Talk of the Towns 10/25/13

Producer/Host: Ron Beard
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Community concerns and opportunities

Program Topic: Slow Money Maine: Connecting Farmers & Food Entrepreneurs to Financing

Key Discussion Points:
A) a) Describe Slow Money Maine, and its connection to the Slow Money “movement” fostered by Woody Tasch (author of Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money), and to the broader Slow Foods movement
B) How did Slow Money Maine get started and what are some of the highlights of your story?
C) Your work is guided by some basic principles… some framing questions… describe these and how they are used in setting the direction of the organization and making decisions
D) What is the role of the coordinator, Bonnie Rukin and what is the role of the steering committee?
E) Who are your partners and what are the various ways that partners participate? (MOFGA, Crown of Maine, CEI, Maine Farmland Trust, others?)
F) How does Slow Money Maine connect local entrepreneurs and those
“investors” willing to invest via the principles of slow money?
G) Profiles of MOOMilk (Bill) and Cobscook Bay Resource Center (Will)
•Background, mission, how you are organized and governed, connection with Slow Money Maine, how the investments are helping, and your overall relationship?
•What are the challenges of financing projects like yours, and has Slow Money Maine helped re-set the assumptions about financing for other investors to learn from?
•Imagine that we visit your operations in 3-5 years time… what would you hope to show us?
•What have you learned as a result of your partnership with Slow Money Maine?

Guests:
a) Eleanor Kinney, steering committee member, Slow Money Maine
b) Bill Eldridge, MOO Milk
c) Will Hopkins, Cobscook Fisheries Resource Center, Eastport
d) Harold Clossey, Sunrise County Economic Council, Machias

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