Nonprofit organizations in Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties may be eligible for grants from the Maine Community Foundation’s (MaineCF) Community Building Grant Program.

The grant program invests in local projects and organizations that help build strong communities. Last year, 15 nonprofit organizations in Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties were awarded grants totaling $109,530.

The Community Building Grant Program supports efforts that strengthen community resources, promote well-being and help residents acquire skills and knowledge. These community resources include organizations, partnerships and natural and built environments. The program also requires that applicants engage the people they serve in design, delivery and/or evaluation of the grant-funded work.

Last year’s grantees included:

• Lincoln County Historical Association, for programs and exhibitions about the history of women writers of Lincoln County
• Midcoast Youth Center, to meet the social-emotional, academic, health, and basic needs of youth in Sagadahoc County, Brunswick, and Harpswell
• Waldo Theatre, to serve as a cultural hub for Waldoboro and midcoast region.

For a full list of 2022 Community Building grants by county, visit www.mainecf.org/recentgrants.

The Community Building Grant Program is MaineCF’s largest grant program. It is one of the only grant programs in the state that supports a broad range of interest areas, including arts, education, environment, economic development and human services.

The grant program offers two types of funding: project grants and general support. Project grants are for new or expanding projects. General support is geared towards operational needs for smaller organizations that meet certain criteria.

Learn more about Community Building Grant Program qualifications and the application process at www.mainecf.org/communitybuilding. The deadline to submit proposals is Feb. 15.

The Maine Community Foundation brings people and resources together to build a better Maine through strategic giving, community leadership, personalized service, local expertise and strong investments. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.

2022 Grants from the Southern Midcoast Committee

Community Housing Improvement Project, to provide home repair services for those who cannot afford them: $10,000 

Coastal Kids Preschool, for its staff professional development program to maximize teachers’ skills and credentials: $10,000 

Healthy Lincoln County, to broaden the reach of food-security programs through media: $10,000 

Hearty Roots, to connect children with nature through outdoor adventure programming: $10,000 

Housing Resources for Youth, to connect homeless youth with case management, supplies, resources, and safe housing in their community: $3,000 

Inn Along the Way, to engage older residents in socially, mentally, and physically enriching activities: $3,982 

Lincoln County Historical Association, for programs and exhibitions about the history of women writers of Lincoln County: $3,700 

Midcoast Youth Center, to meet the social-emotional, academic, health, and basic needs of youth in Sagadahoc County, Brunswick, and Harpswell: $10,000 

Midcoast Literacy, to provide free tutoring, English classes, early childhood literacy programs, and free books to adults, children, and families: $3,390 

Restorative Justice Project of the MidCoast, to make restorative justice processes available to adults and those they have impacted through law enforcement and court referrals to the Community Harm Repair Program: $9,400 

The Carpenters Boatshop, for wooden boatbuilding programs: $7,058 

Maine’s First Ship, to collect and publish oral histories from community members who helped reconstruct the sailing vessel Virginia: $4,000 

Waldo Theatre, to serve as a cultural hub for Waldoboro and midcoast region: $10,000 

Whitefield Library, for the installation of a dual heat-pump system to allow it to remain open in the winter: $10,000 

Central Lincoln County YMCA, for a third-grade food education program that teaches the joy of growing, preparing, and eating nutritious, local foods: $5,000