Maine ELOs in Action: Sunshine Mini Grant Program Supports Career-Connected Learning through Innovation and Collaboration

In 2023, the Sunshine Mini Grant program was launched with funding from a private trust group, resulting in $88,000 in grants to 18 schools across Maine to expand career exploration for students—including through extended learning opportunities (ELOs). This initiative has positively impacted approximately 300 students from various Maine counties and school administrative units (SAUs), including in programs at Windham, South Portland, and Mountain Valley High Schools.

The Sunshine Mini Grant program is designed to support schools—particularly those with limited resources—in piloting innovative, career-connected learning experiences. In addition to funding, participating schools benefit from professional networking, mentoring, and shared best practices that promote collaboration and long-term sustainability. Collectively, the grants have supported partnerships across a wide range of industries while addressing barriers such as poverty, transportation challenges, language access, and limited exposure to professional role models.

These examples of Sunshine Mini Grant-supported initiatives highlight the power of innovation and collaboration in action:

• Windham High School’s Student Exploratory Adventures (SEA) program was created to give students access to industries, workplaces, and sites they might not otherwise experience. Through hands-on learning and site visits, participating students explored careers in aquaculture, hospitality, law, agriculture, manufacturing, and forestry, while learning how these industries contribute to Maine’s economy and communities.
• South Portland High School’s Youth Doula Initiative engaged 15 students in a three-day, hands-on training experience focused on maternal health, pediatrics, and public health. Through strong community partnerships, students gained early exposure to meaningful healthcare careers, while addressing real community needs.
• Mountain Valley High School’s expanded ELO programming now includes semester-long internships in healthcare, education, construction, engineering, finance, counseling, and skilled trades; work studies focused on building essential workplace skills; job shadowing with organizations such as the National Weather Service and the Rumford Police Department; and extensive college and employer tours across Maine and New England.

A defining strength of the Sunshine Mini Grant program is its ability to help SAUs “start small,” collect meaningful data, and demonstrate the need for sustainable career exploration programming. This approach has allowed schools to innovate, adapt, and scale programs based on student interests and community needs, resulting in measurable gains in student engagement, career awareness, and equitable access to extended learning beyond the traditional classroom.

The management of the grant funds and oversight of project reporting is handled by the Maine Business Education Partnership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting workforce initiatives that enhance Maine’s retail and broader business sectors. This vision focuses on building strategic alliances to develop a well-trained, dynamic workforce. Through its support for the Sunshine Mini Grant program, the Maine Business Education Partnership is helping equip schools and communities to foster lifelong learning and assist businesses in recruiting, developing, and retaining future talent.

Central to this work, the Sunshine Mini Grant program also advances the mission of the Maine Community Coordinators Collaborative (Maine C3) by helping schools expand ELO programming and strengthen partnerships between education, industry, and community organizations. 

Together, these initiatives reflect the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) commitment to supporting and elevating innovative, collaborative approaches to education that connect learning to life beyond school. Through continued recognition of programs like the Sunshine Mini Grant and strong partnerships with Maine C3 and the Maine Business Education Partnership, the Maine DOE remains focused on telling the story of high-quality ELOs that prepare students for success in college, careers, and their communities by linking them with real-world experiences, local employers, and emerging career pathways.

For further information about ELOs and Maine’s efforts to expand career exploration for Maine students, please visit the Maine DOE ELO webpage or contact Maine DOE Extended Learning Coordinator Lana Sawyer at Lana.Sawyer@maine.gov.