The Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust Grant Program offers funding to support projects and organizations that connect people and places through arts, culture, and the natural environment in Maine. The Trust seeks proposals that foster creative expression and a sense of responsibility toward communities and the surrounding lands and waters. Grants can be requested for operating support or specific projects that benefit local or statewide communities.
Eligible applicants include organizations and individuals across Maine who align with the Trust’s focus on equitable access, community representation, expanded connections, responsiveness to new voices, and deepening relationships between people and place. Preference is given to programs that serve diverse populations, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color in Maine.
The program supports two main areas: Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation; and Environmental Initiatives. In arts and culture, grants may fund community arts programs, cultural facility improvements, historic preservation projects, or efforts celebrating Maine’s diverse cultural heritage. Environmental initiatives focus on land conservation, stewardship, education, research, water quality restoration, and culturally significant lands for Wabanaki communities.
Applicants may request grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for project or operating support. Project proposals should include clear goals and outcomes while operating support requests should outline organizational priorities. New applicants are encouraged to apply first for project funding before seeking operating support.
Certain types of requests are ineligible such as multi-year funding requests, endowments or annual campaigns, political advocacy efforts, organizations outside Maine unless the project is within the state, medical service providers or research facilities focused on diseases or conditions, as well as primarily social service providers.
Applications must be submitted by October 1st each year. Organizations that have received grants in each of the last two years are asked to wait one year before reapplying unless they are Wabanaki-led projects recently funded. For more details about eligibility requirements and application procedures visit the Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust website.
