Avangrid Foundation Supports Nonprofit Entrepreneurship in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 15, 2025--

The Avangrid Foundation, the philanthropic arm of leading energy company Avangrid Inc., a member of the Iberdrola Group, today announced its support for Intrapreneurship for Nonprofits, a program run by Northeastern University's Roux Institute. This program invites 10 nonprofit organizations from Maine to develop an entrepreneurial approach to their missions. Through hands-on workshops, expert mentorship, and strategic guidance, nonprofits will gain the tools to build, test, and scale their ideas, positioning their organizations for long-term success. Participation for this cohort was made possible by a $125,000 grant from the Avangrid Foundation.

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“Supporting the Roux Institute’s Intrapreneurship for Nonprofits program strengthens our commitment to empowering Maine nonprofits to flourish and serve our communities in transformative ways,” said Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda. “At Avangrid, we know bold ideas, innovative visions, and investment in education are essential to solving local challenges and creating a lasting impact.”

“The Avangrid Foundation is proud to support the Roux Institute in cultivating nonprofit leadership rooted in sustainable and mission-driven growth,” said Pablo Colón, Executive Director of Avangrid Foundation and Director of Corporate Citizenship at Avangrid. “We are grateful to the ten participating nonprofits for their dedication to learning and growing that will amplify their ability to serve and uplift Mainers.”

Over the course of this 5-month program, nonprofit leaders will develop new revenue generating income streams for their organizations, build a business model, explore pricing and marketing strategies, develop an online presence, and craft a compelling pitch. Participants are paired with experienced expert mentors for personalized guidance throughout the entire program and matched with Northeastern University student co-ops specializing in business analysis, marketing, and design.

The program will culminate in a final Showcase on December 9, where teams will present their progress and plans to an audience of peers and mentors. By the end of the program, each nonprofit organization will have built a tested business plan, taken key steps toward external engagement, and laid the foundation for a sustainable and mission-driven income stream.

"At the Roux Institute, we believe innovation comes not only from startups, but also from mission-driven organizations tackling critical challenges. Intrapreneurship for Nonprofits gives nonprofit leaders the tools and support to think like entrepreneurs — testing bold ideas, building sustainable models, and expanding their impact. We're delighted to partner with the Avangrid Foundation to help bridge innovation and social good in Maine,” said Warren Adams, Head of Entrepreneurship at the Roux Institute.

“Camp Sunshine is honored to participate in the Roux Institute’s Intrapreneurship for Nonprofits program, made possible through the generous support of the Avangrid Foundation. This exciting opportunity enables us to explore innovative, revenue-generating ideas to advance our mission and expand our impact. I’m especially proud to collaborate with our board member, Dr. Tamara StClaire, Chief Business Transformation Officer at MaineHealth. Her expertise, along with the guidance of the Roux Institute mentors and student co-ops, is invaluable as we continue our commitment to innovation, excellence, and compassionate care,” said Joanne Bean, President and Chief Executive Officer of Camp Sunshine.

"We're grateful for the ongoing support from the Avangrid Foundation, which has allowed us to participate in this program. As a small nonprofit that relies on grants and donations to fulfill our mission, having access to the mentorship, expertise, and camaraderie involved is invaluable as we think about a new approach to engaging the public more deeply in our work," said Lynda Ada Doughty,Executive Director of Marine Mammals of Maine.

Northeastern University’s Roux Institute, located in Portland, Maine, is part of Northeastern’s 13-campus global network. Founded in 2020 through a partnership with David and Barbara Roux and the Harold Alfond Foundation, the institute is dedicated to driving economic growth in Maine and beyond.

The Roux Institute offers graduate education, applied research, and entrepreneurship programming in high-impact fields such as artificial intelligence, life sciences, data science, and engineering. Through these efforts, the Institute accelerates innovation, fosters economic development, and helps shape the future of work across northern New England and beyond.

About Avangrid Foundation: The Avangrid Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that funds philanthropic investments that primarily impact communities where Avangrid, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate. Since 2001, the Avangrid Foundation and its predecessors have invested more than $42.4 million in partnerships that focus on building sustainable, vital and healthy communities; preserving cultural and artistic heritage; advancing education; and improving people’s lives. The Avangrid Foundation is committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the United States. For more information, please visit https://www.avangrid.com/avangrid-foundation.

About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. is a leading energy company in the United States working to meet the growing demand for energy for homes and businesses across the nation through service, innovation, and continued investments by expanding grid infrastructure and energy generation projects. Avangrid has offices in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Maine and Oregon, including operations in 23 states with approximately $47 billion in assets, and has two primary lines of business: networks and power. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its power generation business, Avangrid owns and operates more than 75 energy generation facilities across the United States producing 10.5 GW of power for over 3.1 million customers. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens in 2025 for the fifth consecutive year. The company was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2025 for the seventh consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit http://www.avangrid.com.

Pictured: The Roux Institute’s Intrapreneurship for Nonprofits cohort

UTICA, N.Y. (AP) — A New York prison guard who failed to intervene as he watched an inmate being beaten to death should be convicted of manslaughter, a prosecutor told a jury Thursday in the final trial of correctional officers whose pummeling, recorded by body-cameras, provoked outrage.

“For seven minutes — seven gut-churning, nauseating, disgusting minutes — he stood in that room close enough to touch him and he did nothing,” special prosecutor William Fitzpatrick told jurors during closing arguments. The jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon.

Former corrections officer Michael Fisher, 55, is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Robert Brooks, who was beaten by guards upon his arrival at Marcy Correctional Facility on the night of Dec. 9, 2024, his agony recorded silently on the guards' body cameras.

Fisher’s attorney, Scott Iseman, said his client entered the infirmary after the beating began and could not have known the extent of his injuries.

Fisher was among 10 guards indicted in February. Three more agreed to plead guilty to reduced charges in return for cooperating with prosecutors. Of the 10 officers indicted in February, six pleaded guilty to manslaughter or lesser charges. Four rejected plea deals. One was convicted of murder, and two were acquitted in the first trial last fall.

Fisher, standing alone, is the last of the guards to face a jury.

The trial closes a chapter in a high-profile case led to reforms in New York's prisons. But advocates say the prisons remain plagued by understaffing and other problems, especially since a wildcat strike by guards last year.

Officials took action amid outrage over the images of the guards beating the 43-year-old Black man in the prison's infirmary. Officers could be seen striking Brooks in the chest with a shoe, lifting him by the neck and dropping him.

Video shown to the jury during closing arguments Thursday indicates Fisher stood by the doorway and didn't intervene.

“Did Michael Fisher recklessly cause the death of Robert Brooks? Of course he did. Not by himself. He had plenty of other helpers,” said Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney.

Iseman asked jurors looking at the footage to consider what Fisher could have known at the time “without the benefit of 2020 hindsight.”

“Michael Fisher did not have a rewind button. He did not have the ability to enhance. He did not have the ability to pause. He did not have the ability to get a different perspective of what was happening in the room,” Iseman said.

Even before Brooks' death, critics claimed the prison system was beset by problems that included brutality, overworked staff and inconsistent services. By the time criminal indictments were unsealed in February, the system was reeling from an illegal three-week wildcat strike by corrections officers who were upset over working conditions. Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed National Guard troops to maintain operations. More than 2,000 guards were fired.

Prison deaths during the strike included Messiah Nantwi on March 1 at Mid-State Correctional Facility, which is across the road from the Marcy prison. 10 other guards were indicted in Nantwi's death in April, including two charged with murder.

There are still about 3,000 National Guard members serving the state prison system, according to state officials.

“The absence of staff in critical positions is affecting literally every aspect of prison operations. And I think the experience for incarcerated people is neglect,” Jennifer Scaife, executive director of the Correctional Association of New York, an independent monitoring group, said on the eve of Fisher's trial.

Hochul last month announced a broad reform agreement with lawmakers that includes a requirement that cameras be installed in all facilities and that video recordings related to deaths behind bars be promptly released to state investigators.

The state also lowered the hiring age for correction officers from 21 to 18 years of age.

FILE - This image provided by the New York State Attorney General office shows body camera footage of correction officers beating a handcuffed man, Robert Brooks, at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County, N.Y., Dec. 9, 2024. (New York State Attorney General office via AP, File)