More Than $33 Million for Maine’s Colleges and Universities Secured by Senator Collins in Funding Bills

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $33,505,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine's colleges and universities in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Financial Services and General Government (FSGG); and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bills. The bills, which were approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, have been signed into law.

"Maine's colleges and universities play a vital role in preparing students for good-paying careers and supporting our state's workforce needs," said Senator Collins. "This funding will help institutions across Maine modernize facilities, upgrade equipment, expand health care and technical training, and strengthen research and workforce development programs. As Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure these important targeted investments."

"Maine's public universities are at the forefront of advancing research and workforce development to benefit Maine's people and economy. We are greatly appreciative of Senator Collins's support for these high-impact capital projects, which will enable our public universities to modernize facilities necessary to conduct world-class R&D that matters to Maine and prepare the future workforce to lead and care for our communities," said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation for the University of Maine System and President of the University of Maine.

"This higher education funding secured by Senator Collins will be transformational for our students and Maine, providing critically needed health care equipment and facilities that will not only help increase the number of skilled health care workers in Maine, but support our goal of doubling the number of nursing graduates from Maine's community colleges," said David Daigler, President of the Maine Community College System.

"Maine Maritime Academy is extremely appreciative of Senator Collins' support of these projects to help ensure our students have access to the tools and resources needed to succeed," said Craig Johnson, President of MMA. "The expansion of small vessel training will offer comprehensive hands-on education for highly motivated students interested in shipbuilding careers. Funding to purchase equipment for the State of Maine training vessel will support the capabilities required to provide the next generation of mariners with a world-class education through state-of the art technology."

"With the planned renovations to the Ricker Addition building, the University of Maine at Farmington is responding to the dire shortage of trained healthcare professionals in rural Maine. Renovations will outfit new health professional classrooms and simulation labs. The renovated space will provide vital training infrastructure and a pipeline to employment with regional partners in the healthcare industry," said Joseph McDonnell, President, University of Maine at Farmington.

"This funding will provide much-needed equipment for high-demand health profession programs at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, including our exercise science, medical laboratory technology, and physical therapist assistant programs, as well as the nursing program we partner with the University of Maine at Fort Kent to deliver on our campus,"said Ray Rice, President, University of Maine at Presque Isle. "Training our students for door-opening degrees in these health professions requires modern equipment - from hospital beds to hematology analyzers - that allow us to provide advanced hands-on training, ensuring our graduates are both workforce-ready and able to help meet the future health care workforce needs in our region and throughout Maine."

"This funding is truly transformative for Southern Maine Community College and the students and communities we serve. The Education and Training Accelerator Lab will allow us to expand hands-on, workforce-aligned training in modern, flexible spaces that meet the evolving needs of Maine's economy," said Kristen Miller, President, Southern Maine Community College. "We are deeply grateful to Senator Collins for her leadership and continued commitment to community colleges and workforce development, and for recognizing the critical role SMCC plays in preparing students for high-demand careers while supporting local employers and small businesses."

"Maine is facing a critical workforce gap with an estimated 5,000 new engineering and computing graduates needed to replace retiring workers and fuel job growth across our state," said Giovanna Guidoboni, Dean, Maine College of Engineering and Computing. "This funding directly addresses that shortage and enables us to equip our students with the practical expertise employers demand. The modernization of engineering and computing labs at multiple campuses across the University of Maine System will mean more graduates who are better prepared to address Maine's most pressing challenges, from improving energy systems and infrastructure to advancing manufacturing, AI-enabled technologies, and health care."

Funding secured by Senator Collins is as follows:

Modernizing Engineering and Computing Labs

Recipient: University of Maine System

Project Location: Orono, ME

Amount Requested: $2,400,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the engineering and computing department labs.

Forest Health Facility Equipment

Recipient: University of Maine System

Project Location: Orono, ME

Amount Requested: $500,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the University's Forest Health lab.

Northeast Indigenous Archaeology and Heritage Science Center Record Digitization

Recipient: University of Maine System

Project Location: Orono, ME

Amount Requested: $750,000

Project Purpose: To support record digitization and archival work.

Health Care Training Equipment Upgrades

Recipient: University of Maine System

Project Location: Presque Isle, ME

Amount Requested: $1,500,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the health care profession programs at the University of Maine Presque Isle.

Health Care Training Center Renovations

Recipient: University of Maine Farmington

Project Location: Farmington, ME

Amount Requested: $1,900,000

Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support a new Health Care Education Center.

Computer Training Facility

Recipient: University of Maine Fort Kent

Project Location: Fort Kent, ME

Amount Requested: $885,000

Project Purpose: To support the creation of a computer science working lab.

Small Vessel Training Program

Recipient: Maine Maritime Academy

Project Location: Castine, ME

Amount Requested: $1,170,000

Project Purpose: To support workforce development through small vessel training.

Training Laboratory

Recipient: Maine Maritime Academy

Project Location: Castine, ME

Amount Requested: $2,800,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for a simulation laboratory aboard the State of Maine training vessel.

Building Workforce Development through Connectivity and Technology

Recipient: Husson University

Project Location: Bangor, ME

Amount Requested: $1,100,000

Project Purpose: For technology, equipment, and facilities upgrades to expand education opportunities for students in marketing fields.

Advancing Science and Technology for Maine's STEM Workforce

Recipient: Thomas College

Project Location: Waterville, ME

Amount Requested: $1,100,000

Project Purpose: For curriculum development and to purchase equipment for an advanced biochemistry lab and a new physics lab.

EMCC Nursing and Allied Health Education Simulation Expansion

Recipient: Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC)

Project Location: Bangor, ME

Amount Requested: $6,510,000

Project Purpose: To construct and equip a nursing and allied health care simulation laboratory and learning center on campus.

York County Community College Workforce and Student Housing

Recipient: York County Community College

Project Location: Wells, ME

Amount Requested: $6,500,000

Project Purpose: To construct housing for year-round use.

SMCC Education and Training Accelerator Lab

Recipient: Southern Maine Community College (SMCC)

Project Location: South Portland

Amount Requested: $2,237,000

Project Purpose: To upgrade facilities and expand training for SMCC's plumbing programs.

CMCC Nursing Education Equipment Enhancement

Recipient: Central Maine Community College (CMCC)

Project Location: Auburn, ME

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Project Purpose: To purchase nursing education equipment.

KVCC Electrical Program Training Facility

Recipient: Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC)

Project Location: Fairfield, ME

Amount Requested: $180,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for KVCC's electrician training program.

KVCC Mechanized Logging and Forest Trucking Program

Recipient: Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC)

Project Location: Fairfield, ME

Amount Requested: $1,019,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for a logging workforce training program.

NMCC Nursing and Allied Health Education Simulation Expansion

Recipient: Northern Maine Community College (NMCC)

Project Location: Presque Isle, ME

Amount Requested: $650,000

Project Purpose: To purchase labor and delivery simulation equipment.

NMCC Industrial E&I Technician Training Program

Recipient: Northern Maine Community College (NMCC)

Project Location: Presque Isle, ME

Amount Requested: $1,304,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment and develop a program to train industrial electrical and instrumentation technicians.

In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured nearly $1.5 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, FY 2024, and FY 2026 to date. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

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