Maine Food and Nutrition Grants

This program provides funding to organizations and institutions in Maine to support projects that improve the competitiveness of specialty crop producers through market access, education, research, and sustainability initiatives.

This fund provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in York County, Maine, to enhance the quality of life for older adults through programs focused on nutrition, wellness, dementia care, and access to the arts.

This grant provides financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that support cancer patients in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont who are facing urgent financial and food insecurity during their treatment or transition to hospice care.

This program provides $25 grocery and gas gift cards to cancer patients in Northern New England who are currently undergoing treatment or receiving palliative care, helping to alleviate financial burdens and food insecurity.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Maine that address basic human needs, promote humane animal care, expand healthcare access for underserved populations, and support public media initiatives.

The Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program – Facility Acquisitions, offered by Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI), aims to support the expansion and improvement of child care services in Maine. This program specifically targets businesses acquiring an existing child care operation, with a focus on increasing enrollment and enhancing facility quality. While a specific foundation mission or theory of change is not explicitly detailed, CEI's overall mission, as implied by the nature of this grant, likely revolves around fostering community development, supporting local businesses, and ensuring access to essential services like child care, particularly in underserved regions. The alignment suggests a strategic effort to strengthen the child care infrastructure, which is crucial for economic stability and family well-being. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are existing child care businesses in Aroostook, Franklin, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, and Washington Counties in Maine, that are undergoing an acquisition. The impact goals are clearly defined: to facilitate a minimum 25% increase in enrollment within four months of the transaction and to enable improvements in facility quality and capacity. By supporting these acquisitions, the program intends to stabilize and grow the supply of child care, thereby serving more families and children in the targeted counties. Priority areas for this grant include applications from the aforementioned specific counties in Maine. Additionally, bonus points are awarded to applicants who commit to providing care for infants and toddlers, serving families eligible for subsidy, and participating in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. These priorities highlight a strategic focus on addressing critical gaps in child care services, particularly for vulnerable populations and age groups, and ensuring nutritional support for children. The grant, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, can cover up to 50% of eligible costs, with a maximum award of $25,000 for acquiring furniture, fixtures, and enrollment of an existing business. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in child care slots, improved quality of facilities through light renovations, and enhanced operational capabilities. Funds can be used for purchasing educational materials, fees for existing business practices, expanding enrollment, light renovations, acquiring additional indoor activities, enhancing outdoor spaces, procuring health and safety supplies, and ensuring sufficient working capital for the first month. These measurable results contribute directly to the program’s goal of expanding access to quality child care. While the explicit "Foundation's strategic priorities" are not detailed, the grant's design implicitly reflects a strategy to leverage private sector activity (business acquisitions) to achieve public good outcomes (expanded child care access and quality). This approach suggests a theory of change where targeted financial support and incentives for business growth lead to improved social infrastructure. The program's emphasis on specific counties and services (infant/toddler care, subsidized families, USDA program participation) indicates a strategic allocation of resources to areas and populations with the greatest need, aiming for a ripple effect of positive community and economic development.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations focused on empowering low- and moderate-income communities and underserved populations in New England and parts of New York.

This funding opportunity supports various organizations in Maine to develop and implement projects that expand affordable housing options and workforce housing through community planning and collaboration.

Farm Credit East recognizes the significance of farmers’ markets for both producers and consumers. In support of this vital marketing channel, we are offering Farmers' Market Grants of up to $500 to eligible applicants. These grants can be utilized to support participating farmers, enhance markets, improve marketing efforts, and implement programs aimed at aiding disadvantaged communities or enhancing access to fresh, local food. Please note that these grants are intended for public markets where multiple farms sell products, not for individual farm markets. Eligibility: Farmers' markets must be located within Farm Credit East’s eight-state territory: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Preference will be given to first-time applicants and markets serving underserved communities with limited access to fresh, local food. Awards will be granted at the sole discretion of Farm Credit East. How to Apply/Application Requirements: The 2024 application cycle is currently open. Please submit the Farmers' Market Grant Application by 4:00 PM on May 31. Recipients will be notified by late June.

The Sam L. Cohen Foundation offers responsive grants to nonprofit organizations benefiting individuals in southern Maine, specifically Cumberland and York counties. The Foundation's mission aligns with supporting new and ongoing programs, capital improvements, and general operations for organizations whose values resonate with theirs. They are committed to improving the quality of life in southern Maine and promoting economic security and well-being through systemic change and public policy for social benefit. The foundation aims to foster imagination, provide access to the arts, ensure educational opportunities, support disadvantaged individuals, and preserve Jewish culture and tradition within the community. Target beneficiaries include low-income and underserved youth for arts and education, individuals needing access to civic engagement and economic security, underserved populations across the educational spectrum from pre-K to adulthood, historically and systemically disadvantaged individuals and communities for health and human services, and vulnerable members of the Jewish community. The Foundation's impact goals span increasing self-sufficiency, promoting healthy and productive lives, and ensuring food security. They also aim to reduce barriers to just and fair access to resources and opportunities for all, and to foster inclusion and understanding among diverse peoples. The Foundation's grantmaking focuses on five key areas: Arts and Culture, Civic and Community, Education, Health and Human Services, and Jewish Culture and Tradition. Within these areas, priorities include educational programming for low-income youth, supporting organizations working toward systemic change through public policy, providing opportunities for underserved populations in youth development and leadership, addressing access to healthcare and food security, and preserving Jewish education, tradition, and culture. They actively participate in various collaborative initiatives such as Portland ConnectED, The Campaign for Grade Level Reading, and the Maine Oral Health Funders Group. Expected outcomes involve stimulating imagination, enhancing arts education access, improving civic engagement, increasing educational attainment, fostering economic security, and ensuring access to healthcare and food for vulnerable populations. Measurable results are implied through their focus on school readiness, attendance, grade-level proficiency, high school graduation rates, and post-secondary enrollment and completion. The Foundation's strategic priorities emphasize supporting underserved populations, promoting human rights, demonstrating community support, and utilizing collaboration to strengthen networks and increase impact, reflecting a theory of change that values collective strengths and diverse perspectives to address community needs.

Grant Opportunity: City of Lewiston Community Development Block Grant (Maine) The City of Lewiston is offering the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to assist in developing viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic opportunities for low-moderate income individuals. The grant funds are specifically designated for activities associated with preparing for, responding to, or recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible activities include public services, public facilities and infrastructure improvements such as building rehabilitation, acquisition, construction, reconstruction, installation of public works and facilities. Additionally, eligible expenses covered by the CDBG-CV funds include labor, supplies, materials and operation/maintenance of the facility where a public service is located. Applicants are required to provide detailed documentation including activity descriptions, client demographics and project budgets. For more information on eligibility and application process, visit City of Lewiston's website.

This grant provides funding to Maine-based agricultural producers, processors, and organizations to enhance the capacity and resilience of the food supply chain through the purchase of essential equipment.

The Connection, Health, & Equity through Food (CHEF) Grant Program is a collaborative initiative across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Eastern Massachusetts, and Upstate New York, administered by the Maine Council on Aging. The program's core mission is to increase older adults’ equitable access to healthy food and social connection, aligning with a broader goal of addressing systemic issues like food insecurity and social isolation. This grant program seeks to support older adults by fostering programmatic infrastructure, expanding existing programs, and launching innovative new initiatives that cater to their food and social connection needs. The target beneficiaries of the CHEF Grant Program are primarily older adults, with a specific focus on underserved and marginalized populations. These include BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQ+, women, veterans, people living with disabilities, and individuals residing in rural communities. The program's impact goals are centered on enhancing the quality of life for these older adults by improving their access to nutritious food and opportunities for social engagement. Projects that serve diverse older people, veterans, and older people living with disabilities are given priority. The CHEF program prioritizes finding solutions to the root causes of food insecurity and social isolation. These root causes include poverty, transportation barriers, rurality, and language barriers. While the grant does not explicitly detail the foundation's strategic priorities or a formal theory of change, the emphasis on equitable access, addressing systemic issues, and supporting vulnerable populations suggests a strategy focused on community-based interventions and empowerment. The program's design indicates a theory that by investing in local organizations and initiatives, significant improvements can be made in the well-being of older adults. Expected outcomes include increased access to healthy food for older adults, enhanced social connections within communities, and a reduction in the prevalence of food insecurity and social isolation among the target populations. While specific measurable results are not explicitly outlined, the program's focus on data for older people served (50.1% of the overall population served) suggests an intent to track the reach and impact on the primary beneficiary group. The grant duration is not mentioned, but the anticipated grant size of $2,000 – $10,000 for most grants indicates support for projects with tangible, localized impacts.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (NEFRF), a program dedicated to restoring and sustaining healthy rivers, forests, and grasslands to provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. This initiative aligns with NFWF's broader mission to protect and restore native wildlife species and their habitats, leveraging public and private funding to achieve significant conservation outcomes. The NEFRF, formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund, represents a strategic investment in the ecological health of the Northeast region, fostering biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. The program's target beneficiaries include various fish and wildlife populations such as river herring, Atlantic salmon, brook trout, wood turtles, golden-winged warblers, New England cottontails, and bobolinks. Beyond wildlife, the program also aims to benefit agricultural producers, particularly those in Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories, by helping them design and implement conservation practices. The impact goals are centered on improving habitat quality and connectivity, enhancing forest conditions, and promoting hayfield management conducive to successful grassland bird breeding. NEFRF's priorities and focuses are outlined in NFWF’s Northeast Watersheds Business Plan (March 2023), specifically targeting strategies for Stream and Riparian Habitat, and Upland Forests and Grasslands. Key implementation strategies for 2024 include restoring stream and riparian habitats, improving forest management for age and structural diversity, and promoting hayfield management. A significant portion of funding, approximately $625,000, is set aside for projects that assist agricultural producers in adopting conservation practices beneficial to target species like northeast turtles and golden-winged warblers, while also increasing Farm Bill program participation. Additionally, the program encourages projects that involve community outreach, engagement, collaborative management, and the incorporation of traditional knowledge and community input. Expected outcomes and measurable results include improved habitat for specific fish and wildlife species, enhanced age and structural diversity in forest blocks, successful grassland bird breeding, and increased participation of agricultural producers in conservation programs. Projects are expected to contribute to measurable conservation benefits through community input, co-design processes, and engagement with community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to ensure project design, implementation, maintenance, and long-term sustainability post-grant award. The grant duration is three years, with projects expected to start no later than six months after the award date. The NFWF's strategic priorities for the NEFRF reflect a theory of change that posits by investing in targeted habitat restoration, improved land management, and community engagement, ecological health will be restored and sustained, benefiting both wildlife and human communities. Funding is provided by a consortium of partners including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Zoetis Foundation, and Sylvamo, underscoring a collaborative approach to conservation. The program encourages a holistic view of conservation, integrating scientific best practices with local community needs and traditional knowledge to achieve robust and lasting environmental improvements across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and parts of New York.

The Landfall Foundation is offering Project Grants to eligible non-profit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. These grants are designed to partially or fully fund projects within the categories of Health & Welfare, Education, and Arts. The foundation's mission, as evidenced by these grant categories, is to support initiatives that improve the well-being and enrichment of the community through targeted project funding. The Project Grants have a specific purpose and are expected to be completed within one or two years, indicating a focus on concrete, time-bound outcomes rather than general operational support. The primary beneficiaries of these grants are residents within New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick counties in North Carolina. Organizations applying must demonstrate that their project's beneficiaries are located within these specific geographic areas. The impact goals are to support projects that align with the Health & Welfare, Education, and Arts sectors, leading to tangible improvements or advancements in these areas for the local community. The foundation explicitly states what it will NOT fund, such as direct aid to individuals, operating expenses, capital items already acquired, real property purchases, and start-up organizations (less than two years old), which further refines their target impact to specific, project-based interventions. The Landfall Foundation prioritizes projects that are not for political or religious promotion, do not involve transferring funds to other organizations, and are not from local branches of national organizations with internal fundraising staff. They also have a strong focus on non-discriminatory practices, explicitly stating that organizations discriminating on the basis of age, disability, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, race, or religion are ineligible. Furthermore, the foundation does not support research, feasibility studies, engineering, or planning, indicating a preference for projects ready for implementation and with direct, observable community benefits. Expected outcomes include the successful completion of specific projects within the stated one to two-year duration, leading to positive impacts in the areas of arts, health and welfare, and education. While not explicitly detailed, the requirement for a "specific purpose" for Project Grants suggests that measurable results would be tied to the objectives of each individual project. The grant size, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, with a maximum funding of $10,000, implies that the foundation is strategically investing in a range of projects, likely aiming for widespread, localized impact rather than large-scale, singular initiatives. Organizations are also ineligible if they have received a program grant in the previous year and haven't submitted a final or preliminary report by May 15, 2023, or if they received a capital grant in the current year, indicating an emphasis on accountability and preventing duplicate funding.

The Facility Start-Up/New License Grant, offered by Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI) in Maine, aims to support entrepreneurs in establishing new child care facilities or expanding existing ones. This grant provides funding to help new child care businesses cover up to 50% of their start-up costs, with a total award ceiling of $80,000, and a general grant size ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. CEI's mission, though not explicitly detailed in the provided text, can be inferred as supporting economic development and community well-being through strategic investments, particularly in vital services like child care. The target beneficiaries of this grant are individuals and organizations (sole proprietors, partnerships, cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, and employers) interested in starting or expanding child care facilities outside of a home environment. The impact goals are to increase access to quality child care, particularly in specific counties of Maine, and to foster business growth in this essential sector. By providing start-up capital, the program seeks to alleviate financial barriers for new and expanding child care providers, thereby strengthening the child care infrastructure. Priority is given to applications from Aroostook, Franklin, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, and Washington Counties in Maine, indicating a strategic focus on underserved or high-need areas within the state. Additionally, bonus points are awarded to applicants who commit to providing care for infants and toddlers, serving income-eligible families (those receiving subsidies), and participating in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. These priorities align with broader goals of supporting vulnerable populations and improving the nutritional well-being of children. The grant funds can be used for a wide range of purposes, including purchasing, renting, or renovating buildings for child care, constructing new facilities, acquiring educational materials, indoor furniture, outdoor learning environments, playground equipment, and health and safety supplies. Importantly, funds can also cover working capital for the first month, including pre-opening payroll and initial food costs. The expected outcomes include a measurable increase in the number of high-quality child care slots, particularly for infants, toddlers, and income-eligible families, in the designated priority counties. This initiative directly supports community development by addressing critical social and economic needs related to child care accessibility and quality.

The MainStreet Foundation annually donates $25,000 through its "25K For Kids" grant to a local non-profit organization in Maine. This initiative aims to benefit at-risk youth by focusing on providing life essentials such as food, shelter, and security. The grant application process starts on May 1st, with a final submission deadline of July 31st. Applications are reviewed in August, and three finalists are selected to present in person at the October Board meeting. The winner, along with runners-up, is announced in November. Organizations applying must demonstrate a clear positive impact on at-risk youth, aligning with the Foundation's priority for local organizations with sustainable budgets. Projects eligible for funding include after-school programs, mentoring, leadership development, literacy promotion, assistance with homelessness and family dynamics, mental health support, life-management skills, and more. The Foundation does not support general operating expenses, endowments, conferences, training, or facilities renovation. Multi-year requests or capital campaigns are also not supported. Grant recipients are requested not to apply for additional funding for at least 12 months from the conclusion of any previously funded projects.

This program provides funding to empower BIPOC, rural communities, and women in Maine to create equitable and sustainable food systems that address food justice and sovereignty.

This funding opportunity supports licensed dairy processors and brands in the Northeast to initiate or expand co-packing arrangements, scale production, and enhance their product offerings.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to public and nonprofit organizations in Lewiston to deliver essential services that improve the quality of life for low- and moderate-income individuals and families.