ELLSWORTH – The King and Jean Cummings Charitable Fund of the Maine Community Foundation seeks to fund projects in the arts, education, the environment, economic development and cultural preservation in Maine, with a special interest in organizations that use collaboration and networks to accomplish their goals.

The Cummings Charitable Fund primarily supports organizations in regions or communities where King and Jean Cummings lived, worked and/or had an interest, including Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis and Washington counties, and Newport and Islesboro.

Priority will be given to existing and new projects that seek to foster effectiveness through building and utilizing networks. Projects in rural areas are also given preference. The Cummings Fund does not normally provide grants for capital projects.

The deadline for applying for funding is Sept. 15. For new guidelines and a list of recent grants from the fund, visit www.mainecf.org or call 1-877-700-6800 (toll-free). Only nonprofit, 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organizations and public agencies are eligible for grants.

The fund advisory committee has approximately $80,000 available to distribute for 2008. Last year, the committee received 49 proposals requesting approximately $268,400 and recommended 30 awards totaling $146,965. Grant sizes ranged from $3,000 to $10,000 from the competitive process.

The Cummings Charitable Trust was established by King Cummings in 1982 and was funded at his death in 1989. In 1996, the Cummings Trust transferred its assets and became a component charitable fund of the Maine Community Foundation.