Photo by Karen Young
Grant Size: up to $7,500
Application deadline: November 15
The Fund for Maine Land Conservation seeks to support projects that advance land conservation and strengthen the ability of land conservation organizations and entities to conserve land. The fund does not currently have the resources to support the actual purchase of land or easements or other costs associated with those transactions. Projects that involve collaboration are strongly encouraged.
Types of Support
The Fund for Maine Land Conservation will consider two types of grant awards:
- Grants for New or Expanded Projects or Programs: Organizations may request support to develop and implement new projects/programs or to expand an existing program that has proven to be successful at meeting its stated objectives.
- Grants to Improve Organizational Effectiveness (i.e. Capacity-Building Grants): Land trusts may request support for activities to strengthen their operations and, thereby, their ability to conserve land. Applicants need to explain how the proposed activities are expected to improve the organization’s impact. Capacity-building grants can be used to support staff time required to accomplish the specific proposed activities.
Types of Activities
In general, the fund is interested in supporting work in the areas of planning, communications, research, outreach and training that advances land conservation.
Examples of activities that meet the fund’s priority for project grants:
- Community outreach and stakeholder involvement (e.g. Greenprinting)
- Field surveys (e.g. rare and endangered species, vernal pools, natural resources inventories)
- Volunteer stewardship training
- Preliminary planning for large-scale conservation projects
- Other projects that catalyze and support land conservation.
Examples of activities that meet the fund’s priority for capacity building include:
- Exploration of formal partnerships ranging from resource sharing to mergers
- Strategic conservation planning
- Strategic planning
- Membership expansion
- Board development
- System improvements (e.g. utilization of databases and geographic information systems).
Ineligible Expenses
The fund does not support the following:
- Land acquisition costs (fee, easement, option or transaction costs)
- Trail construction and associated infrastructure (e.g. parking, kiosks, signage)
- Capital improvements for the general organizational operations or equipment valued at more than $250
- Capital campaigns or endowments and other activities designed to increase the capital or assets of an organization (e.g. fundraising communications and events)
- Ongoing operating costs including overhead, administrative costs, salaries of key staff not directly linked to the proposed project, and activities that are a normal part of the organization’s mission and have no clear start or ending dates
- Lobbying or religious activities
- Expenses that have already been incurred.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible organizations include land trusts and other nonprofit and governmental entities based in the State of Maine whose mission is land conservation and/or watershed protection.
All applicants must meet the Maine Community Foundation’s general grant eligibility requirements.
How to Apply
Apply online using the link above. If you cannot fill out the application online, please contact the community foundation for assistance or an alternate method of applying. Online applications must be completed by November 15 at 11:59 p.m.
Project Progress Report
All grant recipients will be required to submit a Project Progress Report (PDF | RTF | Word Document) approximately 10 months after receiving payment of the grant. Organizations that fail to file a progress report will not be eligible for future funding from Maine Community Foundation competitive grant programs for one year or until the missing report is filed.
Contact
For more information, please contact Karen Young via e-mail or by phone at (207) 351-0112.