FARMINGTON — The Western Mountains Alliance has officially joined forces with Maine Rural Partners, legally making them one corporation enabling them to increase their collective effectiveness while reducing administrative costs.

Over its 25-year history, Western Mountains Alliance has been a committed advocate for Western Maine by establishing economic development councils and education centers, hosting nonpartisan forums on important issues and launching Maine’s first online farmers market.

This mission aligns well with the work of Maine Rural Partners. Based in Orono, MRP is the state’s federally recognized state rural development council, within the National Rural Development Partnership, and is dedicated to advancing collaborative, integrated approaches to rural development. The Alliance and MRP have worked closely together, over the years, advancing grassroots driving community and economic development efforts that align with rural culture and values.

The new partnership builds on the grassroots, community-driven focus of both organizations and connects Western Mountains Alliance to a statewide network of organizations and communities focused on rural development.

As part of the new partnership, four former WMA board members will serve on the Maine Rural Partners board. MRP will maintain the former Western Mountains Alliance Farmington office at 165 Front St., open by appointment.

The most recent board members and staff who helped with the process were Mark Silber, Shaunacy Cobb, Sandy Goodwin, Vivianne Holmes, Lynn Thurston, Tanya Swain, Tricia Cook and Heidi Wilde.

An informational meeting on the new partnership will be held in the coming months.

For more information, contact Mark Hews, interim executive director, at [email protected] or call the office at 778-3885 and leave a message.

You can also visit www.mainerural.org and sign up for the Rural Connections e-newsletter.