Instructor Kirsten Brown-Burbank with students at a class at Mt. Abram High School. ELLSWORTH & PORTLAND — The Franklin County Community College Network is the winner of the Maine Community Foundation's 2008 Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence. The network was founded on the principle that to improve the region's economic viability, residents need opportunities to develop marketable skills that lead to well-paying jobs.

"FCCCN's ability to bring businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, agencies, and state legislators together in a collaborative exchange is a powerful demonstration of community-building skills," said Maine CF President Henry Schmelzer. With locations throughout Franklin County, FCCCN offers training and educational programs that serve a broad range of interests and abilities and give community members a way to achieve their career goals.

The Franklin County Community College Network was selected from among 16 nonprofits —one in each county— that were awarded special Maine Community Foundation 25th anniversary community-building grants earlier this month.

Semifinalists for the Noyce Award included Aroostook Area Agency on Aging, Trekkers, Community Wellness Coalition, and St. Mary's Health System.

The Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence honors philanthropist Elizabeth Noyce (1930-1996), who was dedicated to supporting the health and development of Maine's nonprofits. Past Noyce Award winners include the Maine Migrant Health Program, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., and the Maine Mountain Sustainable Development Initiative.