ELLSWORTH — The Maine Community Foundation, through the Community Building Grant Program, invests in local projects and organizations that work to build strong communities. It is a grassroots grant program focused on efforts to use, improve and/or increase access to community assets. The 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.

In light of the current COVID-19 situation, MaineCF made temporary changes to the program, with the goal to be as supportive as possible to nonprofits and give grant seekers and the foundation’s volunteer reviewers time and space to attend to their individual, family and/or community needs. Staff simplified the grant review process, made decisions more quickly and sought to address the rapidly changing funding needs that nonprofits were facing.

Androscoggin County

• Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, Lewiston, to support the Second Chance Medical Fund that helps pets at risk of being surrendered because their families are unable to afford necessary, often lifesaving, veterinary care: $2,500.

• LA Arts, to expand the L-A Community Galleries pilot to maintain art galleries in local care institutions for the therapeutic benefit of clients, families, staff and guests: $3,000.

• Maine Community Integration, to develop a program that addresses inter-generational trauma among Lewiston’s immigrant population using culturally-appropriate and art-based methodologies: $8,000.

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• Midcoast Symphony Orchestra, for the biennial Judy Elser Concerto Competition, which offers Maine-based college students the opportunity to play a concerto with the orchestra: $2,250.

• New Mainers Public Health Initiative, Lewiston, to provide a training program for staff and volunteers who provide services to school-age children who have intellectual/developmental disabilities: $6,300.

• Rural Community Action Ministry, Leeds, to establish a rural youth life-skills mentoring program focused on preparing youth to thrive as they transition to adulthood: $6,000.

• Somali Bantu Community Association, Lewiston, to conduct a land search for Liberation Farms to ensure that the organization can safely gather, grow food, and heal in community: $8,250.

• United Youth Empowerment Services, Lewiston, to build a team of 12 students in grades seven through 12 dedicated to learning the fundamentals and trade skills associated with video-production and movie-making: $8,000.

Oxford County

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• Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, to add resources to Oxford County libraries to offer survivor-centered, close-to-home support and access to wellness programs: $9,880.

• Mahoosuc Land Trust, to create a program that serves local community members of all ages, provides outdoor recreation, and builds an appreciation of the natural environment: $3,000.

• SAD 17, for Girls Outdoors & Leadership Science (GOALS) and the 100-Mile Club, summer programs for low-income Oxford Hills residents at Roberts Farm: $4,800.

• Otisfield Community School, to purchase and install a new playground at the rural public elementary school serving students in grades prekindergarten through six: $10,000.

• Oxford Hills Community Gardens, to work with an architect to create a master plan for the development of property to ensure compliance with ADA, health, and life safety codes: $6,400.

• River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, to expand summer access to food from four to nine sites in the Greater River Valley region: $3,750.

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• Western Maine Art Group, for an exhibition pairing landscape paintings by historic regional artists with works by contemporary artists featuring the same locations: $1,371.86.

Western mountains

• 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.

• 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.

• Maine Mountain Children’s House, for architectural research and design to increase early education classrooms and programming: $7,850.

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• 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.

• Western Maine Play Museum, for an after-school program for kids grades six to eight to use creativity and technology to create short films: $5,990.

The Community Building Grant Program is one of the only grant programs in Maine that supports a broad range of projects and organizations across the state, including arts, education, environment, economic development and human services. It is also MaineCF’s largest grant program and receives more than 400 applications annually.

For more information and a complete list of 2020 of community-building grants, visit www.mainecf.org.

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