitment from them comes after the building is done. They have to make sure that they provide all the programming that they’re committing to,” Perez said. “We’re covering the capital cost with this grant, and then the organizations will go forward and make sure that they provide the programming that’s required.”

“One outcome is for folks to have the skills and the confidence and access to the devices, for them to be able to accomplish whatever goals they have for themselves,” Perez said.

The impacts can manifest themselves in many aspects, Perez said.

“We’re looking for more people in these communities to be able to find jobs, and find the jobs that match their skill levels, or be able to improve their skill level to get a better job, for folks to be able to get their HISET certifications or even pursue higher level education,” Perez said. “We’re looking for folks to be able to manage their health, especially when you think about being able to use resources like telehealth and how important that can be, say, for an older adult. Imagine it is wintertime and it’s slippery outside. Having the option to be able to have one’s appointment using telehealth as opposed to going outside. These are some examples of the outcomes we want,” Perez said.

The grant conditions specify that all projects must be completed before Aug. 31, 2026. Executive contracts will determine the timeline for each organization.

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