Deadline: 01-Apr-21
Maine Community Foundation has announced the Start Up Scale Up Grant Program to help entrepreneurs, new businesses or help grow existing businesses.
The Startup Scale up Grant Program invests in nonprofit organizations and projects that help start up new businesses or help grow existing businesses. This includes but is not limited to “incubator” and “accelerator” programs and collaborative workspaces such as “makerspaces” or “coworking” spaces. By supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, these organizations and projects help support Maine people, contribute to community vitality, and help grow Maine’s economy.
MaineCF recently commissioned Catherine (Reilly) DeLutio, former Maine State Economist, to explore best practices and conditions for success in rural communities for entrepreneurship programs and collaborative work spaces. The research included outreach to the field in Maine to better understand the needs, challenges and opportunities.
Priorities
Priority will be given to projects or organizations that:
- Actively engage entrepreneurs through programs, networking, problem-solving with peers and others, and providing access to resources
- Support entrepreneurs and businesses in rural communities and in areas withlimited access to resources (e.g., limited high-speed internet access, lack of collaborative work space, no nearby university or college)
- Serve entrepreneurs and businesses founded and/or led by women and people of color
- Include partnerships and collaborations with other organizations, individuals, businesses, or institutions.
Please note Programs that work with students will be considered if programming engages students to work with entrepreneurs, businesses, and trades people in the broader community and/or if programs specifically incubate student business ideas to help them launch or grow.
Type of Funding
This program provides:
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Capacity-building grants support activities that will make an organization stronger, more successful, or more efficient. Requests must include an explanation of how the activities will improve the organization and increase its impact on entrepreneurs, startups, or existing businesses. Capacity-building activities may include but are not limited to:
- Training for board, staff, or volunteers
- Improving financial management or information systems
- Acquiring technology to improve or expand services, including high-speed internet access or Wi-Fi hotspots
- Developing new sources of earned income or income diversification
- Strategic planning focused on achieving a specific goal.
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Project grants support new and existing projects. Projects must have clearly defined goals or outcomes. Activities may include but are not limited to:
- Expanding existing programs into new geographies, sectors, or underserved populations
- Developing new tools to support entrepreneurs and businesses
- Training and stipends for volunteer “champions” to organize events, programs, and resources that foster innovation and support entrepreneurshipat the community or regional level
- Renovating spaces or buildings to provide programming or access to resources or to create a community hub for entrepreneurial activity.
Funding Information
Grant range up to $25,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nonprofit, charitable organizations tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and also classified as an organization described in sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2)
- Municipalities
- Public schools
- Public agencies working for the State of Maine
- Indian tribal governments (or political subdivisions) recognized by the Department of the Interior
- Groups without any tax status may apply with a fiscal sponsor that is an eligible organization.
Any eligible organization may submit one application per grant program, regardless of previous application history or current award progress.
For more information, visit Maine Community Foundation.
For more information, visit https://www.mainecf.org/apply-for-a-grant/available-grants-deadlines/start-up-scale-up-grant-program/