New Hampshire Good News #21: Aspire
In this edition: coal is gone, broadband is reaching everyone, new housing and small-business programs are growing, towns are upgrading water and roads, and clean-energy expands.
Welcome to the Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter, part of Granite Goodness. We share optimistic stories of progress, innovation, and problem solving from across New England.
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NOTE FROM ANDY
Hello everyone! We had a BLAST at Granite Goodness LIVE on Nov. 20. BIG thank you to our sponsor Grappone Automotive, the Rex Theatre, and our panelists Corinne Benfield, Mike Skelton, Steve Turner, and Shana Brunye.
We’ll be dropping the recording of the live show this week, so stay tuned!
Don’t miss last weeks episode featuring Anthony S. Poore and Jo Porter from the New Hampshire Center for Justice & Equity (thanks for our friends at NH Possible!)
SPONSOR
We’re often told the world is falling apart. Indeed, the loudest headlines focus endlessely on what’s going wrong. At Granite Goodness, we highlight the other half of the story… the steady, often quiet progress that real people create every day across our corner of the world.
Many challenges that once felt overwhelming are now improving because tons of people worked to make things better. The same is true for local stories of progress.
That spirit of optimism and possibility is why I’m proud to have Grappone Automotive sponsor this newsletter.
If you’d met the Grappones in 1924, you’d only have a picture of some scrappy Italians who operate and run a small gas station in NH. Missing from that impression would be the thriving business and community ecosystem built from the family over the next century, and the thousands of people who helped to make that happen.
Amanda Grappone, their fourth generation steward, joined me earlier this year on Granite Goodness to share that journey, also joining us at Granite Goodness LIVE!
In honor of their 100 years of service to New Hampshire, we also compiled 100 local stories of Granite Staters making the world better in 2025.
Thank you to Amanda and the entire Grappone family for their support of Granite Goodness and for being our presenting sponsor at Granite Goodness: LIVE!
And now, enjoy some good news : )
-Andy
GRANITE GREENERY - Sustainability & Environment
New Hampshire launches ASPIRE to accelerate homegrown clean energy
New Hampshire’s Community Power Coalition has launched ASPIRE, a new program giving renewable developers a stable, predictable path to build more local clean-energy projects. With seven proposals already in and 68 member communities involved, ASPIRE is poised to boost affordable, community-driven clean energy across the state. - NH Community Power Coalition
New England’s last coal plant switches off for good
In Bow, NH, the Merrimack Station coal plant has closed three years ahead of schedule, ending coal use across all of New England. The site will be reborn as a clean-energy hub with solar and battery storage, and advocates say the transition will meaningfully shrink the region’s carbon footprint. - NH Bulletin
Newport bets on trails, Main Street, and the river
Newport is leaning into the outdoor economy with help from the EPA’s Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program. The town is working to better connect Main Street to the Sugar River Rail Trail and regional paths, update wayfinding, boost walkability, draw more visitors, and fold in flood protection and ecosystem restoration at the same time. - Northern Border Regional Commission
Lancaster runs its transfer station on sunshine
Lancaster, NH has built what is believed to be the region’s first off-grid municipal transfer station, powered entirely by solar panels and electric equipment. Grants covered nearly half the cost, and the new system cuts diesel use, trims utility bills, and shows how electric loaders plus rooftop arrays can save towns thousands of dollars each year. - Construction Equipment Guide
GRANITE GRIT - Building & Infrastructure
New Hampshire on track for universal broadband by 2026
New Hampshire officials say the state is now positioned to reach 100 percent broadband access by 2026, years ahead of schedule. Updated federal rules let the state use a wider mix of technologies, including satellite, to reach the last few thousand unserved locations. With funding allocated and providers lined up, New Hampshire is close to ensuring every home and business can get online. - NH Business Review
New program accelerates affordable workforce housing in New Hampshire
New Hampshire is launching InvestNH 2.0, a 7 million dollar initiative that gives communities and developers new tools to speed up affordable workforce housing. The program funds redevelopment, site work, safety upgrades, and construction, helping bring projects to life faster and ensuring at least 20 percent of units remain affordable for working families. - NH BEA
Allenstown upgrades its wastewater plant to protect the Merrimack
Allenstown is beginning an $11 million overhaul of its wastewater facility, adding new clarifiers and modern systems that will send cleaner water into the Suncook and Merrimack Rivers. It’s a small town project with big downstream benefits, helping safeguard a watershed shared by nearly 200 New England communities. - Hoyle Tanner
Monadnock region secures $65 million for safer roads and stronger connections
New Hampshire’s new 10-year transportation plan brings about $65 million in investment to the Monadnock region. Communities across the area will see safer roads, upgraded bridges, and new pedestrian connections. - Monadnock Ledger Transcript
GRANITE GROWTH - Economy & Workforce
Plymouth State builds a rural opioid response talent pipeline
Thanks to a $1.56 million federal grant, PSU is launching the Plymouth Area Rural Opioid Training Collaborative, a program that will train more behavioral health professionals, fund paid fellowships, and build a stronger regional network for medication assisted treatment. - Plymouth State University
A new apprenticeship strengthens NH’s early-childhood workforce
A partnership across ApprenticeshipNH, River Valley Community College, and Head Start is launching a new apprenticeship model that blends 4,000 hours of paid work with coursework leading to a degree. It’s built to ease New Hampshire’s shortage of early-childhood educators. - Apprenticeship NH
New Hampshire invests nearly 2 million dollars to fuel small business growth
New Hampshire is directing $1.99 million to eight organizations that help entrepreneurs sharpen their skills, access coaching, and secure the tools they need to launch and grow. The funding will support 339 small business owners statewide and strengthens the local networks that make New Hampshire’s startup community thrive. - NH CDFA
NH program helps hundreds step into nursing careers
Elliot Hospital’s Granite State Partners Program has supported 300 aspiring nurses, bringing together more than 40 partners to remove barriers like tuition, childcare, and transportation. - Manchester Ink Link
GRANITE GADGETS - Science & Innovation
New Hampshire continues to emerge as a rising powerhouse in life sciences
New Hampshire’s life sciences sector is surging, with industry establishments up 87 percent and employment up 28 percent since 2019. With more than 50 companies now in the NH Life Sciences network, the state is fast becoming a regional hub for biotech and medical technology. - Manchester InkLink
UNH opens new cleanroom to power advanced research
UNH has unveiled a new ISO7 cleanroom at the John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center, giving students, researchers, and local companies access to a cutting-edge space for microelectronics, space technology, and precision manufacturing. - UNH Today
Manchester mill aims to revolutionize organ donation
A historic mill in Manchester’s Millyard has been renewed as a modern United Therapeutics research center, where scientists are developing 3D-printed structures that could eventually support lab-grown lungs. - NH Business Review
GRANITE GRATITUDE - Nonprofits & Public Sector
Record $40 million gift boosts opportunities for New Hampshire students
Saint Anselm College has received a historic $40 million gift from Robert and Beverly Grappone, strengthening programs in business, the humanities, nursing, and campus life. - Philanthropy News Digest
Moody’s upgrade signals stronger, more reliable care for New Hampshire residents
Moody’s decision to raise Elliot Health System’s bond rating from A3 to A2 shows that New Hampshire’s healthcare network is becoming more stable, well-resourced, and prepared to deliver high-quality care. - Manchester Ink Link
NH Speedway grants fuel new opportunities for New England youth
Speedway Children’s Charities New Hampshire awarded $155,600 to 43 nonprofits across the region, helping to expand mentoring, arts, education, and a range of confidence building outlets for kids across New England. - NH Motor Speedway
That’s it for this edition of the Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter! We also post on Instagram, Linkedin, and Facebook. Be sure to check out our other newsletter covering all of New England!
Stay tuned for upcoming newsletters covering Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Learn about the people behind these stories on our podcast. You can customize what you recieve from us here.
This newsletter is shared in partnership with our friends at NH Rocks and The Granite Post. Subscribe to the Granite Post here for NH news you can use!
Hungry for other stories of progress, innovation, and good news beyond the borders of New England? Check out our friends at Fix The News or The Progress Network.
If you are interested in sponsoring this newsletter or partnering with us, please reach out at hello@granitegoodness.com.
-Andy
That's A LOT of great news across so many communities! Thank you for starting the week off on a positive note!!
This is such an uplifting Newsletter -it makes our Sunday much brighter and ... optimistic!!!
Thank you for all that you do - Granite Goodness is a true beacon during these crazy times !!!!
LU!!!! Mom and Kevin