Workers from Chabot’s Construction of Greene remove brick from the back wall of the Norway Opera House as part of the reinforcement and renovation. The bricks will be stored until complete renovations occur. Photo by Brenda Melhus
Two years ago the Maine Community Foundation and its donors committed $1 million in the form of a low-interest loan to Maine Farmland Trust for its Buy/Protect/Sell program. Through this program, the trust buys farmland, places easements on it, and sells it to new farmers at an affordable price. Over the past two years, those dollars have helped preserve 18 properties totaling 4,032 acres of vulnerable farmland.
Historic preservation is another important tool for creating vibrant communities. Working with Maine Preservation and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, the community foundation has directed funds to projects across the state, including Save the Norway Opera House. When completed, the restored opera house will be a vibrant part of Main Street and serve the greater Oxford Hills community.
Other Ways the Community Foundation is Helping to Build Thriving Communities
- Through its donor-initiated Farms, Food, and Philanthropy program, the community foundation is working to make more funds available for local, sustainable agriculture and to contribute to the groundswell of awareness about the role that local food production plays in providing a sense of place, fostering economic opportunity, improving health and well-being, and building community.
- The community foundation is working to enhance the state's quality of place by investing in historic preservation, especially in downtown centers where many historic buildings serve as hubs for economic, cultural, and social activity. The foundation's grant programs, scholarships, and partnerships with other organizations are crucial to these efforts.
- In addition to supporting Maine Farmland Trust's Buy/Protect/Sell program, the community foundation also provides support for the trust’s FarmLink program, which connects aspiring farmers to existing farmers, thereby “keeping Maine’s farmland in farming.” Other community foundation grants support agriculture-based activities, from farm-to-school programs to community gardens.
To learn more about how the Maine Community Foundation is building thriving communities and how you can support this work, contact Ellen Pope by e-mail or by phone, toll-free, at 877-700-6800.