The Ferguson Foundation concentrates its giving into a small number of large, targeted awards that advance education and environmental stewardship. Recent grants show a mix of place-based capital support for higher education (a concert grand piano for a community college), sustained backing for school-based outdoor and environmental learning in Maine, and multi-year support for a national climate solutions organization. The foundation prefers substantial, repeat grants to a handful of organizations rather than many small gifts.
A $317,500 grant for a concert grand piano at Highland Community College is the clearest recent signal of how the Leonard C & Mildred F Ferguson Foundation gives: a few sizable, highly specific awards that support education, outdoor learning, and climate-related work. The foundation’s recent record includes repeated support for Maine Environmental Education Association, with grants tied to school supplies for outdoor learning and mini grants to schools, showing a steady interest in getting students learning outside. It also gave repeated support to Project Drawdown, including unrestricted and general-fund gifts, which places climate solutions alongside place-based education in its portfolio. Other large awards extend that pattern into school enrichment, environmental stewardship, and community support rather than broad, high-volume grantmaking. The grant list suggests a funder that concentrates on targeted needs, often backing the same organizations more than once and using grants to cover defined projects, capital items, and operating support. Across the recent grants, the foundation appears to favor specific uses over open-ended thematic breadth, with education and environmental stewardship standing out most clearly.
In outdoor and environmental education, the foundation supported Maine Environmental Education Association with $110,000 in 2025 for the Growsmart pledge and school supplies for outdoor learning, after earlier $100,000 grants in 2023 and 2024 for mini grants and small grants to schools. That pattern shows an interest in helping schools access materials for learning outdoors. In climate work, Project Drawdown received $100,000 in 2024 for its general fund and another $100,000 in 2025 as an unrestricted grant, indicating sustained support for climate solutions research and advocacy. The foundation also backed biodiversity and habitat protection through a $30,000 grant to Peninsula Open Space Trust for safeguarding wildlife passages and protecting regional biodiversity. Education shows up in another form through a $50,000 grant to Frederic Remington Art Museum for museum education and salary support.
Typical grants cluster around a modestly selective range, with p25 at $5,000, median at $9,000, and p75 at $15,000, even though the recent list also includes a few much larger project grants. The foundation’s pattern is repeat-oriented: Maine Environmental Education Association, Project Drawdown, Shelburne Farms, Save the River, Massillon Family YMCA, and Frederic Remington Art Museum each appear more than once in the recent grants. It is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and it also funds individuals. Recent awards include operating, unrestricted, capital, matching, and project-specific support, suggesting flexibility in grant purpose rather than a single grant type.
$7.2M
$8.7M
$2M
$7.4M
Most grants fall between $5K and $15K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$15K
About 18% of grants go to recipients in ME.
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a small set of repeat grantees; combination of one-time capital gifts and multi-grant program support with both local/place-based and national recipients.
Notable grantees: Highland Community College, Maine Environmental Education Association, Project Drawdown
The foundation gives nationally, with all recent grants landing in the United States. Maine appears most often in the recent grant list, including Brunswick and Hallowell, while Ohio recipients include Massillon and Canton. Other recurring recipient locations include Pittsburgh, PA; Shelburne, VT; Clayton, NY; Palo Alto and Menlo Park, CA; and Naples, FL. Eighteen percent of grants go to recipients in Ohio, even though the foundation’s headquarters are in Canton.
Recent grants show support for education, outdoor and environmental learning, climate solutions, biodiversity protection, food and shelter relief, and some arts-related education. Examples include school supplies for outdoor learning, climate solutions grants, and museum education support.
Yes. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Maine Environmental Education Association, Project Drawdown, Shelburne Farms, Save the River, Massillon Family YMCA, and Frederic Remington Art Museum.
The distribution is relatively modest for most awards, with p25 at $5,000, median at $9,000, and p75 at $15,000. The recent record also includes a smaller number of larger project grants well above that range.
Recipients in Maine appear most often in the recent grants list, with cities including Brunswick and Hallowell. Ohio is also important, accounting for 18% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state.
Yes. The foundation is classified as funding individuals, and its recent grantmaking also includes grants to organizations for scholarships, tuition, and other direct support purposes.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ferguson Foundation | Canton, OH | $4,836,562 | 2026 | Foundation Split |
| Conservancy of SW Florida | Naples, FL | $1,000,000 | 2026 | General Funds |
| Highland Community College | Freeport, IL | $317,500 | 2026 | Concert Grand Piano and Fine Arts Program |
| Wilderness Center | Wilmot, OH | $118,000 | 2026 | Grant to Help with Land Purchase, Conservation |
| Project Drawdown | Pittsburgh, PA | $100,000 | 2026 | General Funds |
| Maine Environmental Education Association | Brunswick, ME | $100,000 | 2026 | Grant to Make Small Grants to Schools for Supplies for Learning Outdoors |
| Give Direct | New York, NY | $55,000 | 2026 | LA Fire Relief for Poorest Families and Individuals |
| Shelburne Farms | Shelburne, VT | $50,000 | 2026 | Martin Tierney Endowment Fund |
| Eastside College Preparatory | East Palo Alto, CA | $48,000 | 2026 | Tuition for 2 Students |
| Peninsula Open Space Trust | Palo Alto, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | Safeguard Wildlife Passages and Protect Biodiversity |
| Peninsula Bridge | Mateo, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | Mental Health Needs |
| Massillon Family YMCA | Massillon, OH | $27,000 | 2026 | Grants for Gymnastics and the Gators Swim Team |
| University of Vermont Medical Center | Burlington, VT | $25,000 | 2026 | Research Care at Childrens Hospital in Honor of Nora McDougall |
| Fresh Approach | Concord, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | Community Garden and EPA Farmers Market |
| Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley | San Carlos, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | Capital Campaign for New Building |
| University of Maine | Orono, ME | $25,000 | 2026 | Maine Outdoor School |
| Oakland Public Education Fund | Oakland, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | Oakland Goes Outdoors |
| Children's Health Council | Palo Alto, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | Mental Health Therapy and Counseling |
| Thousand Islands Land Trust | Clayton, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | Conservation Connections Program |
| Foodwise | San Francisco, CA | $17,500 | 2026 | Teen Programs |
| Live Earth Farm Discovery | Freedom, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | Farm Discovery Program |
| Coastside Hope | Half Moon Bay, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | Households and Backpacks Programs |
| Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition | Belfast, ME | $15,000 | 2026 | Natural Literacy Initiative |
| Enriching Lives Through Music | San Rafael, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | Academic and College Prep |
| Ravenswood Family Health Center | East Palo Alto, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | CPSP and Centering Parenting Programs |
| Kids Cooking For Life | Larkspur, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | Part Time Regional Manager |
| Sea Change Yoga | Portland, ME | $15,000 | 2026 | Capacity Building |
| Penobscot Theatre Company | Bangor, ME | $15,000 | 2026 | Art N Kids Program |
| Northern Forest Canoe Trail | Waitsfield, VT | $10,000 | 2026 | Student Trips |
| Stand Up for Kids Orange County | Costa Mesa, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | Self Sufficiency and Roadmap to Success Programs |
| Nuestra Casa De East Palo Alto | East Palo Alto, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | Community Outreach and Case Management Programs |
| Liahona Motu Foundation | Redwood City, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | One Year of Support for One Student Athelete |
| Maine Needs | Portland, ME | $10,000 | 2026 | Towards Purchase New Facility |
| Islesford Boatworks | Islesford, ME | $10,000 | 2026 | Boat Bulding Skill Programs |
| Fractured Atlas | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | Production of Bone Wars - historical musical about Paleontologists |
| Apex Youth Connection | Biddeford, ME | $10,000 | 2026 | After School Programming |
| McKinley Presidential Library & Museum | Canton, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | Memorial Bus and Attractions for Children |
| Ecology School | Saco, ME | $7,000 | 2026 | ESTEM, Food Systems Ed Hands-on, and Overnight Programs |
| Preble Street Teen Center | Portland, ME | $7,000 | 2026 | Teen Services Program |
| Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance | Augusta, ME | $6,340 | 2026 | Climate Education Professional Development Program and Teach Me Outside Project |
| Growsmart Maine | Augusta, ME | $6,000 | 2026 | Operating Support |
| Canal Fulton Public Library | Canal Fulton, OH | $5,100 | 2026 | Teen and Child Summer Progam Requests and Endowment Goal through Stark Community Fnd |
| Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry | Ellsworth, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | Feeding People |
| Trekkers | Thomaston, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | 11th Grade Aspirations |
| Main Street Music Theatre | Brunswick, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | 18 and Under Summer Theater Study |
| Island Readers and Writers | Mount Desert, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | Fall Reading Program Featuring Anna Crowley-Redding |
| Tedford Housing | Brunswick, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | Homeless Shelters Youth Support |
| Midcoast Literacy | Bath, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | Read Together Program |
| Merryspring Nature Center | Camden, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | Family Environmental Education |
| Caring and Serving Together | Canton, OH | $5,000 | 2026 | General Funds |
The Ferguson Foundation
$4,836,562Foundation Split
Project Drawdown
$100,000General Funds
Grant to Make Small Grants to Schools for Supplies for Learning Outdoors
Give Direct
$55,000LA Fire Relief for Poorest Families and Individuals
Safeguard Wildlife Passages and Protect Biodiversity
Peninsula Bridge
$30,000Mental Health Needs
Massillon Family YMCA
$27,000Grants for Gymnastics and the Gators Swim Team
Research Care at Childrens Hospital in Honor of Nora McDougall
Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley
$25,000Capital Campaign for New Building
University of Maine
$25,000Maine Outdoor School
Oakland Public Education Fund
$20,000Oakland Goes Outdoors
Live Earth Farm Discovery
$15,000Farm Discovery Program
Coastside Hope
$15,000Households and Backpacks Programs
Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition
$15,000Natural Literacy Initiative
Ravenswood Family Health Center
$15,000CPSP and Centering Parenting Programs
Kids Cooking For Life
$15,000Part Time Regional Manager
Sea Change Yoga
$15,000Capacity Building
Penobscot Theatre Company
$15,000Art N Kids Program
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
$10,000Student Trips
Stand Up for Kids Orange County
$10,000Self Sufficiency and Roadmap to Success Programs
Community Outreach and Case Management Programs
Maine Needs
$10,000Towards Purchase New Facility
Islesford Boatworks
$10,000Boat Bulding Skill Programs
Production of Bone Wars - historical musical about Paleontologists
McKinley Presidential Library & Museum
$10,000Memorial Bus and Attractions for Children
Ecology School
$7,000ESTEM, Food Systems Ed Hands-on, and Overnight Programs
Climate Education Professional Development Program and Teach Me Outside Project
Growsmart Maine
$6,000Operating Support
Canal Fulton Public Library
$5,100Teen and Child Summer Progam Requests and Endowment Goal through Stark Community Fnd
Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry
$5,000Feeding People
Main Street Music Theatre
$5,00018 and Under Summer Theater Study
Island Readers and Writers
$5,000Fall Reading Program Featuring Anna Crowley-Redding
Tedford Housing
$5,000Homeless Shelters Youth Support
Midcoast Literacy
$5,000Read Together Program
Merryspring Nature Center
$5,000Family Environmental Education
Caring and Serving Together
$5,000General Funds