Search Through School Health Grants in Maine in the U.S.

About Us

The Brutten Family Foundation funds groups and organizations that help expand access to the outdoors, high-quality education, and vital mental health services. We believe that our wellbeing exists at the intersection of these core pillars.

The Brutten Family Foundation, founded by Patricia and Marc Brutten in 1996, is a private U.S. foundation with a nearly 25-year record of philanthropy focused on benefiting San Diego County and global charities. 

Through our family business, Brutten Global, we have spent more than 40 years in the commercial real estate industry, working in the United States and Europe. Brutten Global emerged and flourished in San Diego, and we began the foundation to give back to local organizations and schools. Our work has expanded to nurture both local and global efforts. Now, our children are also involved in giving back to our communities, and as a family, we share a sense of responsibility to positively change people’s outcomes and give individuals the tools they need to create their own impact.

Inspiring a healthier planet and happier lives through environmental, educational, and mental health initiatives.

The Brutten Family Foundation supports organizations and projects that are making a positive difference for our planet, helping individuals find refuge in nature, and creating opportunities for learning and enlightenment. We're establishing equitable opportunities, nourishing minds, and futures, and helping inspire the next generation of our environment’s stewards. 

Our Core Focuses

We partner with driven groups and organizations committed to advancing our collective wellbeing through our core pillars:

Environment

Protecting our environment is the most critical issue we face as a human race, and investing in a sustainable planet is paramount to our future. We focus on efforts to revive ecosystems and expand access to the outdoors for all, especially underserved communities and those who face systemic barriers to spending time in nature.

Education

Through access to education and resources, underserved students have the chance to overcome obstacles and realize their goals. We support programs and institutions that equip and offer young people the resources, support, and financial aid necessary to succeed in and outside of classrooms.

Menatl Health

Millions of people worldwide suffer from mental health conditions, but many go untreated, partially due to stigmas, a lack of access to treatment, or a lack of awareness of solutions. We support projects relating to mental health resources and care to help individuals access what they need and build stronger, safer societies.

About

At the John T. Gorman Foundation, our work is not about doing good, it’s about improving people’s lives.

The John T. Gorman Foundation is a private foundation based in Portland, Maine. We advance and invest in innovative ideas and opportunities that improve the lives of Maine’s most vulnerable people. Our mission stems directly from the life philosophy of our founder, John “Tom” Gorman, who believed that his personal success was largely derived from the support he received from his family and community.

At the John T. Gorman Foundation, we are focused on improving educational achievement for young children; promoting successful transitions to adulthood for vulnerable older youth; helping struggling parents support their families and enabling low-income seniors age in place. Outcomes matter more during these transitions. Research shows that successfully achieving these key objectives predicts future success. If they are not achieved, the consequences can be dire for current and subsequent generations.

To achieve the greatest impact, the Foundation has a special interest in strengthening families and communities; providing them with the supports and opportunities they need to thrive.

Our work comes at a challenging time. Across our state, residents are falling behind because of population changes, workforce readiness concerns and an exodus of young people searching for better opportunities. Too many people in Maine today experience poor educational outcomes, declining economic opportunity, and financial insecurity. Almost 40,000 children in our state are growing up in poverty, and less than a third of our fourth-graders read proficiently. More than a fifth of our young people drop out of school, and seniors in Maine live in poverty at higher rates than the national average.

While we continue to modestly support direct services that meet people’s immediate needs, most of our annual grant making aims to advance researched-based, prevention-focused ideas and initiatives that try to address the root causes of disadvantage among people in Maine. Our aspiration is to achieve lasting, measurably-improved results for the populations we care about most.

Foundation-Initiated Grants

The John T. Gorman Foundation invests in comprehensive strategies and initiatives that seek to improve the well-being and resiliency of Maine children by ensuring that they and their caregivers have the tools and supports needed to be successful.

The bulk of our investments are invitation-only to grantees that have demonstrated a capacity for whole-family or two-generation approaches to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and improve child and family wellbeing in five key areas: education, social capital, physical/mental health, wealth and assets, and employment navigation and supports. 

How we decide who receives funds

To decide where funds should go, we consider the organization’s relevance to our Community Promise goals, how the service it offers impacts our community, other support the group receives in the private and public sector, and the community’s general need.

As many typical fundraising avenues disappeared during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been especially proactive in reaching out to partners as vital societal needs have only increased across communities.

We receive so many requests, and every category offers invaluable services and activities. Here’s a quick sample of the kinds of organizations that receive assistance.

Five categories of organizations

Our dedicated Social Responsibility team considers requests from five categories of organizations. We award grants and sponsorships on a rolling, year-round basis in support of the following causes:

Health and Wellness

Community organizations and programs that promote mind, body, and financial wellness align very strongly with our corporate and community values. We sponsor races, sports teams, and other wellness programs and initiatives.

Examples of groups who have received support from us include:

• Hospitals and Community Health Centers
• Nutrition Programs
• United Ways
• Community Action Agencies

Community & Economic Advancement

Community spaces that create access to resources for community members of all walks of life get our attention. We want to empower everyone in the community who has ideas that can help make it better.

Examples of groups who have received support from us include:

• Libraries
• Chambers of Commerce
• Affordable Housing
• Public Transportation

Arts & Culture

A vibrant art scene in our communities drives tourism and commerce and serves a higher purpose – fostering understanding, creating empathy, and moving a community forward. We want to support the arts whenever we can.

Examples of groups who have received support from us include:

• Visual and performing arts programs
• Museums
• Historical Societies
• Theaters

Education & Innovation

Investments in education and youth programs create the future of the community. As parents ourselves, we support youth programs that address food insecurity, technology, wellness, and trauma prevention to help children succeed beyond their dreams.

Examples of groups who have received support from us include:

• Education Foundations
• Literacy Programs
• Leadership Development
• Social Entrepreneurship

Environment & Animal Welfare

We all deserve a healthy environment to live in and enjoy, our furry friends included. We work with land trusts, animal shelters, animal agencies and more to make that happen.

Examples of groups who have received support from us include:

• Land Trusts
• Marine Resource Conservation
• Animal Welfare and Rescue

About Us

Mattina R. Proctor (1926-2005) was a compassionate philanthropist from Camden, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts. Ms. Proctor championed and funded many worthwhile projects to benefit those in need, protect the environment, and bring fine music, arts, and media to the people. In her memory, The Mattina R. Proctor Foundation continues to support charitable organizations and initiatives in Maine, Massachusetts and beyond that focus on education, healthcare, music, and environmental stewardship.

Need Based Giving

MRPF strives to make a difference with the grants we make. We prefer to focus our giving on particular projects rather than on general program support. Successful applicants are generally those who demonstrate a specific need related to our focus areas in Maine, Massachusetts and beyond.

Focus Areas 

Education

We support organizations that provide educational opportunities in music, performance, and in traditional trades and crafts. The foundation has supported projects at the university and secondary school levels, and programs that engage younger students. We are especially interested in projects that support music and trades education in traditionally underserved populations in Maine and Massachusetts.

The Arts 

We supports organizations and initiatives that bring fine music, arts, and media to the people primarily in Maine and Massachusetts with a special focus on opera. We generally focus our funding on performance and education organizations. In this focus area we tend to concentrate on funding opportunities where major foundation support is critical to the ongoing success of the applicant.

Healthcare

We support healthcare initiatives predominantly in Maine and the Boston area, for public health and medical research. Funding is provided for initiatives in diabetes research and care, dental care, and projects that seek to provide preventative healthcare to underserved populations in Maine.

Environmental Stewardship

We support organizations and campaigns that seek to acquire and protect land in the Midcoast region of Maine, both through direct acquisitions and via conservation easements. We tends to give to conservation organizations that demonstrate a desire to support rural economies through multiple-use management objectives, providing for continued agricultural and recreational uses, along with sustainable timber management programs. In all of our grants, the economic impact on jobs and the regional economy are important factors in the decision-making process.

Parkinson Family Foundation Grant

The Parkinson Family Foundation chooses to pursue its mission by concentrating on three main areas of focus: Food & Water, Faith & Evangelism, and Health & Humanitarian Efforts. The Foundation also recognizes the power and potential in education & community outreach and may be able to engage in grantmaking in these areas, though such efforts will be very targeted. 

Admittedly, there is a good deal of overlap in all these areas and a tremendous amount of philanthropic and charitable activity is covered. Therefore, the Foundation must be extremely selective in choosing with which organizations it will partner. Those groups with whom the Foundation has been able to develop a relationship will often receive greater consideration.

Declinations are not a slight, but a sign of the tremendous need worldwide and a result of determined priority for the Foundation, its members and its particular efforts in light of very limited resources. What drives our mission is the Greatest Commandment, but it does not limit our consideration of organizations that are not faith-based.

Funding

Grants may range from $1,000 up to around $5,000. In unique circumstances, the Foundation does consider a more significant grant for a program having a major impact in one or more of our areas of interest, however these would be grantees with whom we have already partnered. First-time requests exceeding $10,000 will be automatically declined, as this will show us that those applicants did not bother to review the specifics of our foundation. We defer to the expertise of the applicants to educate us on the funding needed to run a successful program and how they expect to raise those required funds.

Applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with a focus on outcomes and impact. The request amount must reflect the effectiveness of the proposed program and consider the specific needs and challenges of the communities involved, as well as the foundation's goals, guidelines and limited resources. The Foundation does not, generally, fund 100% of a program or organization. The foundation generally will not approve a grant for more than a three-year commitment. The vast majority of our funding is for one-year commitments.

What We Support

The Rauch Foundation takes an entrepreneurial approach to promoting change by investing in areas where we can have a fundamental impact.

Our mission has two main priorities:

• To promote a healthy planet through research into global food systems.
• To promote the financial preparedness of rising generations of students by supporting schools in the delivery of financial literacy programs

Building on the Rauch Foundation’s long history of providing evidence-based research and data to inform policy, our work in food systems is centered on exploring the nexus between the food we consume and the systems involved in its financing, sourcing, production and delivery. Using the island of Poros, Greece and its efforts to stop the expansion of open net pen industrial fish farming as a case study, we have been laying out a case for how global, national, and regional actions can impact the health of a community, its economy, and the local environment.

Our school-based work in financial literacy acknowledges growing national support for a curriculum that helps young people develop the skills to navigate a successful future for themselves and their families.

Working for systemic change.

The Rauch Foundation invests in ideas and organizations that spark positive systemic change.

We are not afraid of controversial ideas, original approaches, or new ways to tackle old problems. However, we do look for sound data, leadership, other grant partners, strong management skills, and a focus on evidence-based outcomes. Once we invest in the work of an organization, our involvement may include a long-term partnership or assistance with capacity building and leadership.

We are committed to partnering with nonprofits and NGOs, the private sector, labor, research institutions, universities, the media, and other funders to help achieve shared goals and work through common issues.

World Future Fund Grant

Our planet is a world out of balance. We are borrowing from the future at a pace unprecedented in history. There needs to be a giant change in direction. We need to start building for a real future. We are interested in working with and funding groups that have a similar commitment. Our grant program is aimed at areas where other organizations may be better organized than we are, so a grant is more efficient that a WFF program.

The World Future Fund is a non-profit organization that has been set up to do research and to educate people about the need for a greater commitment to investment in the future. We have been in business since 1995 and have been monitoring long term trends.

Priorities

A key goal is creating a sane society here at home in America. This means creating a social democratic society with basic government services that protect the people. America is nothing short of social chamber of horrors among developed states with astronomical levels of child poverty, millions in jail and no universal health insurance.

We are committed to the creation of a social democratic society like Germany or Norway. A particular priority is the creation of a system which places labor union representatives on corporate boards.

H.S. Lopez Family Foundation Grant

Mission

The H.S. Lopez Family Foundation seeks and funds traditional and innovative projects and programs which exist to improve the quality of life. Our main areas of interest are health, education, and welfare programs.

Our Vision

The vision of The H.S. Lopez Family Foundation is to significantly change the lives of those in need. Our heart-filled desire is to help individuals who are in their most desperate hour with little or no resources to help themselves.

The H.S. Lopez Family Foundation provides grants in three main focus areas—education, health, and welfare—with the goal to significantly change and hopefully improve the lives of those in need. Grants are primarily intended to serve those in Arizona.

Areas of Focus

• Education -
• The H.S. Lopez Family Foundation believes that education is the key to individuals reaching their full potential. We support a variety of programs that provide educational opportunities for all ages, from infancy through adulthood, including pre-school, K-12, college, specialty trades, and community interest programs.
• Health -
• The H.S. Lopez Family Foundation recognizes that the state of one’s health impacts all aspects of life. We fund many different health related activities, including programs to assist individuals deal with illness, both physical and mental, and to learn healthy lifestyles.
• Welfare -
• The H.S. Lopez Family Foundation understands that there are times when extra help is needed to face life’s challenges. We support programs that offer assistance to tackle many issues, such as food insecurity, homelessness, and the lack of essential resources for daily life.

Grant approval is based on funding capacity and prioritization against our areas of focus, according to the criteria established by the Board of Directors of The H.S. Lopez Foundation.

Our Vision

We envision an education system that keeps its promise to all students. That’s why we invest in the ideas and energy of education leaders and entrepreneurs who are advancing innovative solutions that expand the definition of what works. 

There’s a better way to advance education through philanthropy — one that is more equitable, more collaborative, and more courageous–and we’re proving it every day.

Learning Solutions Grant Program

Overview

Empowering students to read and write is fundamental to their ability to learn across subject areas and communicate with others. Building students’ math abilities, from early math skills through algebraic thinking, enables them to make sense of the world around them, analyze complex topics, and solve problems. Together, literacy and numeracy reinforce each other and create a foundation for students to build success in and beyond school – preparing young people to achieve their goals, participate in society, and live happy, healthy lives. 

Foundational literacy and numeracy are especially important now, as students are faced not just with higher expectations, but also unprecedented levels of unfinished learning caused by pandemic-related school closures and the resulting life and mental health challenges that followed. There is a critical need for innovation to increase student access to inspiring and effective K-8 reading and math experiences.

What We’re Looking For

NewSchools will invest in learning solutions that accelerate K-8 reading and math growth by unlocking the power of research and instructional expertise. We will invest in tools, content, and models that address the following critical opportunities:

• Engaging and empowering students to build critical skills, such as reading comprehension and algebraic thinking, that set a foundation for learning and success 
• Supporting teachers and families to deliver grade-level and differentiated instruction that meet a range of student needs
• Leveraging generative AI to increase access to research-based instruction and personalized learning

Cross-Cutting Priorities

Across our portfolios, we seek solutions that:

• Leverage generative artificial intelligence to improve teaching and learning
• Embrace learning that happens outside of school, and support students in achieving college and career success
• Enhance teaching and learning for students with learning differences within and beyond our three main focus areas

About MainStreet Foundation

The MainStreet Foundation awards grants for projects that impact the essentials like food, security, shelter and education for at-risk children.

Who We Are

The MainStreet Foundation’s board is comprised of Androscoggin Bank employees, members of the Bank’s Board of Directors, Bank Corporators and community members. The MainStreet Board is made up of individuals who care about our community and who understand the importance of creating a stable childhood in the development of Maine as a place to live and work.

History of Giving

The MainStreet Foundation was started by an investment from Androscoggin Bank in 1997, and issued its first grants in 1998. The Foundation works separately from Androscoggin Bank, but uses resources and in-kind support provided by the Bank.

MainStreet Foundation Quarterly Grant

Our mission is simple and focused: Provide the necessities to at-risk kids in Maine. The MainStreet Foundation awards grants for projects that impact the essentials, like food, security, shelter and education. We strive to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable youth so they may have a supportive and safe environment.

Four times a year, these grants are awarded and vary based on the need in amounts up to $5,000.

Program Areas

The Sam L. Cohen Foundation is a private, grantmaking foundation based in South Portland, Maine.  The Foundation funds in five program areas:

Arts and Culture

Enriching community life with music, dance, theater, visual arts, and creative writing.

We invest in organizations and programs that stimulate imagination, provide access to the arts and arts education, and foster community through the arts. We are especially interested in educational programming for low-income and underserved youth audiences that celebrates creativity and provides meaningful experiences with the arts. We support organizations that create and present performances and programs in southern Maine.

Civic and Community

Strengthening the social and economic fabric of underserved communities.

We are committed to supporting and improving the quality of life in southern Maine by ensuring individuals have access to opportunities to engage in civic life. To promote economic security and well-being, the Foundation invests in organizations that are working toward systemic change through public policy for social benefit. We are currently involved in and support the Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative.

Education

Because education is the single most important investment a community can make.

We believe that access to educational opportunities is the key to a successful life. Our grantmaking spans the entire continuum of pre-K through college and adulthood, as we focus on providing opportunities for underserved populations in the areas of youth development, leadership, and enrichment. We collaborate with other funders, advocates, and experts in efforts that address school readiness and attendance, grade-level proficiency, high school graduation rates, and post-secondary enrollment and completion. We participate in or support several collaborative initiatives including: Portland ConnectED, The Campaign for Grade Level Reading, Count ME In, Maine Early Childhood Funders Group, Summer Learning Initiative, Right from the Start, and the Maine Resilience Building Network.Health and Human Services

Helping organizations expand access to help vulnerable and low-income people.

We believe providing support to historically and systemically disadvantaged individuals and communities is a compelling focus. Today’s social, economic, and political challenges require it. Our goal is to assist in increasing the number of people who are self-sufficient and lead healthy, productive lives. Our giving consistently targets access to healthcare, including prevention services, health support services, and ensuring food security. We currently are involved in and support the Maine Oral Health Funders Group.

Jewish Culture and Traditions

"Tzedekah"- the act of giving help to others

We participate in the Jewish community in southern Maine through support of institutions and programs that provide and preserve Jewish education, tradition, and culture. We partner with organizations that celebrate and promote Jewish art and creativity as well as agencies and synagogues who serve the vulnerable members of the Jewish community.

Funding

The Sam L. Cohen Foundation will consider responsive grant requests for amounts up to $50,000; however, the average grants size awarded is less than $15,000.

The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund supports projects in Coös County, NH and bordering communities in the United States and Canada that focus on community revitalization.

Championing the North Country

One of the largest permanent rural philanthropies in the U.S. is strengthening communities and spreading economic opportunity.

Grantmaking Goals

The vision of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund is “to serve as a resource for the people of Coös County and neighboring communities in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and southern Québec to forge their own pathways to well-being and cultivate a region that thrives.” The Tillotson Fund serves as a stable and consistent source of support for the people of the region to:

• Create and enhance opportunity;
• Preserve and uplift the historical and cultural assets that make the region unique;
• Hold the confidence and capabilities to foster strong communities and healthy rural landscapes.

What We're Funding

Individual and family well-being

Goal: Support individuals and families to meet their essential needs and achieve well-being.

• Meet essential needs for individuals and families.
• Strengthen systems of care.Community resiliency

Healthy workforce ecosystem

Goal: Strengthen the capacity of local employers to maintain and/or grow their operations, build and retain a dynamic workforce, stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, ensure business continuity and plan for the future.

• Attract and retain the workforce.
• Establish workforce housing solutions.
• Help companies and employees build skills and systems for sustained success.
• Link employers and employees to financial supports.
• Increase access to affordable quality childcare.

Environmental stewardship

Goal: Address the impacts of climate change by investing in mitigation and adaptation strategies, stewardship of natural resources, and efforts that foster human connection to the natural environment.

• Be good stewards of the land, air, forests, waterways and wildlife.
• Encourage/support responsible tourism and recreation.
• Build and enhance sustainable food systems.
• Promote, sustain and scale energy efficiency, clean energy and green building.
• Implement climate smart forestry solutions.

Resilient communities

Goal: Support initiatives that build trust, belonging and connection and lead to stronger, more resilient communities.

• Empower youth.
• Convene, collaborate, celebrate.
• Build skills, knowledge and approaches to advance equity.
• Support community builders and change agents.
• Revitalize population hubs and preserve cultural and historical assets.
• Improve civic health.
• Strengthen municipal capacity and leadership.

Grant amount

Local Grants Program applications may request up to $20,000 for one, two or three years.

History

The Davis Family Foundation is a public charitable foundation established by Phyllis C. Davis and H. Halsey Davis of Falmouth, Maine, to support educational, medical and cultural/arts organizations located primarily in Maine.

The Foundation was established following Mr. Davis' retirement as President and Chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets, Inc. Their overriding goal for the Foundation was simple and straightforward: “to make grants where they will do the most good and where our gifts make a real difference.” The Foundation has provided more than $63.5 million in grants since its grantmaking activities began in 1986.

Project Guidance

Education projects

Ideal education projects

• Are innovative, inspirational, and based on research
• Involve educators in both design and execution
• Strive to make a meaningful impact:
  • Transforming the learning experience or post-academic outlook for specific learners
  • Inspiring systemic change in Maine education

Medical projects

Ideal medical projects:

• Solve systemic medical issues through programs or initiatives backed by evidence. The project should be scalable, replicable and ultimately sustainable independent of grant funding
• Are unique and not ongoing and/or managing care

Cultural/Arts projects

The Foundation seeks Cultural/Arts Projects that will create an engaging and/or informative cultural/arts experience for Maine community members, or preserve important cultural and historic elements of Maine in a manner that reflects best practice.

Ideal cultural/arts projects:

• Are unique and not ongoing
• Increase/expand access to year-round residents of Maine
• Support an organization's strategic goals as defined in a strategic plan
• Include multiple funding sources

Background

McGraw Foundation, headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, makes annual grants to not-for-profit organizations.  The Foundation’s areas of interest involve the fields of conservation, educational programs at all levels, and human services. Occasionally, grants are made in other areas such as health, medical research and cultural.

Grant requests are suggested to be within a range of $2,000 to $10,000. Grant recipients and amounts will be determined by several criteria. Naturally, availability of funds is a key factor.

The Foundation will occasionally make large grants ($25,000 or more) to support unusually promising efforts in any of its areas of interest. Innovative research, special education, and/or other activities will be considered if the Foundation’s support would assist an effort or a project in making a significant impact.

Areas of Focus

Education: Higher

The Foundation has been a pioneer in support of environmental education at the highest level by establishing three chaired professorships. 

Education: Elementary & Special

McGraw Foundation supports a wide array of organizations that focus on assisting the education and advancement of children as well as adults. McGraw Foundation also makes grants to elementary schools and organizations involved in all areas of special needs education. Funding in this arena has encompassed many organizations that provide services such as after-school tutoring, special education, and adult literacy.

In addition to F.A.I.T.H., McGraw Foundation also makes grants to elementary schools and organizations involved in all areas of special needs education. Funding in this arena has encompassed many organizations that provide services such as after-school tutoring, special education, and adult literacy.

Human Services

Since 1949, McGraw Foundation has been concerned with helping people in need. While the emphasis is on organizations serving children, funding also extends to people of all ages.

Children's issues such as these have been supported throughout the years:

• child welfare
• foster care and adoption
• family counseling
• enriching summer camps
• crisis intervention

Funding for quality-of-life issues for people of all ages has included:

• developmental disabilities
• health clinics
• domestic violence
• housing and homelessness
• job training and continued support
• seniors needs

Health & Medical 

Since its inception, McGraw Foundation has made grants in the health and medical fields.  Health and medical funding has included:

• specific medical research
• rehabilitation
• support programs for patients and their families
• medical attention for people without health insurance
• palliative care and hospice organizations

Civic & Cultural

Complimenting it's main focus on education and the environment, McGraw Foundation has supported some of Chicago's distinctive cultural and arts organizations.

Areas of interest include zoological societies' animal conservation, public communication, musical organizations, and civic organizations' promotion of science and the general welfare of society.

Animal Welfare Grant Program

The Sewall Foundation’s support for animal well-being is rooted in the interests of its founder and our recognition that the health and well-being of animals, people and environment are inextricably linked. A just, healthy, and sustainable Maine requires that all life is recognized for its inherent value. We will fund organizations working to reduce barriers to equitable pet ownership, keep pets with their owners, and humanely control pet populations. The focus of this funding is on cats and dogs.

With the adoption of the Sewall approach in 2024 we have further refined our priorities to focus on companion animals and the intersection of human and companion animal well-being.

Priorities

Our focus is on supporting organizations and efforts that are working on at least one of the following:

• Provide humane sheltering and rehoming services primarily for cats and dogs (animal shelters)
• Provide supports to keep pets with their owners (animal shelters or social service agencies)
• Provide access to affordable veterinary care
• Advocacy and field building
• Humanely controlling pet population

We will prioritize organizations that:

• Are under-resourced and serve under-resourced communities
• Provide (or seek to) community supports designed to keep animals in homes and out of shelters (e.g. access to affordable neutering services, pet food pantries, veterinary assistance programs, training and humane-education, crisis management assistance such as temporary sheltering)
• Work collaboratively to meet animal and community needs

Funding

• Available Funding: $1,515,000
• Generally, grant funding levels in this program area are:
  • Animal Shelters: $10,000 to $50,000 per year
    • 1–3-year proposals will be considered
  • Field Building: $25,000 to $75,000 per year
    • 1–5-year proposals will be considered
  • Social Services: $10,000 to $50,000 per year
    • 1–3-year proposals will be considered
  • Pet Population Control: $10,000 to $50,000 per year
    • 1–3-year proposals will be considered

Lewiston-Auburn Program Grant

Sewall Foundation, in partnership with other funders, supports organizations in Lewiston and Auburn (L-A) that are engaged in a broadly participatory, community-based, collaboration-building process. Sewall grants support organizations that are working together through L-A’s Systems Approach to strengthen collaboration, build sustainable capacity, and deepen equity, by centering leadership by youth and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

Grants in the Lewiston-Auburn Program are allocated through L-A’s collaborative decision-making process.

Priorities

Our grants, convenings, and values-aligned investments, support collective work in L-A that addresses one or more of these four priority areas:

• Equitable Municipal Systems
• Workforce Access and Economic Development
• Community Health, Wellness and Food Systems
• Healthy, Affordable Housing

Funding

• Available Funding: $1,710,000
• Most of the available funding will support multi-year grants over 2 or 3 years.
• A modest portion of funding will be available to support emergent work, mostly through 1-year grants.
• Grant sizes will vary and will be determined by the participatory process prior to the grant deadline.
  • Normal operating grants are $10,000 per year per organization.
  • Larger grants may be made for collaborative efforts which include several non-profit partners.

About School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN).

Utilizing a unique framework of funding systems offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, managed care organizations, health insurers, and private donors, SBHSN promotes a system of care model (Coaching Model℠) offering a mix of evidenced-based intervention, prevention, and care coordination services to children in grades K-12. The Coaching Model aims to expand quality mental healthcare access on public school campuses and improve children's social, emotional, behavioral, family, and wellness outcomes.

School-Based Mental Health Implementation Grant

In response to the growing number of students who need mental health counseling, the School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN) is accepting applications from Local Education Agencies (LEA), Public and Private Universities, State and local Colleges, Charter School Management Companies, Public Schools, Charter Schools, and Non-Profit Organizations (501c3) to implement and expand mental health program services on local school campuses. Grantees will receive direct funding and reimbursement to support the following activities: 

• Expanding access to School-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
• Coordinating mental healthcare services with school administration and staff. 
• Delivering mental healthcare services and coordinating academic-support activities to students with a history of attendance, behavior, and poor academic performance.

FUNDING

5-Years, renewable based on meeting performance goals 5-year award ceiling is $5,500,000.

Grant Guidelines

For application-based grants, the Betterment fund’s minimum annual grant is $10,000. The maximum annual grant usually does not exceed $35,000. The average annual grant, whether for multiple years or a single year, is $15,000-$20,000. Three years is the maximum period of time the Betterment Fund will consider for a multi-year grant. The largest grants tend to be made to applicants with a successful history of grant management with the Betterment Fund

Current Grant Priorities

Education, health, conservation and community support are our primary grant categories. We also recognize that certain projects transcend these categories and have defined a number of “cross-sector” areas.

Community Support

We favor community-wide programs or regional systemic approaches to issues to improve well-being within the following current priority areas:

• Downtowns
• Basic Human Needs:
• Legal Protections

Proposals less likely to be funded include individual school programs, programming supplementary to the curricula of schools, and construction projects. Any funding of scholarships at Maine colleges and universities is done only at the initiative of the trustees rather than in response to grant requests.

Education

We believe that every Maine resident is entitled to an education which equips the individual to lead a satisfying, productive and economically independent life, and we are interested in funding broad-based educational policy initiatives to that end. Please see “Health” and the Cross-Sector areas of “Early Childhood” and “Economic Development” for initiatives related to education in those areas. More particularly we fund:

• Educational Quality
• Adult Education
• Arts Education
• Higher Education Aspirations

Proposals less likely to be funded include individual school programs, programming supplementary to the curricula of schools, and construction projects.

Conservation

Perpetuating a balanced, dynamic relationship between the natural and built environments in the three-million-acre corridor between the White Mountain National Forest and the Moosehead Lake region is of particular interest. To that end we sponsor the following initiatives within the extensive and varied landscape which covers most of Oxford, Franklin and Somerset counties:

• Preservation of special places, particularly those identified by the local communities, along the spine of the Appalachian Trail and in the Maine West and High Peaks Regions.
• Support of the responsible development of working forests and agriculture.
• Preservation and restoration of threatened natural habitats.
• Opportunities for traditional Maine recreation in the target region.
• Support of water quality preservation of lakes, rivers and ponds.

Occasionally we may fund projects of land trusts and environmental organizations located in the other rim counties, but we focus primarily on the Western Maine counties listed above.

Health

We are currently focusing our Health grants in the following areas:

• Maine Public Health Policy
• Oral Health
• Increasing Educational Opportunities for Health Careers
• Community Health Projects
• Substance Use Disorder

Please note that projects focused primarily on physical activity and healthy eating should be submitted under our cross-sector “Moving Communities to Health.”

Proposals that are not as likely to be funded include medical research, projects relating to a single disease, actual delivery of medical treatment and capital construction or equipment purchases

Cross-Sector Areas

We have identified these areas as being particularly susceptible to consideration under more than one of our traditional priority categories.

Economic Development

We recognize that the expansion of Maine’s economy will advance other areas of Betterment Fund concern. We particularly support the following programs:

• Entrepreneurship
  • Programs that promote scalable entrepreneurship, particularly in rural areas.
  • Areas of particular interest include women- and minority-owned businesses and improved coordination of existing entrepreneurship and economic development efforts, including with educational initiatives.
  • The development of careers and businesses in the trades is also of interest.
• Agricultural Capacity
  • Improvements to the competitiveness and long-term viability of Maine farms and farmers by providing technical support and improving access to distribution and markets.
• Tourism
  • Promotion and development of quality tourism as an engine for economic opportunity in the mountain and forest regions, with particular preference for the Western Mountains region.
• Broadband
  • Support of planning and implementation projects to increase access to broadband in local communities of Oxford, Franklin, Somerset, and northern Cumberland Counties, conditioned upon local municipal and/or nonprofit community entities’ commitment of resources to such projects.

Creative Economy

The Betterment Fund is primarily interested in regional and statewide strategies promoting the economic enhancement of communities through arts and culture.

Early Childhood

The Betterment Fund has prioritized improvement of the education, health, and general well-being of Maine’s youngest children, from before birth through preschool age. Our focus in this area is funding the development of best practices for the physical, mental, and psychosocial health and development of young children. We support policy work that leads to the adoption of state or federal policies to achieve these outcomes and the establishment and maintenance of the broad infrastructure to carry out this work. We also are interested in the development of an economically viable and accessible system of childcare for working families. We are unlikely to make grants to individual school or childcare center programs.

Moving Communities to Health

Of interest are community-scale initiatives taking advantage of natural and other qualities inherent in the community’s locale and promoting the participation of its residents in active recreation and other activities (such as healthy eating) conducive to healthy lifestyles and prevention of illness. Essential elements of this priority include:

• A demonstrated connection to individuals’ physical and/or mental health; and
• Initiation by and for the residents of an identified geographic-based community (as opposed to individuals with common interests or attributes drawn from more disparate geographic areas).

Philanthropy

The Betterment Fund embraces opportunities to collaborate with other state-wide philanthropic organizations that seek to improve grant-making and support charitable activities in Maine. In addition to making grants, the Betterment Fund supports and participates in a number of funder groups around specific issues.

Background

David and Frances Brain established the Frances Hollis Brain Foundation in 1993 as a tangible expression of their values. Through their foundation, they sought with their family to address their social concerns and encourage future generations of the family to contribute to the well-being of their communities in Maine, Georgia, and Kentucky. In 2017 they turned to the Maine Community Foundation to manage their grantmaking in Maine.

Purpose

The Frances Hollis Brain Foundation Fund supports nonprofit organizations and projects that serve disadvantaged, underserved, and/or vulnerable communities in Auburn, Bath, Biddeford, Brunswick, Greater Portland, Lewiston, Saco, and/or Sanford.

Issue Areas

Consideration will be given to organizations or projects that focus on one of the following:

• Education
• Early childhood care and education (defined as ages 0-8)
• Extended day learning (after-school and summer learning programs)
• Health care
• Community clinics and safety net providers
• Oral health initiatives
• Hunger prevention and food security
• Homelessness alleviation
• Legal services connected with the above areas

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce the release of a request for proposals (RFP) seeking bids from organizations interested in implementing comprehensive afterschool and summer learning programs.

Authorized under Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Act of 2015, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program provides competitive grant funding to support before-school, after school, and summer learning programs that focus on improving the academic performance of students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12.

The primary purpose of the 21st CCLC program is to provide funding for school and community partnerships that establish or expand community learning center programs. These programs provide students in high-need, economically disadvantaged communities with academic tutoring and enrichment opportunities designed to complement their school-day academic program. In addition, these programs can provide a broad array of additional support services related to overall student health and well-being.

Local 21st CCLC programs – which can be located in elementary schools, secondary schools or similarly accessible community facilities – provide high-quality support services to students during non-school hours. As such, these programs also support working parents and families by providing safe, supportive learning environments for students at times when school is not normally in session.

The Gladys Brooks Foundation was created under the will of Gladys Brooks Thayer of New York. 

Its purpose is to provide for the intellectual, moral and physical welfare of the people of this country by establishing and  supporting non-profit libraries, educational institutions, hospitals and clinics.

Scope of Grants Considered

The Foundation will consider major grant applications for innovative projects in the fields of libraries, education, hospitals and clinics.

Grants for Libraries 

Grant applications will be considered generally for resource Endowments (print, film, electronic database, speakers/workshops) capital construction and innovative equipment. Projects fostering broader public access to global information sources utilizing collaborative efforts, pioneering technologies and equipment are encouraged.

Grants for Educational Institutions

Grant applications from universities, colleges and secondary schools will be considered generally for:

• educational endowments to fund scholarships based solely on educational achievements, leadership and academic ability of the student; 
• endowments to support fellowships and teaching chairs for educators who confine their activities primarily to classroom instruction in the liberal arts, mathematics and the sciences during the academic year;
• erection or endowment of buildings, wings or additions thereto of buildings, and equipment for educational purposes;
• capital equipment for educational purposes.

Grants for Hospitals & Clinics

Grant proposals from hospitals and clinics where the proposal addresses a new health need, an improvement in the quality of health care or reduced health costs with better patient outcomes will be considered generally for:

• endowments for programs;
• erection or endowment of buildings, wings of or additions to buildings;
• capital equipment.

Mission

The Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation was established in 1973. The Foundation's 3 primary focus areas reflect Mr. Balfour's strong affinity for the employees of the Balfour Company, his commitment to the city of Attleboro, Massachusetts, and his lifelong interest in education. Specifically, the Balfour Foundation supports:

• Educational scholarships to employees of the Balfour Company, as well as to their children and grandchildren
• Organizations serving the people of Attleboro, with special consideration given to those organizations that provide educational, human services and health care programming for underserved populations
• Educational organizations that serve New England

Focus Area

Educational Organizations

The Foundation's educational funding is generally focused on organizations or programs that provide support for underserved or under-represented populations to prepare for, access and succeed in higher education, including 2-year and 4-year institutions.

It is clear that Mr. Balfour was interested in supporting students for successful completion of college. As such, the Foundation focuses its grantmaking in the New England area on programs that support college readiness, access, and success. The Foundation is most interested in programs that support students all the way into and through post-secondary credential attainment (2- or 4-year credentials). Programs within institutions of higher education aimed at attracting, supporting, and retaining (through successful completion) under-served and under-represented populations are also of interest. In this area, we will consider applications that request scholarship funds, if those scholarships are part of a broader set of services and supports.

About MainStreet Foundation

The MainStreet Foundation awards grants for projects that impact the essentials, like food, security, shelter and education. We strive to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community so they may have a supportive and safe environment.

Who We Are

The MainStreet Foundation’s board is comprised of Androscoggin Bank employees, members of the Bank’s Board of Directors, Bank Corporators and community members. The MainStreet Board is made up of individuals who care about our community and who understand the importance of creating a stable childhood in the development of Maine as a place to live and work.

History of Giving

The MainStreet Foundation was started by an investment from Androscoggin Bank in 1997, and issued its first grants in 1998. The Foundation works separately from Androscoggin Bank, but uses resources and in-kind support provided by the Bank.

25K for Kids Grant

Once a year we collect applications for the $25K for Kids grant. After applications are submitted, the Board meets and selects three finalists to make a presentation. From the finalists, one organization receives the special $25,000 award.

Background

New Hampshire's nonprofit organizations help make New Hampshire a great place to live.

Through our competitive grant programs, we fund programs and operations of qualified nonprofits working in the areas of health and well-being, civic engagement, education, economic development, environmental protection and arts and culture. 

We also make grants to nonprofit partners working in specific areas of strategic Foundation priorities – like fighting substance use disorders and increasing youth opportunity.

Community Grants Program - Project Grants

This competitive grants program awards project support (a set of activities conducted during a specified period of time and with clearly stated deliverables that further the organization’s mission).

Strong applications should demonstrate the following:

• Clear community need for the project 
• Timeliness: Why is this a strategic time to invest in this project?
• A clear workplan
• A project budget that clearly corresponds with the work in the project description and work plan
• A strategy for how the work, if ongoing, will be sustained beyond the grant period

Grant amount

• $5,000 – $20,000 for organizations serving one region
• $5,000 – $25,000 for statewide organizations (serving more than two regions)

What We Do

Founded in 1983, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. MaineCF’s investment expertise supports our donors’ effective and strategic giving. We offer a range of giving options tailored to fit each donor’s financial means and charitable objectives. Our staff provides personalized service, community leadership, and a deep understanding of local issues.

Background

The Equity Fund was established in 1996. Originally funded with a two-year matching grant to the Maine Community Foundation from the National Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership, the Equity Fund became a permanent fund of the foundation in December 2000. A community assessment and forum were conducted in 2003 to clarify the criteria and priorities of the Equity Fund.

Purpose

The Equity Fund's mission is to strengthen lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) organizations in Maine and support community-based initiatives.

Types of Funding

This program provides:

• General support grants for LGBTQ+ organizations for ongoing programming, operational needs, and capacity-building.
• To apply for a general support grant, an organization must have previously received a project grant.
• Project grants for new or expanded projects.
  • Projects are activities with a clear start and end date, with goals and objectives related to but not the same as the organization’s mission.
  • Project grants will support staff time dedicated to supporting proposed activities.
  • They may also include administrative or indirect costs in their request as a line item in their budget.
  • These funds may be used at the discretion of the organization to cover overhead or indirect costs but must be limited to 20% of the total amount requested.

Grant funds can be used to support:

• Staff time dedicated to the proposed project
• New equipment or materials that are necessary to achieve the goals or outcomes of the proposed activities
• Training for staff, volunteers, or board members
• Administrative overhead (up to 20% of the requested funding).

Interest Areas

• Civil Rights
• Social Action
• Advocacy;
• Health Care

Adelard A. and Valeda Lea Roy Foundation Grant

The AV Roy Foundation has historically supported a broad range of organizations working in the areas of arts and culture, churches, education, environmental education, food access, health, land trusts, museums, and social services. The Trustees prioritize grants serving greater Boston and underserved rural and urban communities in Massachusetts, with some additional grantmaking in other areas of Northern New England.

In an effort to ensure that applications to the Foundation closely match current giving priorities, the Trustees will give priority to Massachusetts and Northern New England applicants focused on the following:

• Environment: requests focused on land conservation, in particular projects close to completion and projects resulting in easements held by accredited land trusts; environmental education; and climate change
• Health and Welfare: basic human needs (with priority given to food security and housing); hospice and home health care
• Arts and Culture: in particular, arts access and education for disadvantaged, elderly, or youth populations, and historic preservation
• Education: schools serving youth from low income backgrounds, including independent schools
• Churches providing basic needs support and other social services programming, as well as capital needs for facilities or historic preservation

Funding

Grants typically range from $2,500 to $10,000. In 2023, the average grant was $3,800. The Trustees anticipate a slightly higher average grant size this year, and fewer grants in total.

Our Beginnings

SeedMoney is a Maine-based 501c nonprofit helping US and global food garden projects to thrive through grants, crowdfunding assistance and free garden planning software.

SeedMoney is the new name for what was formerly called Kitchen Gardeners International (KGI), a nonprofit founded in 2003. Over the past three years, our emphasis has gradually shifted from helping home gardeners towards offering financial and technical support to a wide variety of public food garden projects. These include community gardens, school gardens, food bank gardens, homeless shelter gardens and senior gardens, to name just a few.

Mission

SeedMoney improves the health of people, local communities and the planet by empowering public food gardens and farms to start up and thrive. We work with a variety of local partners including school gardens, community gardens, food bank gardens, community farms, as well as other nonprofits. We offer our partners training in online outreach, access to custom-built user-friendly online crowdfunding technology, cutting-edge garden planning software and grants ranging from $100 to $1000. In doing so, we enable communities and projects in need to become more self-reliant in terms of their food and their funding.

SeedMoney Challenge

The SeedMoney Challenge is a group crowdfunding competition open to any public food garden project located anywhere in the world.  Each year, we offer challenge grants to diverse food garden projects through a 30-day crowdfunding challenge.  Participating projects include youth gardens, community gardens, community farms and food bank gardens. Participants keep 100% of what they raise and compete for challenge grants of $100 to $1000. The more funds a project raises, the larger the grant it qualifies to receive. 

The grants we offer are on a sliding scale. The size of a grant a project can receive depends on how much it is able to raise over the 30-day period compared to other projects participating in the challenge. This year, we will be offering a total of 432 grants ranging from $100 to $1000.