University of Southern Maine Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism
About University of Southern Maine Foundation
The USM Foundation serves as a catalyst for transformation at the University of Southern Maine. By engaging with alumni, friends, and community partners, we work side by side with the University to make a deep and meaningful impact on the lives of our students, the future of USM, and the economic wellbeing of Maine.
Focus Areas
higher educationscholarshipsarts & cultural facilitiesalumni programs
Who They Fund
USM studentsUSM faculty and researcherslibrary patrons and scholarsregional academic community
Funding Style
endowment supportprogrammatic fundingcapital projects fundingdesignated/earmarked gift
About University of Southern Maine Foundation
The University of Southern Maine Foundation’s recent giving is centered on the university itself, with a 2025 grant of $16,476,097 for USM programs and capital projects setting the scale of its work. Another 2025 award of $3,419,655 also supported USM programs and capital projects, showing that the foundation’s largest commitments are tied to institutional priorities rather than external charities. Smaller but still substantial grants of $1,102,700 and $1,002,033 in 2025 were recorded as endowment income gifted to USM, pointing to a funding model that combines project support with endowed support for the university’s ongoing needs. The foundation’s philanthropy is not broad-based across many organizations; it is tightly aligned with the University of Southern Maine and its campus agenda. One named recipient outside the main university line was the USM Osher Map Library Foundation, which received support for the Osher Map Library Collection. That pattern fits the foundation’s stated focus on higher education, scholarships, arts and cultural facilities, alumni programs, and university infrastructure. The grant history shows a funder built to move resources directly into USM programs, facilities, and student-facing support.
What University of Southern Maine Foundation Funds
In higher education, the foundation directs major resources to the University of Southern Maine for programs and capital projects, including a 2023 grant of $4,204,520 and a 2025 grant of $16,476,097. It also supported the university’s long-term financial base through endowment income gifts of $1,102,700 in 2025 and $1,000,935 in 2023. For library and special collections work, the USM Osher Map Library Foundation received $15,240 in 2023 for the Osher Map Library Collection. Scholarship support is another clear theme: the foundation operates merit-based and named scholarship funding, including the President’s Scholar Award, Dirigo Scholar Award, and USM Transfer Residence Hall Scholarship. Its current priorities also point to support for student success, performing arts, and other named university needs.
How University of Southern Maine Foundation Gives
The typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $1,000,935, the median is $1,002,033, and the 75th percentile is $4,204,520. That distribution reflects a small set of substantial university awards rather than many small external grants. The recipient list shows repeat funding to the University of Southern Maine across 2023 and 2025, including both program-capital support and endowment income. The foundation is a university foundation, not a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Some scholarship programs accept unsolicited applications, including the Osher ReEntry Scholarship and Donor-Funded Scholarships, while other priorities are donor-directed or institutionally designated.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$22M
Total Assets
$58.6M
Total Revenue
$14.3M
Total Expenses
$7.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $1M and $4.2M, with a median of $1M.
25th Percentile
$1M
Median
$1M
75th Percentile
$4.2M
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
About 100% of grants go to recipients in ME.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Ainsley Newman Wallace
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