New England Good News #2 - Dirretesima
Plus: boosts for renewables, affordable housing, workforce training, solar + agriculture, microplastics research, bridge upgrades, climate-smart farming, and a new AI task force!
Welcome to the Good News in New England Newsletter, part of Granite Goodness. We share optimistic stories of progress, innovation, and problem solving from across New England— proudly hosted in the Granite State.
Howdy everyone, and thanks for waiting for this edition of the newsletter! It’s been a crazy time here at Granite Goodness. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve joined the Progress Network, appeared on another podcast, joined our friends at
for their film festival, and released interviews with NH policy heavyweights Taylor Caswell and Mike Skelton. If you’re around Portsmouth tomorrow, come join myself, Stay Work Play, and a bunch of cool people at Treeline Outfitters.In this edition: Maine ramps up renewables and job training, Vermont expands energy rebates and affordable housing, Massachusetts invests big in housing and workforce skills, Rhode Island backs farm solar and microplastics research, Connecticut upgrades bridges and adds jobs, and New Hampshire funds climate-smart farming and launches an AI task force.
MANY THANKS to my friend Jesse Lore at Green Wave Electric Vehicles for sponsoring this newsletter.
EVs are cleaner, quieter, easier on your wallet, and honestly just more fun to drive. And with the $4,000 used EV tax credit ending this September, it’s a great time to think about making the switch. Jesse and his crew are all about helping people find the right car and feel part of a bigger community while doing it. They even plant 100 trees for every EV purchased! Put another way, as Jesse likes to say:
“Save the planet with a really cool car at Green Wave.”
Learn more about Jesse and Green Wave on episode #40 of Granite Goodness.
And now, enjoy some good news.
GRANITE GREENERY - Sustainability & Environment
Maine issues RFP for new renewable energy projects
The Maine Public Utilities Commission released a request for proposals seeking cost‑effective renewable power that could supply about 13 percent of the state’s electricity needs. Eligible projects include solar, wind, hydro and biomass, with selection based on price, environmental benefits and economic impact. – Maine Governor’s Energy Office
Rhode Island awards $400,000 in farm energy grants
Governor Dan McKee, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and the Department of Environmental Management awarded more than $400,000 to 23 farms so they can install solar panels, efficient lighting and irrigation systems. The grants lower energy costs for farmers and advance the state’s climate goals by supporting clean‑energy upgrades in agriculture. – Rhode Island OER/DEM
Vermont expands energy‑efficiency incentives
Efficiency Vermont broadened eligibility for rebates on heat pumps, weatherization and high‑efficiency appliances, making more households eligible for higher incentives. The updated program aims to cut household energy use and emissions while making home upgrades more affordable. – Efficiency Vermont
New Hampshire awards more than $300k for climate‑resilience projects
New Hampshire’s Climate Resilience Grant Program distributed more than $300,000 across 44 farms to support energy efficiency, drought‑ready irrigation, soil‑health improvements and riparian restoration projects. Officials said the grants empower farmers statewide to adapt to climate change and strengthen long‑term viability. – Morning Ag Clips
GRANITE GRIT - Building & Infrastructure
Vermont starts construction on 40 permanently affordable apartments
Champlain Housing Trust and Evernorth began building 40 permanently affordable apartments at Burlington’s Cambrian Rise. The climate‑conscious project uses geothermal heating and rooftop solar and is part of a larger neighborhood where 210 homes will remain affordable. Funding includes $23.8 million from local, state and federal partners. – Evernorth
Massachusetts invests $182 million to create ~1,200 affordable homes
The Healey–Driscoll administration awarded $182 million in tax credits and subsidies to 21 rental developments, creating or preserving 1,245 homes for seniors, families and formerly homeless residents. Officials said the expanded tax credit will enable more affordable housing production and has already helped build thousands of units since the governor took office. – Mass.gov
Maine’s Fidium expands multi‑gig fiber to Gorham
Fidium Fiber announced that its multi‑gig network now reaches more than 4,200 homes and businesses in Gorham, Maine. More than 385,000 homes statewide can now access its network. – Fidium Fiber
Connecticut invests $17 million in infrastructure
Connecticut’s Department of Transportation awarded $17.3 million to 15 municipal bridge projects through the State Local Bridge Program, which covers half the cost of locally owned bridge repairs and replacements. To date, the program has provided $162 million to help towns keep more than 4,200 local bridges safe and reliable. - CT.gov
GRANITE GROWTH - Economy & Workforce
Maine’s $8.3 million grant fuels free workforce training
Maine’s community colleges will use an $8.3 million grant from the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce to offer free short‑term training for up to 6,700 residents. The programs cover trades like construction, healthcare, IT and manufacturing. – Maine’s Community Colleges
Vermont grants expand childcare capacity and workforce support
First Children’s Finance awarded planning grants to 18 childcare programs, including The Learning Tree at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, to fund feasibility studies and expansion plans. The Learning Tree aims to add classrooms, a kitchen and a playground to serve 100 children, supporting working families and strengthening the local economy. – Vermont Biz
New Hampshire’s construction unemployment rate falls to 1.3 percent
Associated Builders and Contractors reported that New Hampshire posted the nation’s third‑lowest construction unemployment rate at 1.3 percent in June 2025. Apprenticeship programs and outreach to young workers are helping keep the state’s building sector robust and poised for continued growth. – ABC NH/VT
Connecticut adds 6,300 jobs and maintains low unemployment
Connecticut gained 6,300 jobs in June, bringing total employment to 1.718 million — the highest since March 2008. The unemployment rate remained at 3.8 percent, below the national 4.1 percent, while labor force participation climbed to 64.8 percent and manufacturing reported 5,000 open jobs. – CT Department of Labor
Rhode Island grant expands skilled trades training
The Lowe’s Foundation awarded $1 million to the Community College of Rhode Island to expand hands‑on training programs for high‑demand trades. College president Rosemary Costigan said the grant will equip students with tools and mentorship to thrive as Rhode Island looks to fill critical workforce gaps. – Rhode Island Current
Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund invests over $20 million
The Commonwealth Corporation’s Workforce Training Fund Program awarded more than $20 million to businesses across Massachusetts to train 18,000 workers and add 1,200 jobs. The grants will support worker upskilling and help companies grow statewide. – Commonwealth Corporation
GRANITE GADGETS - Science & Innovation
NH Tech Alliance creates AI Task Force
The New Hampshire Tech Alliance launched an AI Task Force on July 14, bringing together government, industry and academic leaders to develop responsible AI policy and promote ethical innovation. Co‑chairs Philip Magnuszewski and Holly Neiweem said the group will host public forums and help the state lead in transparent, inclusive AI practices. – NH Tech Alliance
UConn cancer research opens possibilities for personalized melanoma treatment
UConn researchers found that a two-drug immunotherapy can make the immune system stronger against melanoma and help patients respond better to treatment. Their work suggests doctors may soon be able to predict which patients will benefit most. - University of Connecticut
Rhode Island colleges secure $7 million NSF grant to study microplastics
A consortium of Rhode Island College, the University of Rhode Island, Brown University and Roger Williams University received a $7 million NSF grant to research microplastics saturating Narragansett Bay. The interdisciplinary team will sample sediments, fish and invertebrates and work with communities to reduce plastic waste and understand socio‑ecological impacts. – University of Rhode Island
Maine researchers reveal hidden diatoms in the Southern Ocean
Scientists at Bigelow Laboratory found that two types of tiny ocean plants—diatoms and coccolithophores—can live together even when nutrients are scarce in the Southern Ocean. This discovery will help improve climate models and satellite tracking of how the ocean stores carbon. – Bigelow Laboratory
UNH study links non‑competes to reduced innovation
A study by UNH finance professor Zhaozhao He found that stricter non‑compete agreements lower patent values by over 30 percent and limit workers’ bargaining power and mobility. The research, cited by the Federal Trade Commission in its 2024 rule banning most non‑competes, shows how Granite State scholarship is influencing national innovation policy. – UNH Today
GRANITE GRATITUDE - Nonprofits & Public Sector
Cummings Foundation funds 150 nonprofits with $30 million in support
The Cummings Foundation is investing $30 million into 150 Boston-area nonprofits, providing multi-year grants that will help organizations grow, innovate, and expand their impact. This commitment ensures long-term stability for groups tackling housing, education, women’s empowerment, and more. - Philanthropy News Digest
Small nonprofits get free employee assistance program
The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, partnering with the NH Charitable Foundation and KGA, launched a free employee assistance program for small nonprofits. Thirty‑six organizations with 165 staff joined in July, giving employees and their families 24/7 access to confidential counseling, childcare and eldercare referrals and legal and financial guidance. – NH Charitable Foundation
Bank of NH invests $5,000 in family homelessness program
The Bank of NH donated $5,000 to Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire’s Affordable Housing Expansion Initiative. The contribution will provide financial assistance and case management to families experiencing homelessness and help increase the supply of stable housing. – Bank of NH
GRANITE GREATNESS: Human Interest & Our Favorite Stories
NH man sets new record for summiting 48 mountains
This summer, Jackson native Andrew Drummond set a new record by completing New Hampshire’s 48 tallest mountains in a single unsupported hike, covering over 200 miles in just 4 days, 22 hours, and 43 minutes. Known as the White Mountain Direttissima (an Italian term meaning “the most direct route”), this legendary trail links all the state’s 4,000-footers in one continuous push. - NHPR
That’s it for this edition of the Good News in New England Newsletter. This newsletter is free and shareable to anyone anywhere. We also post on Instagram, Linkedin, and Facebook.
For more personal stories about progress and problem solving across NH & New England, check our podcast, Granite Goodness, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, and everywhere else. If you have any story tips, questions, feedback, or just want to say hi you can write us at hello@granitegoodness.com.
Hungry for other stories of progress, innovation, and good news beyond the borders of Yankeedom? Check out our friends at
or The Progress Network.Thank you for reading!
-Andy
I learn so much from reading your newsletters. The newsletters are interesting and concise, allowing readers to stay up-to-date on so many "Good News" stories happening every day throughout New England! What a record Andrew Drummond set by summiting New Hampshire's 48 tallest mountains in a single hike in less than 5 days! It's stories like this one that inspire many readers to follow suit and do GOOD THINGS! Thank you, and keep up the great work!
Reading this terrific news is a great way to start the day!!! thank you for all of your hard work reporting the GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!! Keep it up!!!