New Ventures Maine

NVME helps people all over Maine venture in new directions with their careers, businesses, and personal finances through free classes and individual coaching.  Our mission is the economic empowerment of Maine people and their families.

Money Management Classes

• My Money Works

This interactive five-session class with our professional staff will help you gain the skills and confidence you need to stretch your money, pay your bills, reduce debt, find money for savings, plan for retirement, and set personal financial goals. At the end of the class you will have a plan to achieve greater financial stability. Find an upcoming class.

• Budgeting Basics

Having a sense of your overall financial situation can assist you in creating and using a budget. In this one-hour interactive workshop with our professional staff, we will explore building a budget that works for you. We will discuss money management attitudes and styles, setting goals, and steps for creating a spending plan. Additional workshops in this series include Let’s Talk About Credit and Building Savings.  Find an upcoming workshop. 

 

Build Your Career

• My Next Career Move

This in-depth career planning class is offered in four weekly Zoom sessions of lively activities and discussion. Using NVME’s career development model, participants review skills, interests and experiences and relate them to career options. Identify  training and certification opportunities. Participants strengthen their resume for a targeted job search. Find an upcoming class.

• Building Confidence

Whether you are navigating recent changes, looking for a job, starting a business, or simply wanting to be more confident, join this three-session class with our professional staff to assess your confidence and learn concrete tools to help you build your self-assurance and keep it strong. Three class sessions address topics including factors that impact our confidence, tools to build confidence, and defining action steps to increase confidence. Find an upcoming class. 

• Job Search Strategies

Could you use a boost in your job search? This one-hour workshop is for job seekers of all backgrounds who are unemployed, underemployed, or looking for a new job. Our professional staff will guide you to create your own job search plan and review resources available to help you, including online job searching and networking. Additional workshops in this series include Resume Strategies and Interview Strategies. Find an upcoming workshop. 

 

Start Your Business

• Venturing Forth: Business Planning for Entrepreneurs

A free 60-hour course in business planning. The following topics are covered in depth: your customer, competition, marketing, record keeping, taxes, financing, legal aspects, and more. At the end of the class, you will have a completed business plan. There are also 3 monthly follow-up networking sessions at the completion of the class.  An application,  orientation, and a brief individual interview via Zoom are required to join the class.  Find an upcoming class.  

• Business Basics

This class is suitable for those thinking about or in the early start-up phase of a new business. Our professional staff will help you assess the feasibility, desirability, and viability of your business idea and get you started with your business plan.  Find an upcoming class. 

• Exploring Self-Employment

This one-session workshop will help you decide if self-employment is the right choice for you. Our professional staff will cover topics including: how to assess your business idea, forming and naming your business, elements of a business plan, and strategies and resources for success.  Find an upcoming workshop. 

Find a Coach

When a conversation would work best to address your needs or when circumstances make it difficult to attend a class, NVME professional staff can talk with you over the phone or in person. Coaching sessions are provided free of charge. Please fill out the form at the New Ventures Maine website and one of our staff will reach out to you!

 

Maine hoMEworks 

Maine hoMEworks offers a ten-hour homebuyer education course to prospective homebuyers year-round through its HUD-approved, participating counseling agencies located across the state. The ten-hour course is valuable to anyone considering a home purchase and is required for many down payment assistance and other lending programs for first-time homebuyers.  The course will help you make good choices about becoming a homeowner and selecting a home that meets your needs and matches your financial resources.  The course provides step-by-step instruction on all aspects of the home buying process from application to closing, as well determining how much home you can afford; budgeting for homeownership expenses; how credit affects home buying; resources for down payment assistance; mortgage financing options; real estate contracts; and home inspections.   Learn more about Maine hoMEworks.

York Community Action

Safe and affordable housing is a basic need for every individual and family. Living in inadequate or substandard housing affects your health, your sense of wellbeing, and the ability of you and your family to learn, grow and thrive. Moreover, owning your own home is arguably one of the most important assets a family can have. Our staff will work with you, one-on-one, to give you the tools and resources you need to in order to address an immediate housing need, build or repair your credit, purchase or maintain your home, and avoid or mitigate foreclosure or default.  Learn more about York Community Action.