Projects, Inc. a nonprofit community development organization based in Camden, said Dec. 15 that the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe has been awarded a renewal grant of $1.9 Million from the administration for Native Americans for the expansion of its maple syrup operation. 

Projects, Inc. was hired in 2010 as lead consultant to help the tribe create, develop, and manage a portion of their 60 square miles of wilderness lands west of Jackman for entry into Maine’s maple syrup industry. Since the first grant focused almost exclusively on infrastructure (tree identification, tubing networks, pumping stations, sugar house design, road access, etc), this second grant will concentrate on marketing and sales. 

The project evolved from conversations with tribal leadership and Chris Shrum, the grant writer. In a unique combination of tribal and non-tribal cooperation the grant is being managed by the Indian Township Passamaquoddy Development Agency, a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit similar to Projects, Inc. but with direct ties to the tribe’s Joint Tribal Council. The business operation is 100 percent owned by the tribe with all employees being tribal members. 

“When we were hired to help them start the business, I remarked that my job is to work myself out of a job,” said Perry Gates, Founder and Executive Director of Projects, in a news release. “Once the development of both production and processing operations is complete, we will have done our job and it will be time to move on. Our intent is to build in sustainability and then leave future management to others. This fits our business model that is locally expressed by two programs we started and which now exist completely on their own: 1. Home Counselors, Inc. started in 1981 and 2. Youth Links, started as the Community Service Project in 1982,” Gates added.

Both are located in Rockland. 

The potential for growth is enormous. It is estimated that the Passamaquoddy tribe has access to over 400,000 taps which would mean construction of an additional two sugar houses simply for production of maple syrup.  

For more information about this operation contact Perry Gates, Executive Director at: perrygates40@gmail.com or visit www.projectslearning.org.