User:JMStoryteller/sandbox/Island Institute

The Island Institute is a community development non-profit based in Rockland, Maine. The organization aims to support the sustainability of life on Maine’s islands and coastal communities. Much of the efforts of the Island Institute are focused on economies tied to the sea including working waterfronts, the lobster industry, and aquaculture (primarily of kelp and oysters).

Background
Established in 1983 by photographer, Peter Ralston and Philip Conkling, the Island Institute's mission was to preserve island fishing communities. Today, under the leadership of Rob Snyder, the organization works with year-round Maine Island communities to facilitate sustainable life in the areas of economic development, education, energy, and marine resources. Their education work includes connecting isolated school children with online technology. The organization also works on projects outside of Maine in other rural communities like in Alaska and the islands of The Great Lakes. Working with other organizations including College of the Atlantic, the Island Institute has conducted exchange trips. In 2014, the two organizations worked together to send students to the Danish island of Samso to study renewable energy practices.

In 2000, the Island Institute opened its store, Archipelago which works to support creative economies by selling Maine-made art and other gifts.

Since the organization grew from 2 to 40+ individuals over 34 years, the institute now occupies a four-story building in downtown Rockland which was formerly occupied by the department store, Senter Crane.

Publications
The Island Institute has an annual publication called the Island Journal which documents and celebrates Maine’s island and coastal heritage through storytelling and art. The Island Journal has been released annually since 1984. In 1993, the Island Institute started publishing its newspaper The Working Waterfront which is now published at 55,000 copies 10 times a year and is distributed along the coast of Maine.