ROCKLAND — The City of Rockland was designated by President Obama Aug. 4 as one of 25 municipalities from throughout the country to be a White House and Small Business Administration Startup in a Day Challenge. Rockland is the only city in the State of Maine to win this distinction, and has been awarded $50,000 to create online infrastructure for business ventures.

The Startup in a Day Challenge is part of the Obama administration’s Startup in a Day initiative, which aims to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start a business by reducing the amount of time it takes to register and apply for permits and licenses on the local level. 

Cities and Native American communities across the United States were encouraged to get involved.

Other winners include:

Anchorage, Alaska

Asheville, North Carolina

Atlanta, Georgia

Austin, Texas

Boise, Idaho

Boston, Massachusetts

Brookings, South Dakota

Burlington, Vermont

Champaign, Illinois

Jackson, Michigan

Long Beach, California

Memphis, Tennessee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Oakland, California

Peoria, Illinois

Riverside, California

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Rutland City, Vermont

Salt Lake City, Utah

San Francisco, California

Seattle, Washington

St. Louis, Missouri

Washington, District of Columbia

Wilmington, Delaware

“Small businesses are the backbone of Rockland’s economy. “ said City Manager Jim Chaousis, in a news release. “The City of Rockland is willing to get behind any initiative that supports our entrepreneurs and their businesses.”

Rockland’s winning submission for the $50,000 prize is a proposal to create the online portal Smart Start Rockland.

“Smart Start Rockland will provide entrepreneurs trying to start a business with the ability to apply for all the permits and licenses online in an efficient and streamlined process. In addition, Smart Start Rockland will direct entrepreneurs to a variety of resources including: educational and training material, business counselling, funding and financing,” said Rockland’s Community and Economic Development Director Audra Caler-Bell.

Rockland will also make its Smart Start portal available to other municipalities in Maine for their customization.

Rockland was specifically approached by the Small Business Administration in July to participate in the Startup in a Day Initiative.

Though all municipalities across the country were invited to participate Rockland was approached because of the city’s reputation as a business friendly community with successful entrepreneurs, such as Kate McAleer from Bixby and Co. and Heidi Neal of Loyal Biscuit Co., who won SBA’s New England Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and Maine Small Business Leader of the Year award for 2015, respectively.

“If two SBA award winners in one city doesn’t prove Rockland is the most business friendly city in Maine then this award really puts Rockland over the top,” said Rockland’s Mayor Frank Isganitis, “If you thought before that Rockland was open for business before then just stick around a while longer. We’re really going to take off!”