Maine Local Grants

This program provides financial support to new and relocating small businesses in Lewiston, Maine, helping them cover essential startup costs and promote local economic growth.

This program provides financial support to small businesses in Saco, Maine, for various non-operational expenses to promote economic development and community revitalization.

This program provides financial support to new and existing child care businesses in Portland, Maine, to help them start, expand, and hire staff, ensuring more accessible child care options in the community.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to small community organizations and Tribal entities in New England to tackle environmental and public health issues in disadvantaged communities.

This grant provides funding for tax-exempt organizations and local government agencies to support community-focused projects and activities in Coös County, NH, and neighboring areas in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont.

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 program provides technical assistance to small and vulnerable communities in Maine to improve energy efficiency in public buildings and enhance resilience against climate change impacts.

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 funding opportunity provides financial assistance to public water systems in Maine to develop essential plans and documents that enhance their technical, financial, or managerial capabilities.

The City of Bangor Commission on Cultural Development in Maine is offering grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to individual artists and non-profit arts and cultural organizations, requiring a 1:1 match, to support projects that enhance the city's cultural vitality and directly serve the Bangor community.

The Onion Foundation aims to connect Maine residents with arts experiences, both as audience members and creators, fostering opportunities for expression, learning, and inspiration. This aligns directly with the foundation's mission, which recognizes the arts' crucial role in creativity, cultural exchange, intellectual development, joy, compassion, and human connection. The foundation seeks to support a vibrant arts sector in Maine, ensuring that the arts are accessible and beneficial to the state's population. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are Maine residents, with a focus on increasing access to arts education, supporting public engagement in arts programs, and building the capacity of Maine's arts sector. The impact goals are to enhance intellectual development, foster joy and compassion, and strengthen feelings of connection among individuals through artistic engagement. The foundation prioritizes organizations that are 501(c)3 public charities, fiscally sponsored projects, public education institutions, or Maine governmental units, with work based in Maine and benefiting its people. The program offers two types of grants: general operating and project support. General operating grants provide unrestricted funds for organizations whose activities align with the foundation's strategies, offering multi-year support of up to $20,000 per year for organizations with annual budgets over $50,000, and up to $7,500 per year for those under $50,000. Project support grants fund specific activities or programs, also with multi-year options and similar funding tiers based on project budgets. The expected outcomes include a more engaged public in Maine arts, a stronger arts education infrastructure, and a more robust overall arts sector in the state. The Onion Foundation's strategic priorities are clearly outlined in its three guiding strategies for the arts program: Strategy I: Increase Access to Arts Education in Maine, Strategy II: Support Public Engagement in Maine Arts Programs, and Strategy III: Build The Capacity of Maine’s Arts Sector. The theory of change implicitly suggests that by funding these areas, the foundation will achieve its broader mission of connecting Maine residents to arts experiences, leading to expression, learning, and inspiration, and ultimately fostering a more creative, compassionate, and connected society. Measurable results would likely include increased participation rates in arts programs, growth in arts education initiatives, and the sustained health and development of arts organizations in Maine.

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.

This funding initiative provides financial support to Maine-based organizations in Penobscot County for projects that aim to reduce opioid and substance use disorders through prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services.

This grant provides funding to grassroots organizations in Maine that focus on environmental and racial justice through community-led initiatives, advocacy, and capacity-building efforts.