Colby’s new Port Clyde center aims to build rural resilience together

ISLAND INSTITUTE • July 17, 2026

A few weeks ago, I became the inaugural director of Colby’s Center for Resilience and Economic Impact in Port Clyde. Since then, one question has come up repeatedly: “What is this Center all about?”It’s about helping rural Maine thrive for generations to come. There is no better place to begin this work than Port Clyde. A working waterfront brings together many of the opportunities and challenges facing rural communities. It is where our state’s economy, natural resources, heritage, and sense of place all meet. While rooted in Port Clyde, the Center’s mission reaches beyond the shoreline. What we learn will help strengthen rural communities across Maine, from fishing villages to farming communities, and could act as a beacon beyond the state’s borders. ~ Nichole Price