Community Building

Androscoggin County

2023 GRANTS

Total applications received: 32 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $60,000 
Average award: $6,667 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 28 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 9 
Additional grants by donors: 3 totaling $22,913 (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Androscoggin County Committee:

• Franco-American Heritage Center, for performing arts and heritage programs: $10,000 
• Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, for necessary veterinary care for vulnerable community pets: $2,500 
• Her Safety Net, to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence and for outreach to underserved communities: $7,500 
• Maine Community Integration, to empower Black immigrant women and girls to advance park equity: $5,000 
• Museum L-A, to share stories of work and the diverse heritage of Central Maine through exhibits, educational programming and events: $10,000 
• Phoenix No Limits Karate, to bring free, anti-bullying training to schools: $5,000 
• Rural Community Action Ministry: to help prevent homelessness and hunger in low-income, rural communities through financial support and counseling: $7,500
• Tree Street Youth, for workforce training, leadership development and paid summer work experience for Lewiston high schoolers: $7,500 
• Somali Bantu Community of Maine, to increase its capacity for partnerships and nutrition, language, computer literacy and health education resources: $5,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023) 

• ROIL, to engage Lewiston middle and high school students vulnerable to juvenile justice system involvement through theater workshops and community support: $10,000 
• Safe Voices, to certify six people in Housing Quality Inspections to move people experiencing homelessness into subsidized housing: $7,913 
• Somali Bantu Community of Maine, to increase its capacity for partnerships and nutrition, language, computer literacy and health education resources: $5,000 

2022 Grants from the Androscoggin County Committee:

• Androscoggin Humane Society, to provide a safety net for vulnerable pets at risk of being surrendered: $2,500 
• An Angels Wing, to serve the community by securing sober living, detoxification, and rehabilitation beds for people seeking recovery from drugs and/or alcohol: $5,000 
• Center for Wisdom’s Women, to provide trauma-informed programming and support at the drop-in center and Sophia’s House residential program: $5,000
• Land in Common, to build a community-owned base for affordable housing, food production, ecological stewardship, social transformation, community connection, and liberation for communities impacted by injustice: $10,000
• Maine Audubon, to launch Lewiston Youth Corps, that will bring environmental education and hands-on conservation experiences to teens, especially those from low-income households, are BIPOC or asylum seekers: $10,000
• Maine Inside Out, to engage and support at-risk Lewiston middle school students through theater workshops and community support: $10,000 
• New Beginnings, to expand the offerings at the Lewiston Drop-In Center for homeless teens and young adults: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2022): 

• An Angels Wing, to serve the community by securing sober living, detoxification, and rehabilitation beds for people seeking recovery from drugs and/or alcohol: $5,000 
• Rosati Leadership Academy, for free, after-school programming designed to foster character development and leadership potential through soccer for at-risk youth in Lewiston: $10,000 

2021 Grants from the Androscoggin County Committee:

• Land in Common, to build partnerships with communities directly impacted by land injustice and create secure, rural land tenure for food production, healing, social transformation, and community connection: $10,000
• Maine Inside Out, to design and build a community-building and resource hub led by youth and young adults in Lewiston with lived experience of incarceration and system-involvement: $9,000
• Safe Voices, to create a trauma-responsive Program Hub for survivors of domestic abuse and violence and their families in downtown Lewiston: $10,000
• Tree Street Youth, Inc., to provide Lewiston youth with academic support during the pandemic: $7,880
• YWCA Central Maine, to enhance remote learning services and enrichment activities for children in enrolled in school-age childcare: $10,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2021):

• An Angel's Wing Inc., to expand, including a location that offers harm-reduction, awareness, access to quality detoxification, rehabilitation, housing, and recovery after-care: $1,000
• Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, to provide a safety net for vulnerable community pets at risk of being surrendered because their families are unable to afford vaccinations and medical care: $5,000
• Maine Inside Out, to design and build a community-building and resource hub led by youth and young adults in Lewiston with lived experience of incarceration and system-involvement: $1,000

Aroostook County

2023 GRANTS

Total applications received: 17 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $104,311 
Average award: $7,451 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 82 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 14 
Additional grants by donors: 4 totaling $17,600 (as of April 2023)

 2023 Grants from the Aroostook County Committee:

• Albiston Foundation, to increase access to recreational programs for people with disabilities: $8,745 
• Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation, for outdoor painting workshops for middle and high school students and teachers: $4,184 
• Aroostook Area Agency on Aging, to create a Memory Care Center to support older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their caretakers: $10,000 
• Aroostook Arts and Education Center, to empower local youth, adults and families to express themselves through affordable arts programming: $10,000 
• Big Rock, for a community ice-skating rink: $10,000 
• Caribou Public Library, to create a mobile library available to all residents regardless of physical ability: $9,000 
• Central Aroostook Historical Society, to replace the museum’s roof: $8,700 
• Homeless Services of Aroostook, for a new, accessible ramp: $10,000 
• Northern Lighthouse, to expand its pediatric occupational therapy program to help children reach developmental milestones: $2,500 
• Presque Isle Farmers Market, to support the Maine Harvest Bucks matching incentive and accept SNAP benefits: $7,000 
• Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum, to acquire and display historical farm equipment from the former Fort Fairfield Farming Museum: $3,212 
• University of Maine at Fort Kent, for educational wilderness adventures at the Violette Allagash Wilderness Camp: $8,500 
• Upper St. John River Association, for a telescope: $10,000 
• VNA Home & Hospice, to assist Northern Light Home Care & Hospice with volunteer recruitment, training and retention efforts: $2,470 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Aroostook Hospice Foundation, to support the Aroostook House of Comfort: $12,500 
• Caribou Public Library, to create a mobile library available to all residents regardless of physical ability: $1,000 
• Northern Lighthouse, to expand its pediatric occupational therapy program to help children reach developmental milestones: $1,812 
• Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum, to acquire and display historical farm equipment from the former Fort Fairfield Farming Museum: $2,288 

2022 Grants from the Aroostook County Committee:

• Adopt-a-Block of Aroostook, to provide nutritious food sources for programming, as well as classes and resources for cooking, nutrition, and sustainable living that address food insecurity: $10,000 
• Aroostook Arts and Education Center, to create Wintergreen Kids News Network, a digital storytelling project to broadcast news by children about things happening in Aroostook County: $10,000 
• Big Rock, for construction of mountain top ski patrol dispatch building: $10,000 
• Fort Kent Historical Society, to install a bathroom in the Bangor and Aroostook Train Station: $10,000 
• Limestone United Methodist Church, to purchase ingredients, seedlings, and packaging to deliver food to children, disabled individuals, and older adults in Limestone and Caswell food deserts: $8,000 
• Nordic Heritage Ski Club, to update supply of rental cross-country skis and boots for youth and adult skiers in central Aroostook County: $10,000 
• Northern Lighthouse, to assist with the startup of an new emergency shelter for homeless youth ages 10-17: $4,475 
• Town of Stockholm, to create an inclusive playground for children of differing abilities and their caregivers: $10,000 
• United Veterans of Maine, to house homeless veterans, coordinate transportation to appointments, and provide general assistance for veterans and their families: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2022):

• Maine School of Science and Mathematics Foundation, to improve engagement and communication with alumni, parents, friends, and donors to the MSSM Foundation: $1,000 
• Northern Maine Fair Association, to demonstrate the effects of soil health on the environment to area farmers and area youth: $500 
• Town of Fort Kent, to keep the community updated on current events, emergencies, and safety hazards regardless of access to the internet: $3,940 

2021 Grants from the Aroostook County Committee:

• Aroostook County Action Program, to assist those experiencing homelessness establish safe and stable housing: $2,000
• BigRock Ski Area, to revitalize snowshoeing trails to provide increased access to winter physical activity: $10,000
• Freedom Church Maine, to increase outreach in the community to battle addiction, depression and anxiety: $10,000
• Ignite Presque Isle, to establish a co-workspace in Presque Isle for entrepreneurs as a post-Covid hub for community development: $10,000
• Limestone Development Foundation, for a town revitalization project creating safe spaces: $10,000
• Salmon Brook Historical Society, to expand the Veterans room, gallery, and library: $5,000
• United Way of Aroostook, to create a COVID-19 Utility Assistance Program: $6,079
• Van Buren Resiliency Project, to conduct a program for students to mitigate social, emotional, and educational "COVID-slide": $10,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2021):

• Halfway Home Pet Rescue, Inc., to repair its storage warehouse to conform to current safety laws and improvements to remove environmentally unsafe conditions for volunteers working in the warehouse: $5,000
• Jefferson Cary Foundation, to provide COVID-19 resilience in nine communities in Central Aroostook by establishing a volunteer ride service for the most vulnerable and isolated elderly: $2,980
• Maine School of Science and Mathematics Foundation, to conduct a search for a development and outreach leader to ensure the long-term financial stability of the MSSM Foundation and school: $1,000
• Limestone Development Foundation, for a town revitalization project creating safe spaces: $3,000
• RSU 29, to ensure students are well-rounded individuals with a voice and appreciation in the school community through music class: $10,000
• Van Buren Resiliency Project, to conduct a program for students to mitigate social, emotional, and educational "COVID-slide": $5,000

Cumberland County

2023 GRANTS

Total applications received: 91 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $150,350 
Average award: $9,397 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 18 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 16 
Additional grants by donors: 5 totaling $31,500 (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Cumberland County Committee:

• Birth Roots Center for Community Supported Parenting, to provide prenatal and postnatal programming to new and expectant parents: $10,000 
• Bridgton Public Library, for its Learning Community Program to connect local organizations with assistance and resources: $7,500 
• Casco Library Association, for infrastructure improvements: $10,000 
• Community Conservation Initiative, to collaborate with statewide, regional and local nonprofits, local governments and businesses to advance cooperative solutions: $10,000 
• Cumberland County Food Security Council, for weekly produce distribution in partnership with Greater Portland Health: $10,000 
• Documentary Songwriters, to build a songwriting program with Portland’s immigrant community that will strengthen belonging, improve well-being and increase representation in the arts: $5,000 
• Furniture Friends, to provide essential household furniture to low- and no-income individuals and families in southern Maine: $10,000 
• Harpswell News, to publish a monthly newspaper on topics such as the working waterfront, affordable housing and school and town government issues: $7,850 
• Harrison Food Bank, to provide nutritious food, supplies, and clothes from our onsite pantry to address food and financial insecurity: $10,000 
• Hope Acts, to increase capacity of its Asylum Seeker Assistance Program to meet urgent needs: $10,000 
• Maine Boys to Men, for its evidence-based Reducing Sexism & Violence Programs for youth and adults: $10,000
• Memorial Middle School: to expand the Check and Connect Mentoring program, which connects mentors with vulnerable students: $10,000
• Sea Meadow Marine Foundation, to provide affordable access to the working waterfront: $10,000 
• Southern Maine Agency on Aging, for a pilot program to prevent/divert eviction for older adults facing homelessness through intensive case management, legal assistance and social support”: $10,000 
• Spurwink Services, to identify and mitigate impacts of child sexual exploitation and commercial trafficking and treat the physical and behavioral health needs of impacted youth: $10,000 
• The Family Restored, for services for people with substance use disorder and their families: $10,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Amistad, to provide harm reduction trainings and supplies to unhoused and low-income individuals and to organizations supporting these populations: $10,000 
• Documentary Songwriters, to build a songwriting program with Portland’s immigrant community that will strengthen belonging, improve well-being and increase representation in the arts: $5,000 
• Friends of Casco Bay, for our “Friends of Friends” project to engage local residents and youth in protecting the Presumpscot River and Casco Bay: $1,500 
• Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, for its Welcome Corps Extension Service that promotes resettlement and connects immigrant and refugee families with sponsors, language instruction and economic benefits: $5,000 
• Housing Resources for Youth, to find homes for teens experiencing homelessness: $10,000 

2022 Grants from the Cumberland County Committee:

• Angolan Community of Maine,  to access critical services for 80-plus families living in hotels across Cumberland County: $10,000 
• Bright Stars USA, to enable individuals impacted by domestic violence to partner with intervention specialists to eliminate violence, sexual assault, and empower engagement in the criminal justice system: $10,000 
• Cathance River Education Alliance, to merge with partner land trust to deliver conservation and nature-based education to communities: $7,000 
• Common Threads of Maine, to offer classes on advanced sewing skills and textile business entrepreneurship to help professional stitchers advance in their careers: $10,000 
• Cumberland County Food Security Council, for Food Fuels Learning network to build food security for students and families through a community-led, holistic approach to food access: $10,000  
• Foundation for Portland Public Schools, to engage and compensate students, parents, teachers, community partners, and tribal advisors to help develop a Wabanaki studies curriculum for the Portland Public Schools and beyond: $8,000 
• Friends of the Italian Heritage Center Concert Band Inc., to engage amateur musicians and develop programming to strengthen communities through live concert band performances: $6,000 
• Furniture Friends, to provide essential household furniture to low-income individuals and families in southern Maine: $10,000 
• Intercultural Community Center, to provide at-risk individuals in southern Maine with no-cost academic, social, and health-support services: $10,000 
• LearningWorks, for the LearningWorks YouthBuild Bridge program for at-risk youth to practice and apply skills in real-world work environments: $10,000 
• Mid Coast Hunger Prevention, to deliver grocery boxes to food-insecure families on the Midcoast: $8,000 
• Milestone Recovery, to divert substance use and homelessness-related police calls to healthcare and treatment facilities: $10,000 
• Palaver Strings, to engage new audiences and amplify under-represented voices by performing concerts with partners and to strengthen children’s confidence through music: $6,000 
• People Plus, to provide older people and teens rides to activities, field trips, food pantry pickups, and for other transportation needs: $5,000 
• Portland Area Villages, to recruit volunteers and members and provide transportation and other services to help members remain safely at home: $5,000 
• Portland Public Library, to ensure access to information and literary programs for community members with hearing challenges and those with limited English proficiency: $7,500 
• Southern Maine Workers Center, to improve wages, benefits, and working conditions for low-income workers through the Worker’s Hotline and Legal Clinic, public policy, and organizing: $10,000 
• Town of Casco, to purchase a backstop for the community baseball/softball field: $2,500 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2022):

• Amistad, to provide employment opportunities for formerly unhoused women: $10,000 
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maine, for the workforce readiness program to create opportunities for teens: $5,000 
• Greater Portland Family Promise, to facilitate access to affordable housing for families experiencing homelessness: $10,000 
• Harpswell Anchor, to expand coverage of town government, schools, arts, and culture: $8,000 
• Hope Acts, to provide culturally appropriate services to new asylum seekers: $6,000 
• In Her Presence, to support and empower immigrant and asylum-seeking women to master English, engage in the community, fulfill career aspirations, and achieve financial stability: $20,000 
• Indigo Arts Alliance, for the Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival dedicated to the promotion of literacy and the development of positive identities for children of color: $2,500 
• Kids First Center, to support programming for children and families experiencing divorce or separation: $10,000 
• Little Sebago Lake Association, to expand water quality testing and invasive aquatic plant surveying on Little Sebago Lake: $10,000 
• Loon Echo Land Trust, for a parking area to provide safe, public access to a community trail system in Casco: $5,550 
• Oasis Health Network, to provide free, high-quality medical and dental care and prescription assistance to low-income, uninsured adults: $10,000 
• People Plus, to provide older people and teens rides to activities, field trips, food pantry pickups, and for other transportation needs: $5,000 
• Portland Trails, to create safe, welcoming trails and outdoor spaces for all, with a focus on the Riverton neighborhood: $9,000 

2021 Grants from the Cumberland County Committee:

• Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, to support access to affordable veterinary care: $4,000
• Casco Library Association, to build and put in place kinesthetic literacy projects called StoryWalks to provide safe, socially distant family activities in public park spaces in Casco: $2,300
• Creative Portland Corporation, to expand an arts-based community campaign to help combat COVID-19 with artistic messaging and CDC-compliant safety recommendations: $8,662
• Cultivating Community, to pay stipends to youth who are caring for a free u-pick garden and delivering vegetables to low-income seniors: $5,000
• Friends of Casco Bay, to grow its Water Reporter Program in pandemic-safe ways in order to continue to protect the health of coastal waters: $5,500
• Furniture Friends, to continue to provide essential household furniture to low-income individuals and families throughout Southern Maine: $8,000
• Gateway Community Services Maine, to expand its tutoring program with online and hybrid learning to serve more students, especially those from the immigrant/refugee community who are non-native English speakers: $6,000
• Hope Acts, Portland, to grow its ability to train and support volunteers who work with asylum seekers in finding and maintaining safe and affordable housing: $5,000
• Intercultural Community Center, to bolster and expand an existing hybrid learning support program to help at-risk immigrant youth in grades 3-8 gain confidence and succeed: $10,000
• Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, Portland, to purchase 65,000 diapers to be distributed to families experiencing diaper need throughout Southern Maine: $10,000
• Lakes Environmental Association, to repair and improve trail systems to allow for greater use by the general public: $8,112
• Mercy Hospital, to purchase laptops for families to allow access to substance recovery sessions, pursue undergraduate degrees remotely, and assist their children in remote learning: $8,000
• Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, to operate a satellite food pantry for food insecure seniors: $10,000
• Portland Parks Conservancy, to hire a volunteer coordinator to engage the community in helping care for public parks, under-maintained since COVID-19 caused significant reductions in city staffing: $7,600
• Presente Maine, to create COVID-19-safe space for community and recreation to foster relationship with mother earth and their bodies and to experience connection, beauty and joy: $5,000
• Southern Maine Workers’ Center, to create an online training program for essential workers that will build skills for advocating for safe, healthy workplaces: $10,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2021):

• Amistad, Inc., to help implement a major, new residential program for women that will create 38 apartments for previously homeless or incarcerated women: $10,000
• Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, to support access to affordable veterinary care: $6,000
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maine, to re-engage members not served by in-person programming during the pandemic and to expand wellness programming for them: $10,000
• The Center for Grieving Children, to provide virtual peer support groups for grieving children, including children impacted by COVID-19, to promote resiliency and lessen the likelihood of negative outcomes: $3,065
• Cultivating Community, to pay stipends to youth who are caring for a free u- pick garden and delivering vegetables to low income seniors: $5,000
• Friends of Casco Bay, to grow its Water Reporter Program in pandemic-safe ways in order to continue to protect the health of our coastal waters: $2,500
• Gateway Community Services Maine, to expand its tutoring program with online and hybrid learning to serve more students, especially those from the immigrant/refugee community who are non-native English speakers: $4,000
• Greater Portland Family Promise, to provide essential homelessness prevention and shelter diversion to help families maintain or secure permanent housing: $10,000
• Little Sebago Lake Association, to expand safety and water quality programs to account for increased lake usage by day-trippers seeking a respite for COVID-19 stressors: $7,000
• Milestone Recovery, to bring critical health care, transportation, and de-escalation services to Mainers experiencing homelessness during the pandemic: $10,000
• Preble Street, to help meet skyrocketing food needs caused by COVID-19 by producing and distributing nutritious, culturally appropriate meals three times a day, 365 days a year: $10,000
• Wayside Food Programs, to purchase 1,500 pounds of seafood from a locally owned business to supplement donations to share through our mobile food pantries: $7,125

Hancock County

2023 GRANTS

Total applications received: 72 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $233,210 
Average award: $8,637 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 38 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 28 
Additional grants by donors: 18 totaling $156,000 

2023 Grants from the Hancock County Committee:

• Bagaduce Music Lending Library, to expand its class and ensemble program to Deer Isle, Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula and communities along Western Penobscot Bay: $10,000 
• Buck Memorial Library, for custom bookshelves made by Maine State Prison woodworkers: $10,000 

• Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities Coalition, for a volunteer “Thank You” campaign for residents over 65 as part of its Thriving in Place Program: $3,610 
• Chase Emerson Memorial Library, to provide a shared work and gathering space, books, media and educational programming: $8,000 
• Dorcas Library Association, to install a generator at the Dorcas+ building: $10,000 
• Downeast Restorative Justice, to build a safer, more inclusive school culture and promote healthier communities: $10,000 
• Ellsworth Garden Club, to engage community members in strengthening natural and cultivated green spaces: $10,000 

• Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations, DBA Woodlawn Museum, to improve the trails and open spaces for safe and free enjoyment by the community: $10,000 
• Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, to create a STEAM education program that promotes youth engagement and economic development through hands-on learning, mentorship and professional training: $10,000 
• Heart of Ellsworth, to develop internal capacity for several community development projects generated by the 2022 Downtown Asset Mapping plan: $10,000 
• Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, for companionship, respite, grief support and education to those living with life-limiting illness and their families: $10,000 
• Island Connections, to grow its volunteer base to meet demand for services: $10,000 
• Island Housing Trust, to develop housing opportunities for median-income workers on Mount Desert Island: $10,000 

• Islesford Boatworks, for traditional wooden boatbuilding and community-building programs: $10,000 
• Juneteenth Downeast, to organize Juneteenth Weekend on the Water in Ellsworth: $10,000 
• Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, for a summer intern/ guide for the Discovery Wharf climate change exhibit: $8,500 
• Open Table MDI, for healthy and nutritious meals for residents of Mount Desert Island and beyond: $10,000 
• Opera House Arts, to improve the lobby series and provide a gathering place for the community: $10,000 
• Opiate Free Island Partnership, to train community ambassadors to recognize behaviors tied to substance-use disorder and build trust with those in need: $7,500 

• Read By 21 Mentoring, to expand interactive programs for middle school, high school and homeschooled youth: $8,600 
• Schoodic Arts for All, to sustain community arts programs that contribute to the creative economy and quality of life for Downeast residents: $5,000 
• St. Brendan the Navigator Episcopal Church, for weekly culinary arts programs for students in the Deer Isle-Stonington Mariner’s Soar after-school program: $10,000 
• Swans Island Educational Society, to make improve the path to the library internet porch: $10,000 
• Town of Gouldsboro, to hire a research firm to conduct a workforce-housing study: $10,000 

• Traditional Small Craft Association Downeast Chapter, for a festival to educate visitors about the maritime heritage and significance of Blue Hill Bay: $2,000 
• Trenton Elementary School, for a multi-use learning lab and workspace for students and teachers to create and explore through hands-on learning: $10,000 
• Wendell Gilley Museum of Bird Carving, to grow community programming that connects people to nature through art: $5,000 
• Willowind Therapeutic Riding Center, for equine therapy to children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities and to promote overall health and well-being: $5,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023) 

• Bar Harbor Food Pantry, to purchase a van for a mobile food-distribution program for local families experiencing food insecurity: $10,000 
• Blue Hill Heritage Trust, to create an accessible trail, viewing platform and shoreline access point along Eggemoggin Reach in Sargentville: $10,000 
• Bucksport Skatepark, for a public mini ramp for skateboarding, cycling, rollerblading and other sports for children, teens and families: $10,000 
• Common Good Soup Kitchen Community, to address food insecurity with a second meal delivery day: $10,000 
• Community Compass, to connect people with low incomes to community and government resources: $10,000 
• Downeast Community Partners, to expand  its free meal program with a Friday lunch offering: $5,984 
• Down East Family YMCA, for its summer program for children with special needs: $10,000 
• Ellsworth Free Medical Clinic, for free mental, dental, primary care and referral assistance: $10,000 
• Families First Community Center, to expand its outreach program to support low-income families: $10,000 
• Healthy Island Project, for weekly meal delivery and programs for older people, food pantry sites, backpack program and Farm Drop: $10,000 
• H.O.M.E. Inc., for community gardening programs for people with low incomes and those experiencing homelessness: $10,000 
• KidsPeace, for a Healing Garden at the Graham Lake campus to provide a calming space for youth: $5,000 
• RSU 24 Adult Education, for strategic planning to redesign its adult education programming to meet current needs: $10,000 
• Schoodic Arts for All, to sustain community arts programs that contribute to the creative economy and quality of life for Downeast residents: $5,000 
• Simmering Pot, for nutritious meals for community members experiencing food insecurity and a weekly supper community supper: $6,000 
• Wendell Gilley Museum of Bird Carving, to grow community programming that connects people to nature through art: $5,000 
• Willowind Therapeutic Riding Center, for equine therapy to children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities and to promote overall health and well-being: $5,000 

2022 Grants from the Hancock County Committee:

• A Climate to Thrive, to develop sustainable climate solutions that build resilience and equity in Hancock County: $10,000 
• ArtWaves, to facilitate a program of arts experiences for residents, members, partners, and area visitors: $5,000 
• Blue Hill Heritage Trust, for an ongoing educational, environmental, and community-focused edible landscape project with Indigenous-led Know Your Land Consulting: $5,000 
• Camp Beech Cliff, to hire a camper support specialist to identify campers with mental, social, and emotional health concerns and provide on-site support: $10,000 
• Chase Emerson Memorial Library, to expand community programming and make physical upgrades to the space: $8,000 
• Common Good Soup Kitchen, to purchase a large tent for summer fundraisers: $5,000 
• Deer Isle-Stonington Community School District, to engage local students and their families in growing, harvesting, and preparing fresh and nutritious meals: $5,000 
• Dorcas Library Association, to provide the community lifelong learning opportunities, including safe spaces for reading, writing, computing, tutoring, and presenting movies, lectures, and performances: $10,000 
• Ellsworth Garden Club, for a paid internship program to engage high school and college students in support of environmental sustainability and climate action: $8,500 
• George Stevens Academy, to purchase new instruments for the steel band program: $7,000 
• Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust, to extend an existing mountain bike trail: $9,600 
• H.O.M.E., to engage and divert families at risk of homelessness before they enter the shelter system: $10,000 
• Healthy Island Project, for weekly nutritious meals, food support, internet access, and training to bridge senior digital equity gap and provide COVID-19 protections: $10,000 
• Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, to support clients, their caregivers, and those who are grieving, and for outreach and awareness of available support: $10,000 
• Island Community Center, for cardio equipment and a Wi-Fi-enabled television to stream exercise programs: $6,097 
• Isle Theater Company, to produce an outdoor, medieval- period comedy at Horsepower Farm: $10,000 
• Islesford Boatworks, to support expanded year-round programming: $10,000 
• Jesup Memorial Library, to establish a virtual library branch to provide virtual resources and programs: $10,000 
• Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, to provide access to fresh produce, both purchased and from the pantry’s community garden: $10,000 
• Mariaville Fire Department, to provide high-quality, fire-prevention safety to its youngest community members: $10,000 
• Native Gardens of Blue Hill, to expand and maintain a garden of native plants and educational programs to community members and gardening professionals: $8,000 
• Next Step Domestic Violence Project, to examine social systems accessed by or inflicted on victims of abuse, to identify gaps and challenges, and support survivors: $5,000 
• Open Table MDI, to serve healthy and nutritious food to Mount Desert Island residents and others: $10,000 
• Opiate-Free Island Partnership, to expand harm-reduction for those with opiate-use disorder, including naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and clean needles: $7,500 
• Reversing Falls Sanctuary, to hire an administrative coordinator for internal and external communications, publicity, website, fundraising, and social media: $10,000 
• Salt Pond Community Broadcasting, to produce a radio series profiling the perspectives of young adults in Maine, exploring their important issues, and how they connect with community: $7,000 
• Wendell Gilley Museum of Bird Carving, to provide the community with classes, programs, and exhibitions that connect people to nature through art: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2022):

• ArtWaves, to facilitate a program of arts experiences for residents, members, partners, and area visitors: $5,000 
• Blue Hill Heritage Trust, for an ongoing educational, environmental, and community-focused edible landscape project with Indigenous-led Know Your Land Consulting: $5,000 
• Common Good Soup Kitchen, to purchase a large tent for summer fundraisers: $5,000 
• Deer Isle-Stonington Community School District, to engage local students and their families in growing, harvesting, and preparing fresh and nutritious meals: $5,000 
• Ellsworth Free Medical Clinic, to provide free, public health services to uninsured and inadequately insured individuals: $10,000 
• Families First Community Center, to grow its residential program, which provides transitional housing to unhoused families with minor children: $10,000 
• Friends of Taunton Bay, to provide water sample processing for the water quality monitoring project in Taunton Bay: $3,600 
• Island Connections, to increase transportation and office administrator’s weekly hours to meet the demand for free transportation services: $10,000 
• Next Step Domestic Violence Project, to examine social systems accessed by or inflicted on victims of abuse, to identify gaps and challenges, and support survivors: $5,000 
• Project Launch, to expand student workforce efforts and create pilot apprenticeships with local area employers: $10,000
• Witherle Memorial Library, to equip a bicycle rest station to benefit public safety and outdoor enjoyment: $3,219 

2021 Grants from the Hancock County Committee:

• Acadia Family Center, to create a mobile art therapy studio reaching those unable to access care for mental wellness and substance use: $8,577
• College of the Atlantic, to support its Food & Sustainable Agriculture Systems Program to expand capacity to provide organic vegetables to food-insecure members of the Mount Desert Island community: $5,000
• Common Good Soup Kitchen Community, for a new combination walk-in refrigerator and freezer to expand its capacity to help address food insecurity: $10,000
• Deer Isle Adult Education/CSD #13, to expand the capacity of its high school completion program for young adults whose progress was negatively impacted by COVID-19: $10,000
• Ellsworth Free Medical Clinic, to pilot providing social work services to help its patients strengthen relationships and connect with available resources: $8,800
• Ellsworth High School Gender Sexuality Diversity Alliance, to engage LGBTQIA+ youth and allies to plan, implement, and participate in substance-free, family-friendly Pride Month events: $5,200
• Ellsworth Public Library, for an outdoor library to provide safe and sufficient Wi-Fi access to students, job seekers, and others during the COVID-19 pandemic: $5,740
• Families First Community Center, to create a service coordination program for adults who lost employment due to COVID-19: $10,000
• Hancock Grammar School, to provide biweekly Summer Food Boxes to food-insecure students: $9,300
• Healthy Acadia, to build capacity to advance racial and health equity in its internal systems and in its community health convening and programming: $10,000
• Healthy Island Project, to bring internet access, training, and social and health benefits to an underserved senior cohort: $10,000
• Healthy Peninsula, to provide and coordinate support for older community members: $7,500
• HOME Inc,  to expand and build capacity for its food bank and food delivery in response to COVID-19: $10,000
• Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, to expand services to meet changing needs brought on by the pandemic: $10,000
• Kids’ Corner Inc., to access tools for teachers to provide tele-therapy sessions and remote intergenerational programming during the pandemic and beyond: $5,000
• Little Cranberry Yacht Club Community Sailing & Education Foundation, to build organizational capacity to expand community connections and programming focused on local youth: $5,000
• Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, to increase the pantry's effectiveness and efficiency in reaching and serving food-insecure families in Hancock County: $3,600
• NextStep Domestic Violence Project, to produce and distribute a radio show/podcast featuring youth, domestic violence experts, and occasional "celebrity" guests examining healthy/unhealthy relationships in television, film, and pop-culture: $10,000
• Opera House Arts, to reimagine its program of creative learning and apprenticeships for Deer Isle's young people: $5,000
• Opiate-Free Island Partnership, Inc., to establish a Maine CDC-certified syringe exchange and related services program on Deer Isle: $7,500
• Reversing Falls Sanctuary, to improve online programming by purchasing new equipment and training staff and volunteers in conjunction with the Brooksville Public Library: $5,251
• Salt Pond Community Broadcasting Company (WERU), to fund a young intern who will produce a public affairs show focused on community resources available during COVID-19 while developing her/his journalistic skills: $5,000
• Schoodic Arts for All, to expand arts-related programs in new formats and for new audiences, post-pandemic: $6,300
• The Simmering Pot, to upgrade the kitchen for expanded meal preparation and to assist with food expenses for a new meal-delivery program: $10,000
• Threadbare Theatre Workshop, to strengthen communities across the Blue Hill Peninsula through participatory theater: $5,150
• Trenton Elementary School, to make structural and maintenance upgrades to the school greenhouse, outdoor learning spaces, and community food cupboard for year-round operation: $10,000
• Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, to provide tablets and digital literacy instruction to cancer patients living in Hancock and Washington counties: $5,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Camp Beech Cliff, to train three certified instructors in Youth Mental Health First Aid and to offer the course to parents and other community members: $10,000
• Community Compass, to expand its navigator-led early childhood/parent support PALS program in response to increased COVID-19-related family social isolation, educational disruption, and economic hardship: $10,000
• Ellsworth Community Music Institute, to offer its pre-school music class live online and for free in the fall 2021 and to prepare for a program expansion post-pandemic: $3,750
• Ellsworth Garden Club for the Ellsworth Green Plan, to create an effective outreach and communications program that will enable Green Ellsworth to implement the Ellsworth Green Plan during and after the pandemic: $10,000
• Friends of Acadia, to expand the Outdoor Classroom Collaborative between Hancock County teachers and Acadia’s Education Rangers to create nature-based curricula and support successful outdoor learning for students: $7,200
• Islesford Boat Works, to create a boat-building apprenticeship program for island teens that would provide employment for the community while strengthening continuity within the organization: $6,550
• Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, to increase the pantry's effectiveness and efficiency in reaching and serving food-insecure families in Hancock County: $6,400
• Pierre Monteux Memorial Foundation, to support the annual children’s concert, which is free and open to the public: $2,500
• Trenton Elementary School, to make structural and maintenance upgrades to the school greenhouse, outdoor learning spaces, and community food cupboard for year-round operation: $5,000
• Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, to create outdoor classrooms: $3,000

Kennebec County

2023 GRANTS

Total applications received: 31 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $68,470  
Average award: $8,559 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 26 percent  
Number of grants awarded: 8 
Additional grants by donors: 1 totaling $5,000 (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Kennebec County Committee:

• Children’s Discovery Museum, to ignite curiosity and celebrate learning through hands-on programs and interactive play spaces: $10,000 
• Emmanuel Lutheran Episcopal Church, to expand its resource department for people with low incomes in Greater Augusta: $10,000 
• Maine Resilience Building Network, to develop a coalition of Gardiner-area community members to develop locally driven solutions for youth: $8,470 
• Maine Society of the Children of the American Revolution, to purchase a pavilion for veterans and their families to meet outdoors and for community events: $2,500 
• New England Music Camp Association, for musical instruction to vulnerable teens through a Learn to Own program: $7,500 
• Project Sparrow, to expand programs that provide immediate needs such as clothing, shoes, equipment, bedding and support to foster children: $10,000 
• Viles Arboretum, to expand its Community Agriculture Program to support people experiencing food insecurity: $10,000 
• Waterville Area Soup Kitchen, to provide meals for residents of the Greater Waterville area: $10,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Betsy Ann Ross House of Hope, to provide housing, peer support, basic needs, wellness plans and group therapy to current and former female-identifying service members and their families: $5,000 

2022 Grants from the Kennebec County Committee:

• 30 Mile River Watershed Association, to improve water quality in Androscoggin Lake by identifying and addressing the causes of a severe, lake-wide algal bloom: $5,000 
• Boys and Girls Club of Augusta, to divert juvenile offenders to restorative programs to avoid incarceration, recidivism, and learning loss from school suspensions: $10,000 
• Hardy Girls Healthy Women, to create a new middle school curriculum on coalition building, critical thinking, and activism with a youth-led research team: $5,000 
• Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center, to take programming on the road while its current venue is under construction: $3,570 
• Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers, to expand parenting, mental health, and life-skill supports for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults: $10,000
• Project Sparrow, to provide essential clothing, equipment, and personal-hygiene items to foster children who need assistance: $5,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Town of Mount Vernon, to support the adult day program for older residents of Fayette, Mount Vernon, and Vienna: $6,250 

2021 Grants from the Kennebec County Committee:

• Augusta Teen Center, for a continuum of positive youth development services to help teenagers suspended from school and first-time offenders learn from their mistakes: $10,000
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley, for enhanced summer programming for its 14 Pray Street Clubhouse and Chelsea Clubhouses for the summer: $8,477
• Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, to support free watershed science education programs to counteract a reduction in science education during the 2019-2021 school years: $5,000
• Kennebec Valley YMCA, for responsive in-person and online wellness programs, plus an exercise equipment lending library to meet the needs of older adults: $5,473

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Capital Area New Mainers Project, to provide summer academic and social enrichment to immigrant children in the capital area: $4,670
• Friends of Quarry Road, to offer a high-quality, four-week "Kids in the Woods" outdoor learning experience for 60 children to explore natural features of Waterville's Quarry Road Recreation Area: $3,000

Knox County

2023 GRANTS

Total applications received: 24 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $57,416
Average award: $6,380
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 38 percent
Number of grants awarded: 9
Additional grants by donors: one totaling $5,000 (as of April 2023)

2023 Grants by the Knox County Committee

• Isle au Haut Community Development Corporation, to study the feasibility of building a community center and apartments: $5,000
• Knox County Homeless Coalition, to expand its mental health and wellness program: $10,000
• Mid-Coast Habitat for Humanity, to increase affordable housing for low- to moderate-income families: $10,000
• Owls Head Village Library Association, to expand its speakers program, introduce children’s programming and expand its collection to include free e-books: $3,500
• P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center, to provide affordable services to low-income pet owners: $4,916
• Penobscot Language School, to engage community members in intercultural exchange and increase language resources, including free ESL for immigrants and refugees: $7,000
• Rockland Rotary Club Charitable Fund, to install an inclusive playground: $5,000
• Southern Harbor Eldercare Services, to assist older people with daily activities, transportation and enrichment activities: $10,000
• Sweet Tree Arts, for arts events and after-school programs: $2,000

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023)

• Herring Gut Coastal Science Center, for year-round educational programs for schoolchildren and the community on the connections between freshwater and marine environments and Maine’s economy: $5,000

2022 Grants from the Knox County Committee:

• Community Investors of Knox County, to address transportation needs of low-income residents: $5,000  
• Friends of the Strand Theatre, to provide free, educational concerts at The Strand for local students of all ages and their families: $5,000 
• Island Village Childcare, to build a safe, outdoor play set: $3,350 
• Jackson Memorial Library, to provide educational and enrichment programming regardless of age, ability, or socioeconomic status: $3,350 
• Knox County Homeless Coalition, for a collaborative, affordable-housing initiative that will provide up to 26 units with on-site, client-care services: $10,000 
• Midcoast Habitat for Humanity, to help complete the construction of six homes at the Philbrick Commons affordable pocket neighborhood: $2,500 
• Mid-Coast Health Net, to provide restorative dentistry and expanded hygiene services for low-income children and adults: $10,000 
• Midcoast Recovery Coalition, for two recovery residences to provide a healthy environment for families, healing the effects of drug addiction, and reintegration into the community: $10,000 
• The Coastal Children’s Museum, to foster learning for children and families about the environment and the Midcoast region through play: $4,107 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• PAWS Animal Adoption Center, to increase boarding capacity for pets of individuals who can’t care for care for pets due to homelessness, domestic violence, or hospitalization: $2,500 
• Sail Power and Steam Museum, to expand Sail Kids for Free, which provides youth opportunities to enhance leadership, team building, and promoting personal growth through sailing: $5,158 

2021 Grants from the Knox County Committee:

• AIO Food and Energy Assistance, to provide individuals with electricity disconnection assistance due to the impact of the pandemic on their financial resources: $2,500
• Coastal Children’s Museum, to provide a safe, enclosed exterior exhibit area compliant with COVID-19 guidelines for free outside learning programs: $8,650
• Friends of the Thomaston Public Library, for equipment and materials and WiFi capabilities for remote programming to serve the community: $4,200
• Knox County Homeless Coalition, to ensure efficiency and security in meeting clients’ needs by implementing a client management software system designed for social services: $10,000
• Mid-Coast Recovery Coalition, to create an environment that will help to break the cycle of destructive drug addiction behaviors and initiating movement towards rejoining the community: $3,000
• MidCoast Sailing Center, for a no-cost youth sailing program providing opportunities to build resilience, develop leadership and team building skills, and promote personal growth: $4,680
• One Less Worry, to respond to the growing and changing essential grooming necessities of Knox County residents in need: $6,000
• Rockland District Nursing Association, for increased in-home, non-acute nursing care for low-moderate income elderly residents and expanded collaboration with the larger community health care system: $5,000
• Trekkers, Inc., to build a community kitchen to serve as a central feature in creating a sense of community in its new building: $5,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Mid-Coast Recovery Coalition, to create an environment that will help to break the cycle of destructive drug addiction behaviors and initiating movement towards rejoining the community: $5,000
• Midcoast Sailing Center, for a no-cost youth sailing program providing opportunities to build resilience, develop leadership and team building skills, and promote personal growth: $2,820
• P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center, to increase boarding capacity for companion/service animals of individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19 and victims of domestic violence or elder abuse entering into transitional housing: $5,000
• Trekkers, Inc., to build a community kitchen to serve as a central feature in creating a sense of community in its new building: $5,000

2020 GRANTS

• Area Interfaith Outreach, to hire an external consultant to lead its board through a strategic planning session: $6,000
• Friends of the Thomaston Public Library, to provide a restroom on the lower level to better serve visitors to the children's library and gymnasium: $4,000
• The General Henry Knox Museum, to upgrade the museum's website, replace the in-house server, and develop a marketing plan that staff and volunteers will implement: $3,250
• LEAPS of IMAGINATION, to connect underserved students with the natural world through Wheeler Bay Wildlife Sanctuary: $7,784
• Midcoast Habitat for Humanity, to create the first phase of a pocket neighborhood that will provide safe, affordable home ownership for an underserved population: $7,500
• RSU 13, to create an experiential hands-on learning project for STEM and humanities students from Oceanside High School with Hurricane Island and The Telling Room: $5,000
• Sweet Tree Arts, for a professional storyteller to provide training to students, teachers, and older people: $2,250
• Trekkers, to support social and emotional needs of students through staff training and volunteer recruitment, retention, and training: $7,500

Oxford County

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 24 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $68,610 
Average award: $6,861 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 42 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 10 
Additional grants by donors: none (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Oxford County Committee:

• Bethel Area District Exchange and Food Pantry, for its food pantry, used-clothing store, food delivery, farm-to-pantry, senior food boxes, and school snack and backpack programs: $10,000 
• Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, to assess unmet mental health needs and improve access to affordable mental health services for cancer patients: $6,210 
• Denmark Arts Center, to provide live music, theater, art shows, children’s’ camps, author readings and workshops : $5,000 
• MSAD #44, to operate a childcare and early-learning center in Bethel: $10,000 
• Oxford County Mental Health Services, for academic and enrichment activities for vulnerable students: $5,000 
• River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, to expand the Old School Food Pantry’s reach through local partnerships, cooking classes and increasing access to fresh produce: $10,000 
• Team Long Run, to increase literacy through programs that get teacher-selected books into children’s homes: $5,000 
• The Progress Center, for meal delivery to children and adults with developmental disabilities recently released from the hospital or rehabilitation center: $5,000  
• Waterford Library Association, to hire a consultant to manage blogs on climate improvement to expand participation in its Climate Conversations: $2,400 
• Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative, to support addiction recovery through education, advocacy and compassionate community action: $10,000 

2022 Grants from the Oxford County Committee:

• Alan Day Community Garden, to support food security programming through its certified kitchen and food center: $10,000 
• Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, to expand oncology support services to cancer patients in western Maine: $10,000 
• Center for an Ecology Based Economy, for community home-weatherization projects and workshops to improve home heating and cooling efficiency: $10,000 
• Foothills Foodworks, to use local ingredients and provide fair wages for cooking and packing meals for food pantry distributions: $10,000 
• Pink Feather Foundation, to support its volunteer coordinator position: $2,968 
• Restorative Justice Institute of Maine, to address racial discrimination and marginalization through a restorative justice process with Oxford County community and youths: $4,310 
• River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, to provide essential services for low-income families and seniors in the River Valley region: $10,000 
• Western Foothills Kids Association, to offer academic support and enrichment opportunities after school and during summer break: $2,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Denmark Arts Center, to partner with ArtVan, Nevaeh Dance Circus, and Maine musicians and traditional craft makers for DamJam Revival, a family arts festival and music series: $10,000 
• Western Foothills Kids Association, to offer academic support and enrichment opportunities after school and during summer break: $8,000 

2021 Grants from the Oxford County Committee:

• Bethel Region Age-Friendly Community Initiative, to support an inter-generational outreach program, cheerful messages and valuable information mailed quarterly to the over-70-year-old residents of the community: $3,000
• Bryant Pond Learning Center, to support the summer education science programs for rural and underserved youth in Oxford County: $10,000
• Alan Day Community Garden, to increase access to local, nutritious, and affordable food during the pandemic by providing a food center that supports community education from garden to table: $10,000
• Inland Woods + Trails, to make good on a community hope and founding organizational principle to connect Bethel village to Mt. Abram: $7,000
• Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, Inc., to create the spay and neuter outreach program, providing financially disadvantaged community members with veterinary resources and assisting in population control: $2,500
• River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, to establish a community-wide food pantry in the River Valley region: $4,163

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, to help sustain the services of an Oncology Social Worker to provide emotional support and help cancer patients access resources: $10,000
• Count ME In!, to ensure more MSAD17/Agnes Gray students attend school consistently, gain proficiency in reading/math, access meals and health supports, and connect (students AND families) with adult mentors: $5,500
• Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, Inc., to create the spay and neuter outreach program, providing financially disadvantaged community members with veterinary resources and assisting in population control: $2,500
• River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, to establish a community-wide food pantry in the River Valley Region: $5,000

Penobscot County

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 32 
Grant dollars awarded: $198,950 
Average award: $9,948 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 63 percent 
Number of grants awarded by committee: 20 
Additional grants by donors: 9 totaling $68,250 (as of April 2023) 

 2023 Grants from the Penobscot County Committee:

• Bangor Symphony Orchestra, to continue its music and wellness program at St. Joseph Hospital and explore program expansion to Lafayette Cancer Institute: $10,000 
• Best Buddies International, to sustain Best Buddies Friendship Program chapters and fund leadership development trainings: $10,000 
• Boreal Theater, to establish a space for creative use and expand community engagement: $10,000 
• Dignity First, to grow its leadership and neighbor care team, support unhoused neighbors and invest in permanent, supported housing in the community: $10,000 
• Food and Medicine Jobs with Justice Education Fund, to build a resilient and inclusive community, develop skills, and access to heathy food in downtown Bangor: $10,000 
• Friends of Baxter State Park, to hire local teens to maintain Baxter State Park’s trail systems: $10,000 
• Heart of Maine Resource Center, to renovate a food cupboard building used to support the Greater Dexter community: $10,000 
• Heart of Maine United Way, to connect students, other individuals, and groups to support the county through collaboration, service, volunteerism, and drives: $10,000 
• I’m Your Neighbor Books, to serve the city of Bangor and build a more welcoming community through children’s literature: $10,000 
• Katahdin Tourism Partnership, to develop the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Scenic Byway for sustainable community and economic development: $10,000 
• Lincoln Pony Pals, to create a strong work ethic, strengthen sense of pride and self-worth in local youth through relationships with horses: $10,000 
• Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, to engage community members and increase services for adults with literacy barriers: $9,000 
• Maine Academy of Modern Music, to support Bangor Rocks! and Bangor Rock Camp: $10,000 
• Millinocket Regional Hospital, to expand Age Friendly Millinocket’s Transportation for All project that subsidizes rides: $9,950 
• Opportunity Housing, to sustain operations at the Brewer Area Food Pantry: $10,000 
• Penobscot Theatre Company, for summer educational programming for youth: $10,000 
• Reigning Hope Ranch, to purchase and maintain essential equine therapy equipment: $10,000 
• ReTreeUS, to plant orchards at Etna Dixmont and Patricia Duran schools and add fruit trees to the Sebasticook Valley Elementary School orchard: $10,000 
• River City Athletics, to provide a safe, affordable, and year-round indoor activity space: $10,000 
• St. Andre Home, to pilot housing support services for survivors: $10,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, for diversion and guest services: $10,000 
• Community Care, for the expansion of its volunteer program to develop meaningful relationships with youth experiencing homelessness to assist them in transitioning out of homelessness: $10,000 
• Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, to engage community members and increase services for adults with literacy barriers: $1,000 
• Maine Discovery Museum, for a board development trip to Massachusetts science centers and Maine organizations: $10,000 
• Patten Lumbermen’s Museum, for groundwork for a new exhibit building to display lumbering equipment from the 19th century: $10,000 
• Town of Charleston, to reopen and update the Charleston Public Library: $3,850 
• Town of Dexter, to construct waist-high garden beds for older people with limited mobility: $3,400 
• True North Theatre, to bring stories to life on stage and educate storytellers in the community: $10,000 
• Wellspring, for community education and outreach to pregnant and parenting women affected by substance use disorder: $10,000 

2022 Grants from the Penobscot County Committee:

• Bangor Region YMCA, to increase access to programs that build resiliency, competency, and self-sufficiency among at-risk teenagers in central Maine: $10,000 
• Bangor Symphony Orchestra, for its music and wellness program: $4,780 
• Best Buddies, to open more school and community chapters and provide leadership training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: $10,000 
• Courageous Steps Project, to support children and young adults with varying abilities and challenges: $7,500 
• Eastern Maine Community College, to provide recreation and tourism credentials to unemployed or underemployed youth and adults in the Katahdin region: $10,000 
• Food AND Medicine, to support volunteers working on its core programs including, food security, unemployment support, public transportation, and civic engagement: $10,000 
• Friends of Baxter State Park, to engage teens in building and maintaining the trail systems of Baxter State Park and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: $7,500 
• Friends of Veterans Memorial Library, to digitally preserve historical records, including scrapbooks, town reports, and yearbooks: $4,000 
• Hampden Highlands United Methodist Church, to bring community members and organizations together to conduct home improvement projects for local residents: $5,000 
• Lincoln Pony Pals, to construct a stable to accommodate lesson horses for local youth: $6,410
• Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, to provide literacy tutoring for adults to promote greater self-sufficiency and financial stability: $7,500
• Maine Forest and Logging Museum, to improve its displays and access to them: $10,000 
• Maine Parkinson Society, to provide critical programs for patients with Parkinson’s disease: $10.000 
• Newport Public Library Association, to construct a permanent story walk in the community park: $4,854 
• Northeastern Family Institute, to provide a therapeutic gardening program to promote the mental and physical health of children living in its residential home: $10,000 
• Our Katahdin, to update its crowdfunding platform and engage with the Katahdin Gazetteer: $10,000 
• Outdoor Sport Institute, to involve youth with outdoor gear libraries and trails: $9,000 
• Partners for Peace, to increase accessibility of services for domestic violence survivors with disabilities, neurodiversity, and for whom English is their second language: $10,000 
• Pir2Peer Recovery Community Center, to provide in-house recovery programming: $10,000 
• Shaw House, to provide housing assistance and support services for young adults experiencing homelessness: $10,000 
• St. Andre Home, to expand housing support services for survivors of domestic violence and their families: $10,000 
• Town of Millinocket, to purchase skates, a skate sharpener, and skate rack for the community: $5,000 
• Welcome to Housing Home Goods Bank, to provide free furniture and home goods for those in need: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Bangor Symphony Orchestra, for its music and wellness program: $5,000
• Lincoln Pony Pals, to construct a stable to accommodate lesson horses for local youth: $2,500
• Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, to provide literacy tutoring for adults to promote greater self-sufficiency and financial stability: $2,500
• Maine Multicultural Center, to provide rental deposits, landlord guarantees, apartment furnishings, and other services for New Mainers to ease resettlement: $10,000

2021 Grants from the Penobscot County Committee:

• Bangor Public Library Trustees, to analyze and optimize indoor air quality to safely re-open and hold in-person programming: $10,000
• Best Buddies International, to create a Citizens Friendship Program to match adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities with typical peers in a mutually beneficial relationship: $9,000
• Community Health Leadership Board, to extend the mask drive outreach, education, and campaign to VaxUpForME to encourage and help distribute COVID-19 vaccine to the most vulnerable residents: $10,000
• Food AND Medicine Jobs with Justice Education Fund, to organize the purchase of food from local restaurants to distribute to low-income people in ways that foster dignity, leadership development, and community resilience: $10,000
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor, to support the Critical Repair program to keep Mainers in their homes and invest in maintaining neighborhoods: $10,000
• Helen S. Dunn School, to expand the middle school Outdoor Adventure Program focused on Maine's forests and waterways: $10,000
• Lincoln Pony Pals, for a summer equestrian program for youth struggling with stress, depression, weight gain, and emotional, social, and physical challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: $2,500
• Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, to develop and operationalize mobile learning initiatives for adult students and formalize remote training opportunities for tutors during COVID-19: $10,000
• Mabel Wadsworth Women's Health Center, to provide comprehensive healthcare to vulnerable community members: $5,000
• Needlepoint Sanctuary, to create a program that distributes life-saving harm reduction materials to unhoused and BIPOC community members in Greater Bangor: $7,000
• Opportunity Housing Inc., to eliminate isolation and improve physical and mental health among people supported in residential services through the use of technology: $9,501
• Our Katahdin, for organizational learning to engage with Wabanaki-led organizations around workforce and economic development, and technical expertise to review fiber network construction bids: $10,000
• Racial Equity and Justice, to support the African/Indigenous Apothecary & Herbal Holistic Medicine project to deliver preventative alternative medicinal healing to BIPOC communities, marginalized people, and those at risk: $9,000
• St. Andre Home, Inc., for "CourageLIVES" to address the amplified needs of survivors due to the COVID-19 pandemic through an “empowerment” pantry project: $10,000
• Town of Dexter, to support an AmeriCorps volunteer to assist with creating transportation, technology, and social programs: $5,000
• United Way of Eastern Maine, to build and enhance UWEM's Community Engagement Initiative, connecting individuals and groups to support the nonprofit community: $10,000
• Welcoming Immigrant Neighbors, for a part-time staff person who will help to maintain and expand integrative services: $9,867

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Best Buddies International, to create a Citizens Friendship Program which will match adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities with typical peers in a mutually beneficial relationship: $1,000
• Lincoln Pony Pals, for a summer equestrian program for youth struggling with mental stress, depression, weight gain and emotional, social and physical challenges with COVID-19 pandemic: $2,500
• Maine Mental Health Connections, to empower people in recovery to help revitalize a high overdose neighborhood utilizing the arts: $9,799

Piscataquis County

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 12 
Grant dollars awarded: $55,680 
Average award: $7,954 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 58 percent 
Number of grants awarded by committee: 7 
Additional grants by donors: 1 totaling $1,500 (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Piscataquis County Committee:

• Appalachian Mountain Club, to improve awareness of and accessibility to the Moosehead Lake region’s mountain and gravel-riding trails: $6,131 
• Center Theatre, for a new summer drama camp in Greenville: $4,473 
• Create and Collaborate, for educational art and science classes for students ages 2-18: $5,076 
• Friends of Community Fitness, to build an outdoor track with lighting for safe, outdoor programs: $10,000 
• Helping Hands with Heart, to provide youth resilience training to youth, educators, and youth-services providers: $10,000 
• Piscataquis Regional Food Center, for cooking classes, nutrition counseling and SNAP enrollment to those experiencing food insecurity: $10.000 
• Town of Milo, for an after-school program: $10,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Appalachian Mountain Club, to improve awareness of and accessibility to the Moosehead Lake region’s mountain and gravel-riding trails: $1,500 

2022 Grants from the Piscataquis County Committee:

• Center Theatre, to create a summer drama camp: $1,643 
• Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation, to develop business and job opportunities for the local community: $10,000 
• MSAD #41, to install the district’s first middle-school playground: $6,577 
• Northern Forest Center, to manage environmental impact and build sustainable tourism management in the Moosehead Lake region: $10,000 
• Penquis CAP, to establish host homes for youth ages 12-24 in Piscataquis County experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness: $3,490 
• Penquis Youth Hockey Association, for ice rink rentals for games and practices at the Piscataquis County Ice Arena: $5,000 
• ReTreeUS, to plant an educational orchard for local schoolchildren: $8,180 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2022):

• Center Theatre, to create a summer drama camp: $2,500 
• Penquis CAP, to establish host homes for youth ages 12-24 in Piscataquis County experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness: $2,410 
• Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District, to add forest management, trail updates, and historical signage to its community forest: $10,000 

2021 Grants from the Piscataquis County Committee:

• Appalachian Mountain Club, to install dark sky-compliant lighting at the town of Greenville Consolidated School to improve community safety and well-being: $8,000
• Friends of Community Fitness, to create a Senior Center and Cardiac Fitness Program: $10,000
• Moosehead Trails, to create a Moosehead Hiking Trail Ambassador program to provide timely hiking and trail information to trail owners, regional visitors, and hikers: $7,500
• Pineland Farms, to refine and expand arts, writing, and technology programs for students from the region's middle and high schools: $10,000
• Piscataquis Regional YMCA, to purchase technology for a tutoring program to support youth learning opportunities, build community resilience and combat isolation through multigenerational outreach efforts: $8,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds (as of April 2021):

• Piscataquis Regional YMCA, to purchase technology for a tutoring program to support youth learning opportunities, build community resilience and combat isolation through multigenerational outreach efforts: $2,000

Southern Midcoast

2023 GRANTS

Total applications received: 29 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $121,294 
Average award: $8,086 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 52 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 15 
Additional grants by donors: none (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Southern Midcoast Committee:

• Boothbay Region Community Resource Council, to increase access to food and reduce stigma of food insecurity: $10,000 
• Boothbay Sea and Science Center, for hands-on programs for youth ages 5-17: $5,260 
• Bowdoinham Public Library, for a tablet-lending program and user training for older patrons: $1,674 
• CHIP, to provide affordable home repairs: $10,000 
• Frances Perkins Center, to open the Frances Perkins homestead and trails”: $5,000 
• Healthy Lincoln County, to provide outreach and supplies to people experiencing homelessness: $10,000 
• Hearty Roots, to provide youth mental-health training and certifications: $10,000 
• Lincoln County Television, to broadcast government meetings, educational programming, sports, children’s shows, emergency updates and major events: $10,000 
• Midcoast Community Alliance, to expand programming that fosters connection and sense of belonging for marginalized youth: $10,000 
• Midcoast Conservancy, to hire a Nature-Based Program Manager for coordination and instruction of outdoor education programs at Hidden Valley Nature Center: $10,000 
• Midcoast Literacy, for free tutoring, English classes, early-childhood literacy sessions and books to children, adults and families: $7,000 
• Midcoast Maine Community Action, for the Support to Thrive Fund to support immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers: $7,000 
• Veggies to Table, to grow produce, build its community education program and invest in additional crew, volunteers and partners: $10,000 
• Waldoboro Public Library, for engagement, education, enrichment and to enhance the library’s long-term viability: $5,000 
• Whitefield Library, to preserve integrity of the two-story building: $10,000 

2022 Grants from the Southern Midcoast Committee:

• Community Housing Improvement Project, to provide home repair services for those who cannot  afford them: $10,000 
• Coastal Kids Preschool, for its staff professional development program to maximize teachers’ skills and credentials: $10,000 
• Healthy Lincoln County, to broaden the reach of food-security programs through media: $10,000 
• Hearty Roots, to connect children with nature through outdoor adventure programming: $10,000 
• Housing Resources for Youth, to connect homeless youth with case management, supplies, resources, and safe housing in their community: $3,000 
• Inn Along the Way, to engage older residents in socially, mentally, and physically enriching activities: $3,982 
• Lincoln County Historical Association, for programs and exhibitions about the history of women writers of Lincoln County: $3,700 
• Midcoast Youth Center, to meet the social-emotional, academic, health, and basic needs of youth in Sagadahoc County, Brunswick, and Harpswell: $10,000 
• Midcoast Literacy, to provide free tutoring, English classes, early childhood literacy programs, and free books to adults, children, and families: $3,390 
• Restorative Justice Project of the MidCoast, to make restorative justice processes available to adults and those they have impacted through law enforcement and court referrals to the Community Harm Repair Program: $9,400 
• The Carpenters Boatshop, for wooden boatbuilding programs: $7,058 
• Maine’s First Ship, to collect and publish oral histories from community members who helped reconstruct the sailing vessel Virginia: $4,000 
• Waldo Theatre, to serve as a cultural hub for Waldoboro and midcoast region: $10,000 
• Whitefield Library, for the installation of a dual heat-pump system to allow it to remain open in the winter: $10,000 
• Central Lincoln County YMCA, for a third-grade food education program that teaches the joy of growing, preparing, and eating nutritious, local foods: $5,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Central Lincoln County YMCA, for a third-grade food education program that teaches the joy of growing, preparing, and eating nutritious, local foods: $5,000 
• Veggies to Table, to feed and educate community members experiencing hunger: $5,000 

2021 Grants from the Southern Midcoast Committee:

• Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library Association, to expand accessibility to and engagement with the library's lending services and collaborative community programming through the Pop-up Library Project: $6,493
• Coastal Kids Preschool, for additional staffing, for non-punitive COVID-19 quarantine and sick leave protocols, and for increased vaccine access for inclusive preschool’s 38 essential staff members: $10,000
• ElderCare Network of Lincoln County, to continue the Successful Aging program during the pandemic by using paid staff for activities within the home, increasing rides in the van, and having monthly celebrations: $8,600
• Hearty Roots, to get low-income kids connected to nature with esteem-building outdoor adventure programming that supports their resilience and personal growth: $10,000
• Housing Resources for Youth, to create a transition strategy for homeless and at-risk youth moving in with Host Home providers in the community: $4,890
• Lincoln County Dental, to optimize patient health and minimize the risk of viral spread through the sanitization of operatory spaces using UV light systems and air filtration: $10,000
• Midcoast Community Alliance, to expand the Merrymeeting Support Collaborative for at-risk youth and youth experiencing homelessness: $10,000
• Midcoast Conservancy, for the Maine Conservation Corps staff supporting community access at Hidden Valley Nature Center and to increase the supply of outdoor equipment for the community: $5,000
• Morris Farm Trust, to increase food security in Lincoln County by offering free local produce year-round: $5,129
• Oasis Health Network, to hire a part-time Mental Health Coordinator to recruit and coordinate volunteer counselors and provide care management for patients: $10,000
• Twin Villages Foodbank Farm, to improve the farm's ability to grow, aggregate, and distribute food in Lincoln County: $5,000
• Veggies to Table, to grow the capacity to feed and educate community members experiencing hunger: $8,500
• Waldo Theatre, Inc., for a live-streaming pilot program to bring performances from The Waldo’s stage to the community in real-time and support the work of performing artists: $5,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Bath Area Family YMCA, to increase capacity to deliver healthy meals and nutrition services to the community by developing a teen food program and upgrading the prep kitchen: $10,000
• Hearty Roots, to get low-income kids connected to nature with esteem-building outdoor adventure programming that supports their resilience and personal growth: $10,000
• Housing Resources for Youth, to create a transition strategy for homeless and at-risk youth moving in with Host Home providers in the community: $5,110
• Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, for coordination of Merrymeeting Food Council efforts which increase equitable access to healthy food, empower community members, and create pathways for food system employment: $10,000
• Twin Villages Foodbank Farm, to improve the foodbank farm's ability to grow, aggregate, and distribute food in Lincoln County: $5,000
• Veggies to Table, to grow the capacity to feed and educate community members experiencing hunger: $1,500

2020 GRANTS

• Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library Association, to develop a comprehensive strategic plan that will define and communicate the library’s goals and direction prior to embarking on a major renovation capital campaign: $10,000
• Boothbay Region Health Care Inc., to provide resilience training for healthcare staff and board member proficiency training for board members: $4,051
• Boothbay Region Maritime Foundation, to create a photo exhibit that will help people learn about the rich maritime history of the Boothbay Region: $4,276
• Boothbay Sea and Science Center, for expanding "Exploring the Science of Seaweed Farming," an 11-month STEM education classroom and seaside program for grades K-12 in Lincoln County schools: $10,000
• The Carpenter’s Boat Shop, to upgrade the phone system and internet access: $10,000
• Cathance River Education Alliance, to build organizational capacity/resilience by creating, streamlining, and documenting administrative, financial, and programmatic systems: $5,000
• Coastal Kids Preschool, to create a robust professional development program for teaching staff, resulting in skills and credentials that will maximize teachers’ positive impact on students: $10,000
• Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine, to enhance all areas of Habitat's administration, fundraising, volunteer management and affordable housing work through the use of more current, reliable and flexible technology: $10,000
• Healthy Lincoln County, to expand the Lincoln County Gleaners' scope of services and distribution reach, increasing access to local produce for populations experience food insecurity: $10,000
• Midcoast Community Alliance, to implement a youth leadership program that will increase protective factors around high-risk youth by developing critical long-term supports, opportunities, and relationships: $10,000
• Mobius Inc., to enhance the functionality of information systems for children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental health needs: $8,750
• New Hope for Women Inc., to purchase one voice-activated alarm system and provide emergency lodging, food, gas, and other necessities to victims of domestic violence and their families: $5,000
• Patten Free Library, to pay for consultant fees for a new strategic planning process for Patten Free Library: $2,700
• Twin Villages Downtown Alliance, to enhance the Alliance’s ability to create a business accelerator program by hiring a part-time program director to execute planning and marketing efforts: $5,000
• Veggies to Table, to add volunteer training program to increase the produce grown and donated to feed and educate food insecure community members while creating lasting community connections: $6,500
• Waldo Theatre Inc., to outfit the theater with a modern projection system: $10,000

Waldo County

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 22  
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $59,435 
Average award: $7,429 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 36 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 8 
Additional grants by donors: 3 totaling $30,000 (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Waldo County Committee:

• Belfast Farmers Market, to increase access to the purchase and sale of local produce for SNAP recipients: $7,500 
• Constellation Workshops for All, for accessible relationship and intimacy education for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: $5,615 
• Habitat for Humanity Waldo County, to construct and furnish its ReStore: $7,500 
• Islesboro Community Center, for after-school childcare: $9,800 
• Leroy H. Smith School, to increase the number of volunteers to mentor vulnerable students: $800 

• Penobscot Marine Museum, to develop and implement curriculum-driven and community-based learning projects: $8,220 
• Town of Monroe, to restore basketball courts, add new playground equipment and other minor upgrades to Gesner Park: $10,000 
• Waldo County Bounty, to improve organizational operations and community impact to ensure everyone has access to fresh, nutritious food: $10,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Belfast Area Child Care Services, to improve health, wellness and education for young children with healthy food, community garden and outdoor learning: $10,000 
• But Still I Am One, for prepaid VISA cards for the needs of housing insecure students: $10,000 
• Cornerspring Montessori School, to build a hoop house for year-round vegetable production: $10,000 

2022 Grants from the Waldo County Committee:

• Belfast Curling Club, to support socialization, physical, and mental fitness during the winter: $10,000 
• Belfast Flying Shoes, for music and dance performances for students, incarcerated men, older adults in congregate care, and the public: $7,500 
• Coastal Mountains Land Trust, to supply teachers with outdoor educational backpacks to facilitate outdoor learning: $7,400 
• Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County, to upgrade its website to provide content on caregiving, end-of-life care, and bereavement support: $10,000 
• Winterport Free Library Association, to provide safe and equitable access to its library building for all members of the community: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Coastal Mountains Land Trust, to supply teachers with outdoor educational backpacks to facilitate outdoor learning: $1,600 
• Waldo Community Action Partners, for Heroes 4 Hunger, to deliver more than 1,500 free food baskets to families during the holidays: $10,000
• Waldo County Bounty, to hire a part-time employee to build management, networking, organizational development, and fundraising capacity: $7,500

2021 Grants from the Waldo County Committee:

• Belfast Area Child Care Services, Inc., to keep teachers connected with parents during and after the COVID-19 pandemic through improved use of technology regarding their children's daily progress and development: $5,500
• Belfast Flying Shoes, to produce, record, and broadcast outdoor concerts in Belfast to support and bring joy to older adults and essential workers: $5,000
• County of Waldo, to fund anti-racism joint training for sheriff's department leadership, deputies, corrections officers, and community members: $10,000
• Leroy H. Smith School, to expand its Mentoring Program to accommodate the increase in students’ emotional and social needs due to the pandemic: $700
• Penobscot Marine Museum, to continue and expand in-person programming that reengages the community and represents a low risk for COVID-19 transmission: $5,550
• Restorative Justice Project of the Midcoast, to pilot a year-long, volunteer-run process  to support individuals identifying and fulfilling their life goals post-incarceration: $10,000
• Unity Barn Raisers, to increase Waldo County Bounty's communications, promotional, educational, and fundraising capacity: $3,250
• Waldo County Woodshed, to assist the community with heating: $3,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Belfast Flying Shoes, to produce, record, and broadcast 12 outdoor concerts in Belfast, in collaboration with HVOWC and BCTV, to support older adults and essential workers: $2,000
• Friends of Sears Island, to strengthen the organization's ability to respond to the challenges of virtual and self-guided educational programming during a pandemic: $5,500
• Waterfall Arts, to expand the Kids & Family Outreach Summer Program: $2,000

2020 GRANTS

• Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition, to support an environmental educator working with children in grades K-12 in Waldo County: $5,000
• Creative Learning and Performance, Inc., to develop a resident marionette company and build a stage with lights and sound equipment for productions: $3,000
• Liberty Library Association, to develop a Play Reading Group program, including theater engagement and discussion: $1,000
• Monroe Elementary School, to equip the school's existing greenhouse with proper equipment and other supplies so students can start using it again: $6,836
• Restorative Justice Project Maine, to promote police officer initiated referrals to a community-based restorative justice program as a way to hold youth and young adults accountable for crime and wrongdoing while preventing unnecessary engagement in the criminal justice system: $10,000
• RSU 71, to expand school garden programs to extend and expand student summer school learning: $4,960
• Waldo Community Action Partners, to create a summer lunch delivery program for children aged 0-18 impacted by food insecurity in Waldo County: $10,000
• Waldo County Trails Coalition, to match private foundation funding for promoting use of a county-wide trail system: $6,000

Washington County

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 26 
Grant dollars awarded: $137,994 
Average award: $8,117 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 65 percent 
Number of grants awarded by committee: 17 
Additional grants by donors: 9 totaling $44,500

 2023 Grants from the Washington County Committee:

• Brendan Leddy Memorial Fund, to expand its free youth skateboarding program, add a pump track and provide mental health outreach: $9,994 
• Downeast Coastal Conservancy, to promote access to conserved land, engage community in environmental stewardship and offer free education programs: $3,500 
• Down East Hospice Volunteers, to provide end-of-life care and companionship to terminally ill people and their families: $9,000 
• Eastport Arts Center, for cultural programming that builds community and encourages wellbeing: $10,000 
• Island Readers & Writers, to provide book-based educational programs to children and support educators: $10,000 
• Lubec Community Outreach Center, to provide programs, resources and education that improve quality of life for all: $5,000 
• Maine Seacoast Mission, to improve outdoor recreation and nature access for Downeast youth and families of all incomes: $10,000 
• Mano en Mano, to provide bilingual childcare that celebrates, culture, identity and community: $5,000 
• Neighbors Helping Neighbors Downeast, to provide essential home repairs for low-income homeowners: $5,000 
• Passamaquoddy Indian Township Tribal Government, to develop an eel aquaculture facility to create jobs and income for the tribe: $10,000 
• Pembroke Elementary School, to create a safe and updated play space: $10,000 
• Porter Memorial Library, to provide a community space and offer free cultural and educational programs: $10,000 
• Quoddy Tides Foundation, to support operations: $10,000 
• Sunrise County Economic Council, to build a network that connects business programs, entrepreneurs and technical-assistance providers: $10,000 
• Town of Danforth, to install a roof over the paved wheelchair walkway at the Danforth Livable Community Center: $8,500 
• Whispering Pine Equine Alliance, to improve physical and mental health of low-income and residents with disabilities through equine therapy: $7,000 
• Women for Healthy Rural Living, to create an inclusive, wellness-oriented community: $5,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023):

• Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, to open a Washington County annex that serves people with cancer: $10,000 
• Down East Hospice Volunteers, to provide end-of-life care and companionship to terminally ill people and their families: $1,000 
• Lubec Area Musicians Philanthropic Society, for free performances, advance local music and grow its music education capacity: $1,000 
• Lubec Community Outreach Center, to provide programs, resources and education that improve quality of life for all: $5,000 
• Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, to expand reporting on important issues in Washington County: $10,000 
• Mano en Mano, to provide bilingual childcare that celebrates, culture, identity and community: $5,000 
• Neighbors Helping Neighbors Downeast, to provide essential home repairs for low-income homeowners: $5,000 
• Whispering Pine Equine Alliance, to improve physical and mental health of low-income and residents with disabilities through equine therapy: $2,500 
• Women for Healthy Rural Living, to create an inclusive, wellness-oriented community: $5,000 

2022 Grants from the Washington County Committee:

• Centre Street Congregational Church, to move its food pantry from the church to another location in the Machias area: $10,000 
• Defend Our Health, to increase well-water testing and treat contaminated well water in Washington County: $10,000 
• Down East Hospice Volunteers, to provide compassionate respite care and companionship to the terminally ill individuals: $10,000 
• Downeast Lakes Trust, to develop a community volunteer program: $9,600 
• Eastport Arts Center, to foster creative thinking and serve as a community hub: $10,000 
• Friends of The Boat School, to redevelop the The Boat School campus: $10,000 
• Healthy Acadia, to advance racial and health equity through a needs assessment and pilot of health offerings in non-English languages: $10,000 
• Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry, to purchase a walk-in freezer and renovate a new room for freezers: $9,000 
• Lubec Area Musicians’ Philanthropic Society, to provide a free concert series in Lubec: $6,000 
• Lubec Community Outreach Center, for programming that meets community needs and its growing volunteer base: $10,000 
• Lubec Memorial Library, to increase space and technology capacity in its community room, and improve building accessibility: $10,000 
• Maine Alliance for Arts Education, to expand its Washington County theater integration teacher training program to include secondary-level educators: $9,000 
• Maine Seacoast Mission, to purchase mobile food carts and expand educational programs: $9,075 
• Passamaquoddy Indian Township Tribal Government, to develop an eel aquaculture facility to increase jobs for tribal eel harvesters and increase revenue for tribal programs: $10,000 
• Pembroke Trotting Association, to build updated livestock facilities and expand livestock exhibits at the annual county fair: $9,622 
• Quoddy Tides Foundation, to reintroduce a printed cultural guide with an English/Passamaquoddy regional map: $10,000 
• Shead High School, for a collaborative media center for students and the community to explore technology fields: $9,000 
• Women for Healthy Rural Living, to support programming designed to improve health, wellness, and community vitality: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Downeast Community Partners, to provide rides to medical appointments for low-income  older residents of Washington and Hancock counties: $10,000 
• Hand in Hand/Mano en Mano, to expand its bilingual childcare facility: $10,000 
• Island Readers & Writers, for programming that connects students with authors and illustrators with a focus on writing skills: $10,000 
• Maine Alliance for Arts Education, to expand its Washington County theater integration teacher training program to include secondary-level educators: $1,000 
• Shead High School, for a collaborative media center for students and the community to explore technology fields: $1,000 
• Town of Danforth, to complete ADA-accessibility improvements at the Danforth Livable Community Senior Center: $10,000 

2021 Grants from the Washington County Committee:

• Down East Hospice Volunteers, to develop Zoom virtual programming in order to deliver community education about hospice and to train hospice volunteers: $4,602
• Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education, to continue a pre-K-12 marine science education program adapted to COVID-19 restrictions: $10,000
• Downeast Salmon Federation, to rehabilitate and re-develop the historic Dennysville Sportsman’s Club into a fully accessible outdoor community gathering area: $10,000
• Eastport Arts Center, to complete upgrades providing safer, more welcoming experiences: $10,000
• Eastport Public Library Association, to expand staff hours necessary to maintain new protocols and modified services in response to COVID-19: $8,140
• Hand in Hand Mano en Mano, to support Rayitos de Sol, a start-up bilingual childcare program: $10,000
• Harald Saeverud Music Program/PBSO, to collaborate with Eastport Arts Center to compose, write, and present an original opera for children: $10,000
• Island Readers & Writers, to build on traditional programs by offering more shared book experiences to public school students: $6,000
• Maine Seacoast Mission, to support multi-generation family outdoor educational experiences: $10,000
• Quoddy Tides Foundation, to expand offerings through downtown storefront installations, art kits to go, and additional online collections resources: $8,800
• Speaking Place, to conduct language recovery workshops for fluent comprehenders in the Indian Township Passamaquoddy community using online technologies adapted to COVID-19: $10,000
• Town of Danforth, to participate in a Lifelong Maine AmeriCorps pilot program as part of implementing Danforth's Lifelong Community Action Plan: $5,000
• Women for Healthy Rural Living, to expand the Incredible Edible Milbridge project: $10,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Down East Hospice Volunteers, to develop Zoom virtual learning programming in order to deliver community education about hospice and to train hospice volunteers: $5,000
• Island Readers & Writers, to build resilience and community by exploring more through shared book experiences: $4,000
• Maine Access Points, to support a pandemic-focused model to increase access to overdose and harm reduction education, harm reduction supplies and peer support in Washington County: $10,000
• Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, to reduce COVID-19 transmission/infection at the Sipayik community by providing elder homes with air filtration/purification systems: $10,500
• ReTreeUS, to develop educational orchard programs and distribute native fruiting trees to the communities at Indian Township School and the Milbridge Commons Wellness Park: $9,264
• Sunrise County Economic Council, to remove barriers for low-income individuals in Start Up Downeast, a program to realize small business aspirations through post-secondary attainment, coaching, and business planning: $10,000

Western Mountains

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 25 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $81,760 
Average award: $8,176 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 40 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 10 
Additional grants by donors: 2 totaling $15,000 (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the Western Mountains Committee:

• Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, to support vulnerable youth through employment, mentoring opportunities and internships to develop business and entrepreneurial skills: $10,000 
• Common Unity Place, to provide a community meeting place that supplies free clothes, meals, personal-care items, access to social services and other support: $5,000 
• Friends of L.C. Bates Museum, for the Young Observers Project, activities that develop skills needed to study, understand and support children’s natural environment: $1,800
• High Peaks Creative Council, to bring craftsmen into schools to build steam-bent toboggans with students: $10,000 
• Literacy Volunteers, to educate, empower and connect adults in rural Maine, for whom literacy skills are a barrier to access: $5,000 
• Main Street Skowhegan, to foster connections among youth, mentors and community members through outdoor activities at Skowhegan Outdoors Basecamp: $9,960 
• Mission at the Eastward, to provide home repairs to low-income people and complete a tiny home to provide housing for people experiencing homelessness: $10,000 
• Rangeley Region Health and Wellness Partnership, to provide access to healthy food for rural and low-income older people: $10,000 
• Western Maine Community Action, to increase household safety, well-being and employability for community members: $10,000 
• Western Maine Play Museum, to develop infant and toddler playgroups for early-childhood development that provides a community for their caregivers: $10,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Greater Franklin Food Council, for its school garden coach to support garden and nutrition programming and hands-on instruction: $10,000
• United Way of the Tri-Valley Area, to remove financial barriers in low-income families so children can participate in extracurricular enrichment opportunities: $5,000 

2022 Grants from the Western Mountains Committee:

• Baker Mountain Ski Tow Club, for a giant slalom competition: $3,275 
• Farmington Grange #12, to update its facility for community activities: $10,000 
• Friends of L.C. Bates Museum, to create a lending library of educational resources for elementary-school teachers for natural-science learning: $1,640 
• Greater Franklin Food Council, to hire a school garden coach to work with schools as they establish thriving school gardens: $6,215 
• High Peaks Creative Council, for a teaching craftsman to build a wooden climbing structure at Phillips Elementary School students in pre-K to fourth grade. $10,000 
• Kennebec Valley Community Action Program, to financially assist people with basic needs: $6,000 
• Kingfield POPS, to provide cultural enrichment for families and music education opportunities for area youth: $10,000 
• Lake Wesserunsett Association, to expand its boat inspection program to protect the lake against invasive species, and to construct educational kiosks at two campgrounds: $500 
• Main Street Skowhegan, to develop a master trail plan in Skowhegan to enhance access to the outdoors: $10,000 
• Rangeley Friends of the Performing Arts, to engage and build community through art conversations and production: $10,000 
• United Way of the Tri Valley Area, to assist rural and economically disadvantaged residents with vehicle repair costs: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, to assemble a team to design a larger community site for those with unmet needs: $10,000 
• Western Maine Community Action, to reduce financial barriers to improve safety and well-being for individuals and families: $10,000 

2021 Grants from the Western Mountains Committee:

• Farmington Public Library Association, to purchase equipment to safely provide the community with free, reliable internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic: $4,870
• Friends of L. C. Bates Museum, to use museum resources to provide natural-science learning opportunities for schools and families: $1,600
• Greater Franklin Development Council, to help administer a county-wide COVID Relief Fund to provide grants up to $5,000 to small businesses allowing them to keep people employed: $3,000
• High Peaks Creative Council, to expand the barn quilt trail into southern Franklin County: $10,000
• Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties, to empower adults who are less literate to achieve progress on self-selected goals and improve foundational literacy with community education programming: $3,557
• Main Street Skowhegan, to create a resilient Skowhegan by empowering local entrepreneurs, maximizing assets, and building a foundation for growth and prosperity for all community members: $10,000
• Maine Grain Alliance, to support essential workers in grain-based businesses to survive and thrive through and beyond the disruptions of the 2020 worldwide pandemic: $2,500
• MaineHealth, to support the telephonic outreach support network of the Community Care Transitions Program focusing on isolated seniors: $9,923
• MSAD #12, to revitalize the Community Leadership Team: $1,000
• Phillips Public Library, to expand youth and adult library resources to the outdoors in a safe public setting under a tent: $6,843
• Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society, to improve Native American exhibits and educational programs at the Outdoor Heritage Museum: $9,300
• Town of Strong, to rebuild a bridge and create a multi-use trail to provide safe outdoor space in this COVID-19 environment: $10,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Children’s Center Early Intervention and Family Support, to complete minor renovations at the Farmington location in order to limit exposure and maintain social distancing as well as create more appropriate treatment space: $10,000
• Maine Grain Alliance, to support essential workers in grain-based businesses to survive and thrive through and beyond the disruptions of the 2020 worldwide pandemic: $2,500
• Mission at the Eastward, to renovate McCleary for transitional housing for the homeless around Farmington, creating a safe place to stay so they can get back on their feet: $10,000
• Rangeley Region Health and Wellness Partnership, to support ongoing work with families in need, seniors, and people with disabilities in response to increased needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic: $10,000

2020 GRANTS

• Franklin County Children’s Task Force, Inc., to provide Nurturing Parenting for Families in Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery, a group-based curriculum for  parents and children: $10,000
• Friends of L.C. Bates Museum, to partner with teachers to provide STEAM learning experiences for rural elementary-age students and their families: $1,500
• Greater Franklin Food Council, to hire a School Garden Coach to support and strengthen school gardens throughout Franklin County: $10,000
• High Peaks Creative Council, to expand a youth-made public art trail that features historic quilt paintings installed on barns and other building to celebrate rural traditions: $10,000
• Main Street Skowhegan, to implement an outdoor recreation program, including providing free outdoor activities, training, and a gear library: $7,185
• Maine Mountain Children's House, for architectural research and design to increase early education classrooms and programming: $7,850
• MaineHealth, to expand the Community Care Transitions program to include health advocates and telephonic connections for those alone and isolated: $10,000
• Make Shift Coffee House, for four Make Shift Coffee House programs that support and encourage respectful conversation among community members with differing views: $7,185
• Town of Madison, to implement the "Living Well in Madison" age-friendly action plan: $10,000
• Wesserunsett Arts Council, to create and install banners and murals commemorating Skowhegan's history: $10,000
• Western Maine Play Museum, for an after-school program for kids grades 6-8 to use creativity and technology to create short films: $5,990

York County

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 25 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $65,500 
Average award: $8,188 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 32 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 8 
Additional grants by donors: 3 totaling $21,000 (as of April 2023) 

2023 Grants from the York County Committee:

• Engine, to engage artists, makers, youth and community members in diverse creative expression: $10,000 
• Esther Residence, to assist formerly incarcerated women reenter their communities, connect with their families and children and support themselves: $7,500 
• Footprints, to teach volunteers nutrition and cooking skills while preparing meals for older people: $10,000 
• Kennebunkport Heritage Housing Trust, to secure land and begin development of its next affordable housing neighborhood: $5,000 
• Saco Meals Program, to strengthen and grow its community meals program that addresses food insecurity and isolation: $10,000 
• Save Kittery Waters, to launch the Creek Smart Campaign to adopt environmental best practices for a healthy Spruce Creek Watershed: $6,000 
• Springvale Public Library Association, to install an automatic door for older people, people with disabilities and caregivers with strollers: $7,000 
• York County Community Action Corp., to provide short-term financial assistance to households facing economic hardship: $10,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023): 

• Museum of Art of Ogunquit, to provide free admission on the first Friday of each month: $5,000 
• United Way of Southern Maine, to close learning disparities through literacy: $6,000 
• Youth Full Maine, to address food insecurity for students, their families and other community members in need: $10,000 

2022 Grants from the York County Committee:

• Caring Unlimited, to improve accessibility and cultural responsiveness through staff training and equity plan development: $4,000 
• Continuum Arts Collective, to provide K-12 students with musical instruments, art supplies, and art and music lessons: $10,000 
• Engine, to provide access to cultural entrepreneurship for people of all means and backgrounds: $10,000 
• Fair Tide, to secure permanent housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and ongoing support to ensure long-term stability: $10,000 
• Heart of Biddeford, to collaborate with New American food entrepreneurs and improve inclusiveness in community events: $9,600  
• Three Rivers Land Trust, for land protection, community trail building, and educational outreach: $2,714 
• Town of Old Orchard Beach, to expand the Old Orchard Beach Skatepark to create a safer and more accessible site: $6,466 
• White Pine Programs, to lend teachers environmental education materials and curricula that improve emotional, mental, and physical health for students and teachers: $4,320 
• Youth Full Maine, to address food insecurity in the community, especially in rural areas of York County: $10,000 

2021 Grants from the York County Committee:

• Age Friendly Saco, to provide resources to develop a tri-community (Biddeford/Saco/Old Orchard Beach)  "last mile" ride share program for older residents: $3,500
• Apex Youth Connection, to connect, support, and stabilize youth through consistent adult and peer mentorship so they are happier, healthier, and better able to engage in their lives: $4,000
• Biddeford Community Gardens, to create a 130-by-40-foot in-ground garden and a 90-by-26-foot raised-bed garden at Rotary Park: $5,000
• Caring Unlimited, to update and expand its mobile advocacy, increasing the availability and accessibility of critical domestic violence support services throughout York County: $3,998
• Carlisle Charitable Foundation, to provide equine-based retreat for frontline healthcare workers to alleviate pandemic trauma for those most exposed and at risk for COVID-19: $5,000
• Fair Tide, Inc., to expand a pilot program aimed at securing permanent, affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness: $10,000
• Heart of Biddeford, to bring advanced training related to diversity, equity, and inclusion to Heart of Biddeford's board, staff, and working partners: $5,000
• Kids Free To Grow, to provide a research-based, sexuality education and child abuse prevention curriculum to students, staff and parents for grades K-8: $5,000
• Pinetree Institute, to support the Greater Kennebunk Coordinated Response to SUD engaging over 25 community organizations in addressing needs related to SUD, particularly those impacted by COVID-19: $5,000
• Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center, to hire a grants/development staff person on a one-year contract to increase the grants/funding portfolio in order to supplement fundraising deficits from the pandemic: $8,000
• Table of Plenty, to continue serving the 37% increase in guests at two locations with takeout meals versus sit-down meals due to the pandemic: $9,666
• White Pine Programs, to support nature experiences in partnership with community organizations supporting families of first responders, essential workers, and those affected by the global pandemic: $3,990
• Youth Full Maine, to continue weekly curbside food distributions in several York County towns during the pandemic: $3,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Animal Welfare Society, to keep pets and families together through temporary hardships: $3,500
• Apex Youth Connection, to connect, support, and stabilize youth through consistent adult and peer mentorship so they are happier, healthier, and better able to engage in their lives: $3,065
• Biddeford Community Gardens, to create a 130-by-40-foot in-ground garden and a 90-by-26-foot raised-bed garden at Rotary Park: $5,000
• York County Shelter Programs Inc., for a new shelter/transitional housing program for homeless women recovering from substance addictions: $10,000

Statewide

2023 GRANTS 

Total applications received: 82 
Grant dollars awarded by committee: $203,371 
Average award: $9,244 
Percentage of applicants that received grants: 27 percent 
Number of grants awarded: 22 
Additional grants by donors: 11 totaling $95,000 (as of April 2023) 

 2023 Grants from the Statewide Committee: 

• Challenger Learning Center of Maine, for a new moon mission simulation for Maine students: $5,935 
• Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, to establish an internship program with students from Maine colleges and universities: $10,000 
• Finding Our Voices, to support female domestic violence victims and their children: $10,000 
• Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights Education Funds, for programming that keeps older people current on reproductive rights issues and builds intergenerational ties: $10,000 
• Hardy Girls Healthy Women, to expand the Feminist Action Board, a free program for high schoolers: $10,000 
• Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, to expand legal immigrant services asylum seekers: $10,000 
• JustME for JustUS, to pay rural youth to lead climate organizing and civic engagement work: $10,000 
• Ladder to the Moon Network, to expand Amjambo Africa’s reach to help new Mainers thrive through radio, video and audio programming: $10,000 
• Maine Association for the Education of Young Children, to build a strong and stable child care system for young children and families: $10,000 
• Maine Association of Nonprofits, to fund the Cultural Alliance of Maine as it expands and deepens statewide programs and services: $10,000 
• Maine Environmental Education Association, to share new data and education goals on outdoor and environmental education and provide educator training at community listening sessions: $10,000 
• Maine Equal Justice, to improve access to legal services for immigrants: $10,000 
• Maine School Garden Network, to provide resources and organize events and programs that benefit school gardens: $10,000 
• Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, to increase financial and educational opportunities for aspiring and established Maine writers and strengthen community connections through free, public literary events: $10,000 
• Maine Youth for Climate Justice, to stipend youth leaders, increase staff capacity and expand programming: $10,000 
• New Beginnings, for a statewide Youth Action Board to provide trainings and improve engagement for underserved youth: $10,000 
• Preble Street, to empower people who have experienced homelessness to advocate for solutions to food insecurity: $5,936 
• Rural Aspirations Project, for the Maine Forest Collaborative program to empower rural youth to contribute to the vitality of forested communities: $10,000 
• Speaking Up for Us, to bring an equity lens to programs that advocate for the rights of people with developmental disabilities: $10,000 
• Team Hailey Hugs, to support families of children with cancer through emergency funds to travel for treatment and maintain stability at home: $2,500 
• Volunteers of America Northern New England, to ensure older Mainers living at its affordable housing properties have access to in-house food pantries: $9,000 

From donor-advised funds (as of April 2023) 

• Camp Kita, to provide support for children who have been affected by suicide through mental health resources, community and nature: $10,000
• Christine B. Foundation, to expand nutrition, cancer prevention and treatment services for rural children and adults: $10,000 
• Forest Society of Maine, to make its website accessible to those with disabilities and for whom English not their first language: $3,000 
• Generational Noor, to improve culturally competent access to treatment and recovery services for people in the BIPOC community: $10,000 
• Maine Access Points, to support access to overdose and harm reduction education and supplies, and peer support in rural and underserved regions: $10,000 
• Maine Paws for Veterans, to provide canine-assisted therapy for veterans with post-traumatic stress symptoms: $10,000 
• Maine Recovery Fund, to provide transportation to work for people reentering the workforce following substance use disorder treatment and incarceration: $10,000 
• Marine Mammals of Maine, to respond to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles though rehabilitation, research and education: $10,000 
• Our Climate Common, to provide a path to power for young people by seating them on boards of nonprofits, businesses and government bodies: $10,000 
• Restorative Justice Institute of Maine, to engage young people in restorative practices that build belonging, connection, and confidence in one's ability to address conflict: $2,000 
• Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, for Art Unites, a cross-cultural community-building project that seeks to create unity through art: $10,000 

2022 Grants from the Statewide Committee: 

• Androscoggin Home Health Services, for an educational series for health care professionals on the impact of religion, mental health, and LBGTQ+ issues on health: $5,060 
• Boots to Roots, to support its program to assist active duty servicemembers, veterans, and spouses transition to work in Maine: $10,000 
• Christine B. Foundation, to expand cancer nutrition services to provide support to patients and families in Eastern Maine: $10,000 
• Coastal Enterprises, to facilitate the Self-Worth Club for Maine female entrepreneurs to boost confidence and business decision making: $10,000 
• Cultural Alliance of Maine, to expand its programs and services to unify, support, and strengthen the capacity, impact, and awareness of Maine’s cultural sector: $10,000 
• Girls on the Run, to make its life -skills accessible to Maine girls in need: $10,000 
• Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, for its three-day workshop for LGBTQ+ high-school students from throughout the state: $10,000 
• Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, to expand immigration legal services for people seeking asylum, including newly arrived families staying in emergency shelters and hotels in southern Maine: $10,000 
• Ladder to the Moon Network, to extend “Amjambo Time,” its radio/podcast pilot show : $10,000 
• Education Fund, to create, print, and distribute a non-partisan voter guide in advance of the November 2022 election, and to cover local elections in depth at vote411.org: $10,000 
• Maine Association for the Education of Young Children, to strengthen early care and education in Maine: $10,000 
• Maine Association of Nonprofits, to develop a learning community for nonprofits that fosters relationship building, shared learning, and racial equity: $10,000 
• Maine Boys to Men, to support and expand access to its Reducing Sexism & Violence Program. 
• Maine Immigrant Housing Coalition, to provide public education on the general assistance rental voucher program: $10,000
• Maine Transgender Network, to provide peer-based support and suicide-prevention services for transgender people: $10,000 
• Maine Womens Policy Center, to build skills and confidence of women and girls to be policy change makers: $2,000 
• Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, to increase financial and educational opportunities for aspiring and established Maine writers and strengthen community connections through free, public literary events: $10,000 
• New England Arab American Organization, to motivate New Mainers toward self-sufficiency and greater well-being through services that build skills and resiliency: $10,000 
• New Ventures Maine, to help women access high-wage, in-demand jobs following the pandemic: $10,000 
• Rural Community Action Ministry, to help prevent homelessness and hunger through financial support and counseling: $10,000 

2022 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds 

• Androscoggin Home Health Services, for an educational series for health care professionals on the impact of religion, mental health, and LBGTQ+ issues on health: $4,060 
• Finding Our Voices, for public awareness and direct service programs to support women and their families as they to find the hope, courage, and resources to leave abusive relationships: $10,000 
• Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, to expand its spay/neuter outreach program statewide: $5,000 
• Independence Association, to employ New Mainers as direct support professionals serving vulnerable, low-income adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: $10,000 
• Maine Paws for Veterans, to support veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder and reduce suicide through canine-assisted therapy: $5,000 
• Maine Resilience Building Network, to build resilience and social connectedness through education, advocacy, and networking: $10,000 
• Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, for Wabanaki Rising, a program to support individuals experiencing an unanticipated need: $10,000 
• Wabanaki Youth in Science, for its student internship program: $10,000 
• Wayfinder Schools, to increase high school graduation rates and post-secondary success for at-risk youth and teen parents through outdoor, arts, and life-skills education: $2,500 
• Youth Led Justice, to divert youth from the juvenile justice system, train youth leaders in restorative justice, and connect at-risk youth with mental health support: $10,000 

2021 Grants from the Statewide Committee:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine, to provide critical social and emotional development needed to help build resilience and promote the mental health and well-being of Maine children: $10,000
• Black Owned Maine, to develop a more user-friendly and cohesive Black Owned Maine business website so businesses and consumers can easily support Maine’s Black business community: $10,000
• Eastern Area Agency on Aging, to support its Grocery Shopping Program, which delivers groceries to older adults, caregivers, and disabled adults through community partnerships: $10,000
• Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, to expand services to include coaching and support for caregivers who recognize the heightened risk for elder abuse due to COVID-19: $10,000
• Equality Maine Foundation, to maintain and expand SAGE programming and outreach efforts to keep LGBTQ+ older adults socially connected during a time of physical distancing: $10,000
• Family & Community Mediation, to improve the accessibility, efficiency, and effectiveness of virtual mediations through website expansion and improvements and the purchase of remote technology and equipment: $9,780
• Family Focus, to support an effective integration of technology to improve the student assessment process and the successful communication with families since the pandemic: $10,000
• Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, to provide virtual community legal education and outreach on changes to U.S. immigration law and policy: $10,000
• Independence Association, to develop and implement online training programs for direct support professionals and case managers who serve vulnerable adults with disabilities: $10,000
• Legal Services for the Elderly, to help older adults solve legal problems that put their ability to meet their basic human needs at risk: $10,000
• Maine Boys to Men, to expand access to the Reducing Sexism & Violence Program (RSVP) in Maine’s tribal communities: $7,500
• Maine Children’s Alliance, to strengthen relationships with communities impacted by COVID-19 to advance child advocacy: $8,760
• Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers, to provide parents and caregivers the support and resources to build resilience in themselves and their children in the face of challenging times: $10,000
• Maine Equal Justice Partners, Inc., to advance racial equity in Maine by establishing and cultivating equitable and inclusive relationships, policies, and practices inside and outside the organization: $10,000
• Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, to grow the coalition and organizational capacity to financially and administratively support Maine’s ethnic-based community organizations, empowering them to build organizational and financial reporting capacity: $10,000
• Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, to train community members to advocate for improved conditions for incarcerated individuals in Maine in relation to COVID-19: $10,000
• Maine Transgender Network Inc., to create a violence prevention training program for families and educators of transgender youth: $7,500
• New Hope for Women, to provide immediate shelter and supports to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking: $10,000
• OUT Maine, to create best practices for schools to provide improved resiliency, mental health, and safety for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth: $3,000
• Pine Tree Legal Assistance, to increase its capacity to ensure that state and federal laws designed to support individuals through the pandemic are enforced: $10,000
• Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine, to sustain the Community Outreach Advocate's position, which has significantly heightened SASSMM's social media presence and increased online awareness materials and client accessibility during COVID-19: $10,000
• Western Maine Transportation Services, Inc., to provide low-cost public transit for older Mainers and disabled and vulnerable populations throughout Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties and in Brunswick: $10,000

2021 Grants from Donor-Advised Funds:

• Acadia Healthcare, Inc. (NLAH), to increase the capacity of adults to identify and respond to school-aged youth mental health needs, provide appropriate resources, and facilitate referrals to care: $10,000
• Androscoggin Home Health Services Inc., to purchase iPads for a volunteer-operated, virtual companionship program for homebound patients in nine counties across Maine to address social isolation and loneliness: $6,874
• ArtVan, to support accessible, no-cost Art Therapy resources and social engagement opportunities for under-resourced youth, promoting individual and community resilience in response to COVID-19: $10,000
• Environmental Health Strategy Center, to support reducing exposure to arsenic in drinking water to help protect immune response among rural Mainers: $10,000
• Ladder to the Moon Network, to create a Health Equity feature with articles and videos that engage immigrant communities with content focused on disease prevention, wellness, health care, and equity: $10,000
• Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, to provide outreach and create training programs to support fishermen and communities with mental health and wellness during and after the pandemic: $10,000
• Maine Recovery Fund, to respond to the challenge of providing single occupancy transportation to work and increased access to sober housing for Maine Recovery Fund clients during COVID-19: $10,000
• Medical Care Development, Inc., to help more Mainers become Community Health Workers: $10,000
• NAMI Maine, for Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training to provide a foundation for Emergency Medical Service workers treatment of young people: $10,000
• Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, to increase access to recovery homes for indigenous people in Maine: $10,000