Uw the Betterment Fund’s recent record is defined by three very large health grants, all directed to the same Providence recipient group. The largest award on file is $3,009,650 in 2024, followed by $2,759,160 in 2023 and $2,462,650 in 2025, each described as advancement of health support to See Attached Various Charities. That pattern points to a concentrated funder rather than a broad, high-volume grantmaker. The foundation’s public programs show a strong Maine orientation as well, with health sitting alongside education, early childhood, community support, and economic development in its active grantmaking menu. Several of those programs are framed for Maine, especially the Western Mountains region and other rural areas, while the scholarship program uses a separate place-based priority sequence centered on Bethel, Oxford County, and Maine. Together, the record shows a funder that combines large-scale health awards with a structured program portfolio focused on community well-being and regional support.
Health is the clearest throughline in the public record. The foundation’s three largest recent grants all went to Providence, Rhode Island recipients for advancement of health, showing that health giving is not limited to a single small award. Beyond that, the active Health Grants program targets initiatives that improve access to services, rural health infrastructure, public health, oral health, and behavioral health in Maine. Education is another defined area: the Education Grants program supports K-12 enrichment, literacy, adult education, higher education access, scholarships, and education partnerships, with a Maine and rural-community emphasis. The economic development program adds agriculture, entrepreneurship, tourism, workforce development, housing-related economic stability, and rural development to the mix.
The typical grant size is tightly clustered: p25 is $2,821,782, median is $2,884,405, and p75 is $2,947,028. That range matches the three reported grants, which are all multi-million-dollar awards. The foundation has only three recent grants on file, suggesting a low-volume, concentrated pattern rather than a broad array of smaller awards. It funds both operating support and project grants through its program structure, and the General Grant Program says multi-year grants can run up to three years. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, while the scholarship program does not.
$2.5M
$17.3M
$3.2M
$3.2M
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Giving is local and centered in Maine, with program language repeatedly naming the state and the Western Mountains region, especially Oxford, Franklin, and Somerset counties. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 3 grants in the United States. Recent grant recipients were in Providence, Rhode Island, while the foundation’s scholarship program prioritizes Bethel and Oxford County in Maine. The public program list also points to rural Maine as an intended service area across health, education, early childhood, and economic development.
The foundation’s active programs cover health, education, early childhood, economic development, scholarships, community support, environmental/conservation, and the creative economy. Health programs include access to services, rural health infrastructure, public health, oral health, and behavioral health in Maine.
The typical grant size is very large: p25 is $2,821,782, median is $2,884,405, and p75 is $2,947,028. The recent grants listed are all in the multi-million-dollar range.
Yes for several active programs, including Health Grants, The Betterment Fund Grants, the Priority-Focused Funding program, the General Grant Program, Education Grants, Education, Economic Development Grants, and Early Childhood Grants. The Scholarships program does not accept unsolicited applications.
Its programs are centered on Maine, especially the Western Mountains region and rural areas. The general grant programs give priority to Oxford, Franklin, and Somerset counties, and the scholarship program gives priority to Bethel, then Oxford County, then Maine.
It is concentrated. The record shows three recent grants, all for advancement of health and all to Providence, Rhode Island recipients. The typical grant figures are also tightly clustered around the high-$2 million range.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
No grant history is available for this foundation yet.
Current and upcoming funding from Uw the Betterment Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Projects should align with current health priorities; medical research, single-disease projects, direct medical treatment, and capital construction/equipment are less likely to be funded.
Deadline: No specific deadline listed.
Who can apply: Applicants must generally be a publicly supported 501(c)(3) organization, a government agency or body, a tribal government, or an organization using a qualified fiscal sponsor. The Fund does not make grants to individuals or for religious activities or programs. Projects should be in Maine and are most competitive when they align with the Fund's stated priorities and geographic focus.
Who can apply: Proposals should focus on broad-based or systemic educational change in Maine. Individual school programs, supplementary curricula, and construction projects are less likely to be funded. Scholarships at Maine colleges and universities are typically trustee-initiated only.
Deadline: No specific deadline listed.
Who can apply: Projects must be initiated by and for residents of an identified geographic community and show a demonstrated connection to physical and/or mental health.
Deadline: No specific deadline listed.
Who can apply: Preference is for regional and statewide strategies; standalone local organizations are rarely funded for local projects.
Deadline: No specific deadline listed.
Who can apply: Projects should align with the Fund's conservation priorities and, where possible, local community identification and support. Coastal, ocean island, and fishing-related proposals are unlikely to be funded.
Deadline: No specific deadline listed.
Who can apply: The Fund supports best-practice development, policy work, and infrastructure for early childhood. Individual school or childcare center programs are unlikely to be funded.
Deadline: No specific deadline listed.
Who can apply: Community-initiated proposals with strong constituency support; organizations addressing systemic community needs in Maine. Local programs outside the Western Mountains region are rarely funded unless they align strongly with priorities.
Deadline: No specific deadline listed; application timing not stated on scraped pages.
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