Purpose

The Rines Thompson Fund grant program focuses its funding on community-based organizations that contribute to the vibrancy of Greater Portland.

Criteria

All applicants must meet the Maine Community Foundation’s grant eligibility requirements and non-discrimination policy. Please read our eligibility and grant guidelines and non-discrimination policy before submitting an application.

Your organization or project must:

• Be located in one of the following geographic areas: Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Falmouth, Gorham, Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, Westbrook or Yarmouth.

Focus on one of the following issue areas:

• Environment/conservation
• Early childhood programming
• Youth programming
• Arts/culture

For appropriate projects and programs, collaboration between and among organizations is encouraged. A letter from the executive director of each collaborating organization is required to explain the level of involvement and responsibility.

Municipalities, government agencies, K-12 public/private schools, higher education institutions, faith-based organizations, and fiscally sponsored applicants are not eligible to apply for this grant program.

Types of Funding

This grant program provides:

• Project grants for new or expanding projects focused on environment/conservation, early childhood programming, youth programming, or arts/culture.
• General support grants for flexible funding of any type such as new/expanding/ongoing programs and operational needs. Your organization’s primary work must focus on one or more of the issue areas listed in the criteria (environment/conservation, early childhood programming, youth programming, or arts/culture) AND your organization must:

• • Be located in and serving people in Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Falmouth, Gorham, Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, Westbrook, or Yarmouth.

*NOTE: Answers to general support application questions should focus on your organization’s work (not a specific project) and how your organization meets the grant program criteria because general support awarded to an organization is for any purpose, not restricted to a specific project.

Additional Information

• To increase the fund’s impact, grantees are discouraged from submitting a request to the Rines/Thompson Fund the following year.

Ineligible Expenses

Funds may not be used for:

• Capital campaigns, endowments, or other activities designed to increase the capital or assets of an organization
• Scholarships and camperships
• See “What we will not fund, without exception” on our  eligibility and grant guidelines page.

Background

The Rines Thompson Fund was established by the children and grandchildren of Henry P. and Adeline B. Rines in 1999 to serve the Greater Portland area. This fund was designed to give back to the community that has supported the businesses owned by the Rines/Thompson family including the Congress Square Hotel, the Eastland Hotel, WCSH Radio, and WCSH Television. Henry P. Rines' father, Joseph Rines, started Rines Brothers Store on Congress Street in 1883 and the family has conducted business in the area for more than 150 years. The fund also acts as a memorial to Henry and Adeline Rines’ two children, Mary Rines Thompson (1918-1992) and William Henry Rines (1917-1970). Their spouses and children contributed to this fund in their memory.