Deadline: 15-Sep-21
The Maine Community Foundation is seeking applications for its Maine Land Protection Grant Program to provide grants for land acquisition or land conservation easement projects that build strong connections between people in Maine and their land and water.
Priorities
- Priority will be given to projects that will benefit most or will be nearest completion with a grant from this program. This includes if the grant will:
- Pay a significant portion of the purchase price
- Help secure other funds (such as through matching grants)
- Complete a fundraising campaign, or serve as an initial gift to kick off the campaign.
- Additional priority will be given to projects that:
- Benefit communities and the economy, including but not limited to:
- Protecting and providing access to cultural resources and other resources valued by community members
- Supporting agriculture, fisheries, and working forests
- Creating or increasing outdoor recreation opportunities
- Address climate change by:
- Helping communities prepare for and respond to climate change
- Reducing the impact of climate change on the communities and people who are most affected
- Conserve critical habitat and sensitive ecological areas.
- The grant committee will also adjust its final decisions to support a variety of types of projects and to ensure geographic diversity.
- Benefit communities and the economy, including but not limited to:
Funding Information
- Grant awards will range in size up to a maximum of $50,000 for the purchase of land or conservation easements. Up to five grants will be awarded annually.
- Understanding that many land and easement acquisitions may take more than 12 months to complete, completion of the grant report may be extended beyond this timeframe. However, organizations may not apply for another grant until the project is complete and a report has been submitted.
Types of Funding
This program provides:
- Project grants for costs associated with the purchase of land or conservation easements. This may include the purchase price, closing costs, legal fees, and value assessments, as well as stewardship funds that are established as part of the purchase.
Criteria
The proposed project must:
- Create or increase permanent access to land and water, particularly to traditionally underserved populations (such as those with low incomes, disabilities, mental health conditions, limited English proficiency; people of color or racial minority groups; immigrants and/or refugees; and those who identify as LGBTQ+) and communities with limited conservation opportunities
- Involve and have support from community members and interested stakeholders, (for example, other non-profit organizations, local businesses, and municipal officials or committees, etc.)
- Include a vision or plan for the future use of the land or easement, including strategies to engage people and communities in developing uses and organizational plans to care for the land over time.
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 https://www.mainecf.org/apply-for-a-grant/available-grants-deadlines/maine-land-protection/