Sam L. Cohen Foundation Grant

The Sam L. Cohen Foundation provides responsive grants to nonprofit organizations that directly benefit individuals living in southern Maine. The Foundation is a private philanthropic entity committed to enriching the lives of community members through strategic grantmaking. It has transitioned to a new online portal that streamlines the application process for current and new grantees using the Blackbaud Grantmaking platform. This system ensures all applicants, including those familiar with other Blackbaud products, can manage their applications efficiently. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status or utilize a fiscal agent. Applications are limited to organizations with projects or missions directly serving the southern Maine population. The Foundation encourages prospective applicants, particularly those applying for the first time, to consult with program staff prior to submitting an initial inquiry. The grant application process involves two steps: an initial inquiry and, upon invitation, a full application. The initial inquiry window for the Fall cycle is open from June 1 through July 15, with full applications due by September 1. Applicants will be notified of the inquiry outcome within two weeks following the deadline. Grants are reviewed and awarded in November for Fall applicants. This cycle recurs semi-annually with a Spring and Fall deadline. Required documents for a full application include the organization’s board list with affiliations, recent financial statements, the current and past fiscal year operating budgets, a detailed project budget for nonoperating requests, and letters of support where applicable. A 501(c)(3) determination letter is mandatory for new applicants. Although funding amounts are not specified, grants can support operating or programmatic expenses. The Foundation does not require matching funds and has not disclosed the number of anticipated awards or total available funding. While applications are not accepted on a rolling basis, the grant cycle repeats annually, with the next round expected to open in December 2025. For additional questions or support during the application process, applicants should contact Gloria Nicholson at gnicholson@samlcohenfoundation.org or call (207) 871-5600. All final reports for previous grants must be submitted through the legacy portal before its deactivation on August 25, 2025.

The Foundation encourages early engagement with program staff and requires applicants to update info on substantive changes.