Maine Expansion Arts Grant Program

The Maine Expansion Arts grant program is administered by the Maine Community Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Maine residents through charitable giving and community investment. This program is supported through a collaborative effort that includes the National Endowment for the Arts, the Lillian M. Berliawsky Charitable Trust, the Maine Community Foundation itself, and the Maine Arts Commission. Additional support has been contributed by the Elizabeth Laughlin Anderson Memorial Fund and a significant gift from MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett in 2021. These combined efforts reflect a sustained commitment to promoting and preserving the artistic and cultural heritage of Maine’s underserved communities. The grant aims to support arts organizations in Maine that are focused on serving underserved geographies or populations with limited access to arts programming. The program seeks to increase accessibility to a broad array of artistic disciplines, including dance, music, theater, visual arts, and traditional arts. Grants awarded under this program are for general support, which means recipients have the flexibility to use funds toward expanding or continuing existing programs, launching new initiatives, or addressing operational needs such as capital expenses. Eligible applicants must be based in Maine and have a mission or primary purpose centered on the arts. Organizations must have total expenses below $500,000 for their most recently completed fiscal year. Applicants must also demonstrate that their work expands access to the arts in an underserved region or among underserved populations and that the individuals served are engaged in the design, delivery, or evaluation of the programming. Notably, municipalities, K–12 public or private schools, institutions of higher education, and faith-based organizations are not eligible for this funding. Priority consideration is given to organizations that show evidence of collaboration with local artists and that can demonstrate community support, either through financial contributions or in-kind support. The Maine Expansion Arts grant supports general operations, meaning that applicants are not required to submit project-specific proposals. Applications should, however, clearly describe how the organization as a whole aligns with the grant’s objectives and criteria. The 2024 cycle of the program opens on July 15, with a submission deadline of September 15 at 11:59 p.m. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by December 15. In the 2024 cycle, 52 applications were received, requesting a total of $451,897. A total of 23 grants were awarded, totaling $175,020, with an average award of $7,610. Additionally, four donor-advised grants were awarded, totaling $24,000. In total, 44% of applicants received funding in the current cycle. Interested applicants are encouraged to carefully review the program’s eligibility and grant guidelines, including the non-discrimination policy, before applying. Questions can be directed to Erica McCrum at emccrum@mainecf.org or 207-227-7678. Applications should be submitted through the Maine Community Foundation website by clicking the gold “Apply” button at the top right of the program page.

Focus on organizational fit with program criteria rather than specific project proposals.