Frances Hollis Brain Foundation Fund Grant

Maine Community Foundation

Predicted deadline: Apr 3, 2024 8:59pm PDT (Full proposal)

Grant amount: Up to US $10,000

Funding uses: Education / Outreach, General Operating Expense, Project / Program

Location of project: Counties in Maine: Androscoggin County, Cumberland County, Sagadahoc County, York County

Location of residency: Maine

Overview:

Background

David and Frances Brain established the Frances Hollis Brain Foundation in 1993 as a tangible expression of their values. Through their foundation, they sought with their family to address their social concerns and encourage future generations of the family to contribute to the well-being of their communities in Maine, Georgia, and Kentucky. In 2017 they turned to the Maine Community Foundation to manage their grantmaking in Maine.

Purpose

The Frances Hollis Brain Foundation Fund supports nonprofit organizations and projects that serve disadvantaged, underserved, and/or vulnerable communities in Auburn, Bath, Biddeford, Brunswick, Greater Portland, Lewiston, Saco, and/or Sanford.

Issue Areas

Consideration will be given to organizations or projects that focus on one of the following:

• Education
• Early childhood care and education (defined as ages 0-8)
• Extended day learning (after-school and summer learning programs)
• Health care
• Community clinics and safety net providers
• Oral health initiatives
• Hunger prevention and food security
• Homelessness alleviation
• Legal services connected with the above areas

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.

Eligibility:

• Who is eligible to apply:
• Nonprofit 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organizations, including most municipalities
• Public schools
• Public agencies working for the State of Maine
• Indian tribal governments (or political subdivisions) recognized by the Department of the Interior
• Non-exempt groups with a fiscal sponsor that is a 501(c)(3) organization, public school, or public agency.
• Groups without any tax status may apply with a fiscal sponsor that is an eligible organization as described above.
• To receive a grant, an organization or project must:
  • Serve individuals in Auburn, Bath, Biddeford, Brunswick, Greater Portland, Lewiston, Saco, and/or Sanford
  • Support disadvantaged, underserved, and/or vulnerable communities
  • Have a broad base of community support and demonstrate effectiveness.
• This program provides:
  • General support grants for organizations serving individuals in Auburn, Bath, Biddeford, Brunswick, Greater Portland, Lewiston, Saco, and/or Sanford with a focus on one of the priority areas listed above.
    • To receive a general support grant, an organization must have previously received a grant from the Frances Hollis Brain Foundation Fund.
  • Project support grants for new or expanding projects.

Preferences:

• For the 2023 grant cycle, priority will be given to organizations or projects that address challenges or needs in early childhood education.

Ineligibility:

• What we will not fund, without exception:
• Expenses already incurred
• Political campaigns
• Lobbying in the form of calls to action on a specific vote
• Religious activities: including, but not limited to, religious services, promotion of religious beliefs, or activities that are restricted to church or religious group membership
• Funds may not be used for:
  • Annual appeals
  • Endowments
  • Tickets to charitable events
• The fund typically does not support grant proposals that require a multi-year commitment.
• The fund will not award a grant to the same organization in two consecutive years.
• Organizations that have received a prior grant from the fund are not eligible to submit a new application until the fund has received a written report on the results of previous grant awards.