To strengthen Maine’s economic prosperity and civic leadership through leadership development, economic research and policy, and community and workforce programs and partnerships.
A recurring pattern in Maine Development Foundation grantmaking is support for downtown and historic-building redevelopment that ties preservation to local economic activity. Recent awards include funding for 60 Lowell Street LLC in Damariscotta, Ellsworth Historical Society, and Colonial Theater Inc in Augusta, showing a mix of private redevelopment, civic institutions, and community-facing facilities. The foundation also backs organizations and municipalities in smaller towns such as Our Katahdin in Millinocket, Town of Lincoln Maine, and Town of East Millinocket Maine, pointing to a place-based approach that reaches beyond major population centers. Its portfolio connects physical projects with broader economic development aims. Grants in the recent list are often labeled for economic development, while the program history includes downtown revitalization, community infrastructure improvement, public library support, and historic building redevelopment. That mix suggests a funder working through capital and project-specific grants rather than general operating support. The foundation’s stated purpose also emphasizes leadership development, economic research and policy, and workforce and community partnerships, so its grantmaking sits alongside a wider civic and economic strategy for Maine.
Downtown revitalization is a clear throughline. In 2025, the foundation gave $192,063 to Ellsworth Historical Society for economic development, and in 2025 it awarded $160,189 to Colonial Theater Inc in Augusta for the same purpose. Those grants fit the foundation’s long-running attention to historic preservation and commercial district rehabilitation. Municipal and community infrastructure work appears in multiple towns. The Town of Lincoln Maine received $114,523 in 2023, the Town of Houlton received $51,491 in 2024, and the Town of Ashland Maine received $43,887 in 2023, each listed under economic development. Public-library-related support also shows up in the recent grants list. Eastport Public Library Association in Eastport received $64,616 in 2023 for Peavey Memorial Library, and Porter Memorial Library in Machias received $39,807 in 2024. The foundation’s program descriptions also point to workforce training and leadership development, including support connected to Maine’s forest products sector and scholarship assistance for leadership programs.
$543K
$970K
$3M
$3M
Most grants fall between $31K and $57K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$31K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$57K
About 100% of grants go to recipients in ME.
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Typical awards cluster in the mid-five-figure range: the 25th percentile is $30,500, the median is $49,737, and the 75th percentile is $56,752. The recent list also shows repeated support for some recipients across years, including Our Katahdin, Sunrise County Economic Council, 60 Lowell Street LLC, and Town of East Millinocket Maine, which indicates follow-on funding rather than isolated one-time grants. The foundation is a public charity, not a private family foundation, and it does not fund individuals. Its recent grants are project-specific and tied to place-based economic development, historic preservation, and community facilities. One program element does accept nominations and scholarship requests for leadership programs, while other grant programs are not open to unsolicited applications.
Grantmaking is entirely in Maine: 100% of grants in the data go to recipients in the state. The activity reaches a spread of places, including Damariscotta, Ellsworth, Augusta, Millinocket, Lincoln, East Millinocket, Bath, Biddeford, Houlton, Gardiner, Rockland, Westbrook, Belfast, Ashland, Machias, and Madison. Several grants also land in smaller downtowns and rural communities, matching the foundation’s place-based approach. No non-US recipient countries appear in the recent grant data.
The recent grants and program descriptions point to economic development, downtown and rural revitalization, historic preservation, community infrastructure improvement, public library support, and workforce and leadership development. Recent awards include support for historic societies, theaters, libraries, towns, and downtown organizations, usually tied to a specific project or facility.
The middle of the distribution sits around five figures: p25 is $30,500, median grant size is $49,737, and p75 is $56,752. Recent awards include both smaller and larger project grants, but the typical pattern centers on mid-five-figure support.
No. The grant data shows 41 grants and 100% of recipients in the US, with all listed recipients in Maine. The geographic scope of giving is local, and the state-level distribution places all grants in ME.
Yes. Its program offerings include the Institute for Civic Leadership and Leadership Maine, both of which provide scholarship or financial-aid support. The foundation’s stated mission also includes leadership development and civic leadership.
Some recipients do appear more than once across the recent grant list. Examples include Our Katahdin, Sunrise County Economic Council, 60 Lowell Street LLC, and Town of East Millinocket Maine, showing that the foundation can return to the same project or organization in later years.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
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¿Quién puede postularse? Regional group membership in the Realize Maine Network; the page does not provide a formal public application for grant funding.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellsworth Historical Society | Ellsworth, ME | $192,063 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Colonial Theater Inc | Augusta, ME | $160,189 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Our Katahdin | Millinocket, ME | $41,048 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Sunrise County Economic Council | Machias, ME | $32,001 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| 60 Lowell Street LLC | Damariscotta, ME | $24,856 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Town of Lincoln | Lincoln, ME | $20,479 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Augusta Downtown Alliance | Augusta, ME | $10,146 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Town of Houlton | Houlton, ME | $8,509 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Main Street Bath | Bath, ME | $8,423 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Porter Memorial Library | Machias, ME | $8,193 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Gardiner Main Street | Gardiner, ME | $8,000 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Discover Downtown Westbrook | Westbrook, ME | $8,000 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Heart of Biddeford | Biddeford, ME | $8,000 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Rockland Main Street Inc | Rockland, ME | $8,000 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Our Town Belfast | Belfast, ME | $5,394 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Our Katahdin | Millinocket, ME | $180,531 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Heart of Ellsworth | Ellsworth, ME | $62,936 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Main Street Bath | Bath, ME | $57,336 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Rockland Main Street Inc | Rockland, ME | $55,000 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Gardiner Main Street | Gardiner, ME | $55,000 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Discover Downtown Westbrook | Westbrook, ME | $55,000 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Heart of Biddeford | Biddeford, ME | $53,550 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Town of Houlton | Houlton, ME | $51,491 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Augusta Downtown Alliance | Augusta, ME | $49,854 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Our Town Belfast | Belfast, ME | $48,866 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Porter Memorial Library | Machias, ME | $39,807 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Sunrise County Economic Council | Machias, ME | $32,001 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Town of East Millinocket Maine | East Millinocket, ME | $27,715 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| 60 Lowell Street LLC | Damariscotta, ME | $23,704 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce | Lewiston, ME | $5,500 | 2024 | Economic Development |
| 60 Lowell Street LLC | Damariscotta, ME | $200,000 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| Town of Lincoln Maine | Lincoln, ME | $114,523 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| Eastport Public Library Association | Eastport, ME | $64,616 | 2023 | Peavey Memorial Library |
| Town of East Millinocket Maine | East Millinocket, ME | $61,032 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| Norway Opera House Corporation | Norway, ME | $49,620 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| Town of Ashland Maine | Ashland, ME | $43,887 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| The Chocolate Church Arts Center | Bath, ME | $42,038 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| Town of Madison Maine | Madison, ME | $30,000 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| Our Katahdin | Millinocket, ME | $14,510 | 2023 | Economic Development |
| Johnson Hall Inc | Gardiner, ME | $12,550 | 2023 | Redevelopment of Johnson Hall |
| Center Theatre for Performing Arts | DoverFoxcroft, ME | $6,900 | 2023 | Economic Development |
Ellsworth Historical Society
$192,063Economic Development
Colonial Theater Inc
$160,189Economic Development
Our Katahdin
$41,048Economic Development
Sunrise County Economic Council
$32,001Economic Development
60 Lowell Street LLC
$24,856Economic Development
Town of Lincoln
$20,479Economic Development
Augusta Downtown Alliance
$10,146Economic Development
Town of Houlton
$8,509Economic Development
Main Street Bath
$8,423Economic Development
Porter Memorial Library
$8,193Economic Development
Gardiner Main Street
$8,000Economic Development
Discover Downtown Westbrook
$8,000Economic Development
Heart of Biddeford
$8,000Economic Development
Rockland Main Street Inc
$8,000Economic Development
Our Town Belfast
$5,394Economic Development
Our Katahdin
$180,531Economic Development
Heart of Ellsworth
$62,936Economic Development
Main Street Bath
$57,336Economic Development
Rockland Main Street Inc
$55,000Economic Development
Gardiner Main Street
$55,000Economic Development
Discover Downtown Westbrook
$55,000Economic Development
Heart of Biddeford
$53,550Economic Development
Town of Houlton
$51,491Economic Development
Augusta Downtown Alliance
$49,854Economic Development
Our Town Belfast
$48,866Economic Development
Porter Memorial Library
$39,807Economic Development
Sunrise County Economic Council
$32,001Economic Development
Town of East Millinocket Maine
$27,715Economic Development
60 Lowell Street LLC
$23,704Economic Development
Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
$5,500Economic Development
60 Lowell Street LLC
$200,000Economic Development
Town of Lincoln Maine
$114,523Economic Development
Eastport Public Library Association
$64,616Peavey Memorial Library
Town of East Millinocket Maine
$61,032Economic Development
Norway Opera House Corporation
$49,620Economic Development
Town of Ashland Maine
$43,887Economic Development
The Chocolate Church Arts Center
$42,038Economic Development
Town of Madison Maine
$30,000Economic Development
Our Katahdin
$14,510Economic Development
Johnson Hall Inc
$12,550Redevelopment of Johnson Hall
Center Theatre for Performing Arts
$6,900Economic Development