Financial Support Resources

On this page, you will find financial support resources available to adult learners.

Build Hope Project

Build Hope (external site) is a project designed to help parents meet their financial needs while pursing their educational goals. If you meet the eligibility requirements, the Build Hope funds can be used to address any unmet needs that students have.

Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP)

The Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (external site) provides funding and support services for eligible Maine residents to pursue two and four-year degree programs or employer recognized credentials leading to high-wage, in-demand jobs in Maine.

Healthcare Training for ME

Healthcare Training for ME (external site) is a statewide collaboration of educational institutions and government agency partners convened to ensure Maine’s workers and employers can easily access healthcare training opportunities and supports.

Unemployment Insurance

If your hours were reduced or lost your job because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits. The Maine Bureau of Unemployment Compensation (External Site) is encouraging people who have lost work to apply for benefits as soon as possible and to be patient as they are receiving an unprecedented amount of applications at this time.

  • Maine’s emergency unemployment benefits will cover situations that are not usually covered, including:
    • Your employer temporarily having to close due to COVID-19
    • Being quarantined but expecting to return to work when the quarantine ends
    • Leaving work due to risk of exposure or infection
    • Leaving work to take care of a family member
  • Maine’s emergency legislation also waives the one-week waiting period so that benefits start immediately and ensures that claims for Unemployment Insurance will not affect an employer’s experience rating. You can file for Unemployment Insurance (External Site) online.
  • The Maine government has put together a Frequently Asked Questions page related to COVID unemployment claims (External Site).

General Assistance Government Program

General Assistance (External Site) is a state program administered through municipalities that purchase necessities for individuals who are without means to pay for such services. Applications for General Assistance can be made at any local municipal office.

Need Help Paying Bills?

Need Help Paying Bills? (External Site) is an organization that provides information on assistance programs, charity organizations and resources that provide help paying bills, mortgage and debt relief (financial, rent and government assistance).

Higher Education Loan Repayment Options

Visit the Finance Authority of the State of Maine’s Repaying Student Loans webpage (External Site) to learn more about options for repaying student loans.

University of Maine at Augusta: MoneyWise

University of Maine at Augusta’s MoneyWise program (External Site) is a New Ventures Maine that offers many workshops and resources for current a prospective students, including information about matched savings accounts and iGrad.

CA$H Maine

CA$H Maine (External Site) is an organization that Creates assets, savings and hopes by helping you to set up your budget, reduce your debt and/or build your savings.


Student Loan Payment Assistance

Federal Student Loan Payment Assistance

To temporarily stop student loan payments (External Site) the U.S. Department of Education has directed all federal student loan service providers to temporarily stop requiring payments (which is called a forbearance) from any borrower with a federally held loan if requested by the borrower. You can request forbearance for a period of at least 60 days, beginning on March 13, 2020. To request a forbearance/stop payment, borrowers should contact their federal student loan servicer online or by phone. Find out who your federal student loan servicer is (External Site) or how to contact your federal student loan servicer.

Federal Student Loan Payment Assistance

Delinquent borrowers may be eligible to stop payments (External Site). The U.S. Department of Education has also authorized an automatic suspension of payments for any borrower more than 31 days delinquent as of March 13, 2020, or who becomes more than 31 days delinquent on their federal student loan. Borrowers delinquent on payments do not need to take any action or contact their federal student loan servicer for payments to be stopped.