PHOTO Katie Bragg, in green, at the Business Building, is the economic council’s director of Small Business & Entrepreneurship.
In Washington County
New Business Community
The Sunrise County Economic Council is the driving force behind the MaineStreet Business Building that opened in 2023 to foster job creation and sustainable prosperity in Maine’s Washington County, where nearly 20 percent of residents live below the poverty line.
Local businesses, nonprofits, and schools have enthusiastically endorsed the center’s potential to become an invaluable asset. Its training and resources will help business owners and emerging entrepreneurs, including business students, cultivate business skills, find mentorship, collaborate, and build a strong network.
“We’re grateful to Genesis for helping us create a modern space where local aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners can connect with business advisors, resources, training, and each other.”
Genesis played a pivotal role in taking the center from vision to reality by extending a bridge loan to begin construction after property was donated for the building site. Concurrently, Sunrise County Economic Council and Machias Savings Bank led a successful capital campaign, mobilizing gifts and grants to kickstart construction and furnish the center with furniture and equipment.
