The best guidance for the Betterment Fund trustees’ present interests and potential for a favorable response to a grant application is by reference to the Current Grant Priorities page. The trustees’ interests and the priorities are reevaluated on an ongoing basis and are currently being reconsidered.
THE BETTERMENT FUND
2015 Grantmaking Summary January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015
Total Number of Grants 125 Total Number of Capital Grants 5 Total Number of Program Grants 120 Total Grant Payments Made $1,702,600 Total Capital Grants $89,000 Total Program Grants $1,613,600 Average Program Grant Payment $13,447 Range of Program Grant Payments $1,000 - $40,000
DESCRIPTION OF GRANTS
I. AGRICULTURAL CAPACITY - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 72,500
Conservation Law Foundation Legal Services Food Hub $ 10,000
Maine Farmland Trust Purchased Easement Program $ 25,000
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association Operating Support $ 20,000
Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society Operating Support $ 10,000
The Sustainability Lab Maine Farm and Food Innovation Challenge $ 7,500
II. CIVIC AND COMMUNITY - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 352,500
Aid for Kids Operating Support $ 15,000
Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments Maine Woods Tourism Investment Program $ 20,000
Coastal Enterprises, Inc. Maine Woods Nature-Based Tourism Development Initiative $ 25,000
Coastal Enterprises, Inc. $ 15,000 Operating Support
Community Financial Literacy Financial Literacy Classes in Lewiston $ 10,000
Eastport Arts Center $ 10,000 Operating Support Foundation for a Strong Maine Economy Maine Economic Focus Initiative $ 25,000
GrowSmart Maine Operating Support $ 10,000
Maine Highlands Senior Center Capital Campaign $ 25,000
Maine Housing and Building Materials Exchange Low Income Family Supply Fund $ 11,500
Maine Humanities Council Rural Library Programs $ 25,000
Maine Preservation Historic Preservation Field Services $ 15,000
Maine Women's Policy Center Operating Support $ 15,000
MaineStream Finance Microenterprise Loan Program $ 15,000
McLaughlin Foundation Operating Support $ 16,000
Mt. Vernon Community Partnership Corporation Neighbors Driving Neighbors $ 5,000
Northern Forest Center Operating Support $ 30,000
Spaulding Memorial Library Capital Improvements $ 10,000
Sunrise County Economic Council Operating Support $ 15,000
University of Maine System, Inc., for Maine Centers for Women, Work and Community Entrepreneurship Training for Northern and Western Maine $ 20,000
Upper Valley Economic Council, for Katahdin Tourism Partnership Operating Support $ 10,000
The Window Dressers Operating Support for Western Maine $ 10,000
III. CREATIVE ECONOMY - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 80,000
Abbe Museum Fiber Arts & Basket Show $ 2,500
Engine, Inc. Operating Support $ 10,000
Envision Maine Building Maine's Economy $ 10,000
Mahoosuc Arts Council Operating Support $ 15,000
Maine Fiberarts Fiber Arts & Basket Show $ 5,000
Maine Historical Society Fiber Arts & Basket Show $ 2,500
Northeast Historic Film Leadership Transition Support $ 15,000
Opportunity Center of North Franklin County, Inc., for High Peaks Creative Council Operating Support $ 10,000
Schoodic Arts for All Incubator Operating Support $ 10,000
IV. EARLY CHILDHOOD - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 108,600 Council for a Strong America Maine Operating Support $ 15,000
Educare of Central Maine Shared Services Alliance $ 25,000
Maine Children's Alliance Early Childhood Initiative $ 20,000
Southern Kennebec Child Development Corporation, for Maine Head Start Directors Association Maine Head Start Report $ 1,600
Tufts New England Medical Center, for the Bingham Program Start ME Right $ 5,000
United Way of Greater Portland Early Childhood Funders Group $ 8,000
United Way of Midcoast Maine Early Parenting Program $ 20,000
WinterKids Aroostook Preschool Challenge $ 14,000
V. EDUCATION - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 256,000
Educate Maine, for Count ME In Absenteeism Mitigation $ 10,000
Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges In Honor of John Fitzsimmons $ 25,000
Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges Life Sciences Honors Program at CMCC $ 40,000
Four Directions Development Corporation Adult Education $ 15,000
Friends of DaPonte String Quartet Operating Support $ 3,000
Good Will Home Association L.C. Bates Museum School Programs $ 10,000
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts In Honor of Stu Kestenbaum $ 10,000
Mahoosuc Kids Association Operating Support $ 15,000
Maine Alliance for Arts Education Operating Support $ 15,000
Maine Development Foundation Employers' Initiative $ 10,000
Maine Immigrant Refugee Services Literacy and Citizenship Classes $ 15,000
Mitchell Institute College Aspirations Program $ 13,000
Penobscot East Resource Center Eastern Maine Skippers $ 20,000
Schoodic Institute Experiential Education Project: ELLMS $ 10,000
State of Maine, for Maine Arts Commission Ticket To Ride $ 15,000
Tri-County Literacy Operating Support $ 10,000
University of Maine System Maine Scholastic Writing Awards $ 10,000
University of Maine System Inc., Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center Maine NEW Leadership Institute $ 10,000
VI. ENVIRONMENTAL/CONSERVATION - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 220,000
The American Chestnut Foundation American Chestnut Restoration in Maine $ 10,000
The Forest Guild Women and Our Woods $ 10,000
Forest Society of Maine Greenville Office Operating Support $ 30,000
Kennebec Land Trust Howard Hill Stewardship $ 25,000
Lakes Environmental Association Maine Lake Science Center $ 10,000
Mahoosuc Land Trust Operating Support $ 25,000
Mahoosuc Pathways Operating Support $ 15,000
Maine Appalachian Trail Club Operating Support $ 10,000
Maine Audubon Upper Sandy River Watershed Connectivity Project $ 20,000
Maine Lakes Society Operating Support $ 10,000
Maine Philanthropy Center Environmental Funders Network $ 2,000
New England Grassroots Environment Fund Maine Programming $ 10,000
Northern Forest Center Northern Forest Symposium $ 6,000
Trust for Public Land $ 25,000 White Mountains to Moosehead Lake Initiative
University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center, Bryant Pond Oxford County Youth Conservation Camp $ 12,000
VII. MAINE WEST AND HIGH PEAKS - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 182,000
Androscoggin River Watershed Council $ 10,000
Androscoggin River Watershed Council, for Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce $ 5,000 Androscoggin River Watershed Council, for Shelburne Trails Club $ 2,000
Appalachian Mountain Club $ 15,000
Appalachian Trail Conservancy $ 5,000
Community Concepts $ 5,000
The Conservation Fund $ 5,000
High Peaks Alliance $ 20,000
Mahoosuc Land Trust $ 5,000
Mahoosuc Land Trust, for Bethel Area Nonprofit Collaborative $ 10,000
Mahoosuc Pathways $ 10,000
Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust $ 5,000
Mountain Conservancy $ 5,000
Northern Forest Canoe Trail $ 5,000
Northern Forest Center $ 25,000
Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust $ 5,000
School Administrative District #44 $ 7,500
Trust for Public Land $ 20,000
Western Maine Health Care Corp., for Healthy Oxford Hills $ 7,500
The Wilderness Society $ 10,000
VIII. HEALTH - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $ 204,000
Central Maine Healthcare Diabetes Prevention $ 20,000
Friends of Portland Adult Education Professions for New Mainers $ 25,000
Kennebec Valley Family Dentistry Expansion $ 10,000
Maine Community Foundation Oral Health Funders RFP for Children's Oral Health $ 35,000
Maine Dental Health Out-Reach, Inc. School Oral Health Project $ 25,000
Maine Medical Center MMC/TUSM Medical School Program, Scholarships for Bingham Scholars $ 25,000
Massachusetts General Hospital, for Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine Maine Nursing Preceptor Education $ 25,000
NAMI Maine Mental Health First Aid $ 11,000
New Mainers Public Health Initiative Educating New Mainers $ 10,000
Sunrise Opportunities Washington County School-Based Oral Health $ 10,000
Tufts New England Medical Center, for the Bingham Program $ 8,000 Oral Health Staffing
IX. HEALTHY FAMILIES/HEALTHY COMMUNITIES - GRANT $ 177,000 PAYMENTS TOTALING:
Aroostook County Action Program, Inc. Let's Go! Aroostook $ 25,000
Auburn-Lewiston YMCA Outdoor Education and Learning Center $ 10,000
Bicycle Coalition of Maine BikeMaine and Community Spokes $ 15,000
Dirigo Outdoor Programs, Inc., d/b/a Maine Winter Sports Center Support of Western Maine Operations $ 15,000
Good Shepherd Food Bank $ 20,000 Community Hunger & Health Initiative
Hancock County Planning Commission Schoodic Ped, Pedal and Paddle $ 15,000
Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission $ 10,000 Operating Support
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services Franklin County Rural Prevention and Advocacy Response $ 15,000
Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine Operating Support $ 5,000
Titcomb Ski Club Educational Foundation Nordic Trail Lighting Project $ 12,000
Western Maine Health Care Corp., for Healthy Oxford Hills Oxford County Wellness Collaborative $ 30,000
Western Maine Health Care Corp., for Healthy Oxford Hills Oxford County Wellness Collaborative ACES Scholarships $ 5,000
X. PHILANTHROPY - GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING: $50,000
Lift 360, for Maine Network Partners Capacity Building $ 10,000
Lift 360, for Maine Network Partners Operating Support $ 5,000
Maine Community Foundation, Inc. Androscoggin County Fund $ 17,000
Maine Community Foundation, Inc. In Honor of Meredith Jones $ 10,000
Maine Philanthropy Center $ 8,000 Operating Support