What is the Growth Council? 

Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council (SREGC) is a private, 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation. Our mission is to partner with the community of Sanford-Springvale to pursue sustainable economic development. Key parts of this mission are to:

• Diversify and increase the City’s tax base to reduce the local tax burden
• Promote business retention and expansion and foster high-quality jobs
• Prudently utilize state and federal incentives and grant programs to leverage local investment
• Develop public private partnerships to achieve progress for our community

SREGC has a small capable staff consisting of an Executive Director and a Small Business Advocate. Their work is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors with diverse backgrounds in both the public and private sectors. The Growth Council Board does not make decisions on the allocation of any city funds or other resources and does not enforce or make regulatory decisions related to any city ordinance, policy or code. The Board’s role is advisory only.

What does the Growth Council do?

The SREGC Carries Out a Comprehensive Economic Development Program. Broadly, our activities fall into these categories:

• Business Attraction: to attract small and large employers, bringing new jobs and investments to the Sanford region.
• Business Expansion: to assist existing businesses in Sanford to grow and
• Entrepreneurship: to assist entrepreneurs in forming and growing new
• Public-Private Partnerships and Investments: to prioritize collaboration across all business sectors and public-private funding sources.
• Business Retention: to assist existing Sanford businesses to remain strong and competitive in their markets
• Business Advocacy: to assist small businesses with permitting and the development
• Marketing Sanford: to assist with communications coordination and unified marketing of Sanford as a business destination.

The SREGC also Manages the City’s Brownfields Program. Currently, we have two open Brownfields grants, which were awarded to the city by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2024:

• A City-wide Assessment Grant ($500,000) which can assist in the redevelopment/reuse of contaminated or potentially contaminated local sites. Assessment grants can provide funding for planning efforts (including inventorying and prioritizing sites for redevelopment), environmental assessments (including Hazardous Building Material Surveys, Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies), and community outreach and engagement.
• A Clean-up Grant ($5,000,000) to complete the removal and environmental remediation of the International Woolen Mill Boiler House property adjacent to Pioneer Avenue. You can learn more about this project here. https://www.sanfordmeconnects.com/brownfields

The SREGC also Plays a Role in the City’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Program.

As it relates to existing (already approved) TIF districts, the Growth Council participates in oversight and management of the City’s TIF portfolio to ensure that the city’s TIF districts are performing in compliance with the TIF Development Program documents filed and approved by Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development and are being utilized effectively to fund high-priority municipal projects/programs, offsetting the need to raise general taxation.

As it relates to newly proposed TIF districts, the Growth Council Board will review any proposed TIF District and make a recommendation to the City Council on whether it has public benefit that outweighs any potential cost.

When the proposed TIF includes a credit enhancement agreement (CEA), the Board also reviews the proposed CEA. A recommendation that it ought to be approved by the City Council is based on whether or not the Board can make factual findings about:

1. the overall public benefit (relating to revenue neutrality, and pursuit of economic development goals), and;
2. that the proposed CEA is tailored to the best extent possible to fit a demonstrated financial gap that exists for the applicant/developer (to ensure that the CEA does not unreasonably enrich the applicant beyond this demonstrated financial gap). 

How/Why was the Growth Council formed?

In April 2009, the Town, IDC and Chamber reached consensus on forming a single organization which could utilize combined resources to undertake meaningful economic development initiatives. The organization, they felt, should be independent, and insulated from local government controls. They agreed on forming a non-profit economic development corporation, using a structure that had been employed in other Maine communities. They envisioned a board of directors made up of appointees from the Council, IDC, and Chamber/local businesses, who would direct and oversee the organization.

In 2021, the organization restructured and re-formed with the City of Sanford and the IDC as its two members, but with the same purpose and goals. Pursuant to an agreement between the parties, the Growth Council would be governed by an 11-person Board of Directors comprised of the following:

• • 3 Board members appointed by the City of Sanford:
    • The City Manager
    • The Mayor (or the Mayor’s designee)
    • One representative of Sanford’s small business employers
  • 3 Board members appointed by the IDC
    • 2 members of the IDC Board of Directors
    • One representative of Sanford’s large business/industrial employers
  • 5 Board members appointed by the Board itself, each representing one of the following key elements of economic development work:
    • Higher education/workforce development
    • Housing development
    • Local or regional financial/lending/banking
    • Business support services
    • Commercial construction/building development

What is the relationship between the Growth Council and the City?

The City of Sanford, as one of the “members” of the Growth Council, is represented on the Board of Directors, and as such, plays a role in setting the organization’s goals and initiatives.

The Executive Director of the Growth Council presents quarterly “economic development” updates during regular meetings of the Sanford City Council, at which, the City Council can ask questions and provide additional feedback on Growth Council activities.

The City of Sanford provides funding to the Growth Council to support its activities. The Growth Council’s proposed budget request is presented and reviewed at public meetings of the Sanford City Council during its annual budget review and approval process. The funding approved is paid entirely from tax increment financing district revenues, not from the general fund, making zero impact on the real estate taxes of the citizens.

What is the Sanford Industrial Development Corporation, and what is its relationship to the Growth Council?

The Sanford Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is a private, non-profit corporation founded in the 1950’s by local business leaders and citizens. IDC raised funds for the purpose of trying to help rebuild Sanford’s local economy following the mass closure of the mills in the 1950’s. Seventy plus years later, IDC continues to pursue that mission, and has been able to do so without relying on any public/taxpayer financial support.

The IDC Board is a volunteer board committed to responsible economic development in Sanford. The board is comprised of people experienced in finance, manufacturing, industry, real estate, law and general industry. The IDC is focused entirely on building opportunities for the people of Sanford-Springvale, and its board members have strong ties to the community as residents, local business owners or other long-term connection.

The IDC pursues their goals by acquiring land zoned for industrial development, readying that land for industrial, manufacturing, business or educational uses, and marketing these real estate assets to attract new high-quality business development. Successful IDC projects include the Sanford Industrial Estates (Eagle Drive/Community Drive/Industrial Way), and the Cyro Road Industrial Park. Other projects are in the IDC pipeline for future growth.

As one of the “members” that founded the Growth Council, the IDC is represented on the Growth Council Board of Directors, and as such, plays a role in overseeing the organization’s activities.  The IDC also contributes financial support to the Growth Council.  At the IDC’s request, the Growth Council will also assist in IDC efforts to acquire, develop, market and attract businesses/development to properties owned by the IDC.