To help Maine small businesses of all industries survive and thrive in the face of extreme weather, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) has launched a series of resources including the Small Business Guide to Preparing for Extreme Weather and an in-person workshop to help Maine businesses build resilience in the face of increasingly volatile weather events.

Event Details:

Winter Readiness: Prioritizing Business Preparedness and Resilience

• December 10, from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• Allagash Bungalow, at 10 Market Street in Scarborough
• Free registration at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/winter-readiness-prioritizing-business-preparedness-and-resilience-tickets-1907497730059
• Raffle prizes and a light breakfast will be provided.

Sponsored by M&T Bank, this workshop gathers industry experts to walk attendees through what to expect for the future of Maine's climate and share insights on how Maine's small business community can be better prepared for extreme weather and its impact on business operations. The goal is for small businesses to walk away with practical information on how they can limit business disruptions in the event of extreme weather, according to CEI, in a news release.

The event will kick off with Hannah Baranes, PhD, Coastal Scientist at GMRI, followed by a panel of experts featuring Patrick Woodcock, President & CEO, Maine State Chamber of Commerce; Robert Carey, Superintendent, Maine Bureau of Insurance; Michael Durkin, Director, Emergency Management Agency, Cumberland County; and Sean Diffley, Engineering Director, Allagash Brewing Company.

Toolkit Highlights:

CEI’s Small Business Guide to Preparing for Extreme Weather provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to understanding the potential risks of weather events to small businesses and how business owners can work to mitigate those risks.This 32-page digital toolkit includes:

• Risk assessment questionnaire
• Step-by-step guides on flood mapping tools
• Preparedness checklists and recommendations for businesses at all risk levels
• How your business can support the local community during and after a disaster

“Rural and coastal businesses face unique weather challenges. Our toolkit gives business owners practical steps to protect their operations and teams, supporting a resilient local economy,” said Eliza Jacobs, Associate Program Developer, Business Sustainability & Resilience at CEI.

Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) is a Community Development Financial Institution and 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to build a more equitable economy by growing good jobs, livelihoods and small business ownership, while advancing a just transition to a climate-resilient future. CEI integrates finance, business expertise, and policy solutions in ways that make the economy work more equitably.