The Maine Community Foundation is seeking applications for its Community Building Grant Program to invest in local projects and organizations that work to build strong communities. For the 2021 grant cycle, the focus will be on building community resilience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is a grassroots grant program focused on efforts to use, improve and/or increase access to community assets. These community assets include natural and built resources, as well as community members, their views and voices, local leaders, and the relationships or connections among people and organizations across the community.

Criteria & Priorities

• Criteria: Proposed projects or organizations must -
  • Invest in people by strengthening skills, knowledge, abilities, and/or well-being of community members
  • Maximize community strengths and resources by improving access to or the use of community-based resources, including people, organizations, and built and natural environments
  • Engage community members by involving those people who will benefit in the design, delivery, or evaluation of project activities and goals.
  • And special for 2021:
    • Strengthen the community’s ability to address the impacts of COVID-19.
• Priorities: Priority will be given to projects or organizations that -
  • Serve people at higher risk to be negatively impacted by COVID-19, including:
    • Black, Indigenous, and people of color
    • Essential workers
    • Older people, 60+ years old (especially those experiencing poverty or isolation)
    • People experiencing domestic abuse or violence
    • People experiencing poverty, hunger, or homelessness
    • People with mental health challenges, including substance use disorders
    • Youth at higher risk (especially those who are homeless, recently incarcerated, or who have mental health challenges, including substance use disorders).

Types of Funding

This program provides:

• Project Grants for new, expanding, or ongoing projects (including changes) in response to COVID-19
• Capacity-building Grants for activities that will make the organization stronger, more efficient, or more effective in its response to the pandemic.

Funding Information

• Max Award: $10,000.

Ineligible Expenses

Funds may not be used for:

• General operating expenses: This includes any expenses related to the daily operation or running of the organization. For example, rent, utilities, office equipment and supplies, insurance and general salaries for administrative staff or the executive director. While operating expenses may be included as “indirect costs” (up to 20% of the requested amount) they are not eligible as full requests.
• Major capital expenses: This includes purchasing assets such as buildings, land, or vehicles.
• Camperships: This includes funding for admission, enrollment, tuition or other costs related to short-term programs that are primarily recreational or social.
• Endowments, capital campaigns, or annual appeals.

Eligibility Criteria

Who is eligible to apply?

• Nonprofit, charitable organizations tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and also classified as an organization described in sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2)
• Municipalities
• Public schools
• Public agencies working for the State of Maine
• Indian tribal governments (or political subdivisions) recognized by the Department of the Interior
• Groups without any tax status may apply a fiscal sponsor that is an eligible organization as described above.

For more information, visit Community Building.