Lipinski Rural Initiatives Award
Congratulations to the 2025 Recipients!
Northern Maine Development Commission, based in Caribou, Maine, provides critical technical assistance to bring capital investments to rural businesses in Northern Maine. The Northern Maine Development Commission’s Center for Business Growth provides high-quality, no-cost specialized capital advising and grant writing services to businesses in agricultural communities. Since 2020, the Center has supported over 2,000 businesses and entrepreneurs, preserving and creating 850 jobs in rural Northern Maine. The $25,000 award will be used to expand programs and enhance funding access for agricultural communities in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.
New England Rural Health Association, based in Barre, Vermont, prepares people in rural regions of Massachusetts to become community health workers via their Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network. The training network specifically focuses on recruiting legal migrant or immigrant community members to provide a pathway to a career in healthcare. By enabling people to shift from low-income jobs to well-paying, benefited jobs, there is an economic development impact on both the trainees and the local health centers and hospitals in need of skilled healthcare workers. The $25,000 award will be used to expand the Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network.
About the Award
Former Farm Credit East CEO Bill Lipinski was an advocate for Northeast rural communities. During his tenure, he witnessed the economic success of some rural areas while others faced hardships, including real or perceived lack of job opportunities/loss of key employers, declining populations/demographics, etc. Lipinski understood that the long-term success of Farm Credit customers depends on not only the vitality of their individual business, but also on the health of the rural communities where they are based, and he knew Farm Credit East could do more to combat this disparity among rural communities. That is why the Farm Credit East Board of Directors established the Lipinski Rural Initiatives Award upon his retirement – to grow the organization's support of rural communities in his honor.
Past Recipients
2024 Recipients
Open Door Clinic , based in Middlebury, Vermont, is helping alleviate the healthcare barriers, especially in rural areas They received a $25,000 award to provide support to the clinics, including necessary supplies for managing chronic conditions and home monitoring. Learn more in this short video.
Point Positive , based in Saranac Lake, New York, is an angel investing network serving the greater Adirondack Region by helping to grow small businesses and drive economic growth. They used the $25,000 award to support additional outreach, education and mentoring. Learn more in this short video.
2023 Recipients
Marathon Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps (MAVAC), based in Marathon, New York, received a $25,000 award to support the expansion of its essential services, improving health care access for residents in Marathon and its surrounding towns. Learn more in this short video.
Veterans Base Camp, based in Chaplin, Connecticut, used its $25,000 award to purchase a greenhouse to extend the growing season for produce for their food pantry. Learn more in this short video.
2022 Recipients
Cayuga Milk Ingredients/Cayuga Marketing, two affiliated dairy organizations, used its$25,000 award to support programs for both dairy manufacturing and farm employees, including providing opportunities for networking and to improve their knowledge and technical skills. Learn more in this short video.
The Foundation for Rural Service, a 501(c)3 created by NCTA – The Rural Broadband Association, was recognized for its Virtual Living Room initiative in Bristol, Vermont, a project carried out in conjunction with Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom. The Foundation for Rural Service's award supported broadband access projects in the rural Northeast. Learn more in this short video.
2021 Recipients
In the award's inaugural year, recipients were Letchworth Gateway Villages and Three Rivers Farmers Alliance. Learn more in this short video.