Upcoming Event

Begins Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7:30 AM

The gathering will showcase Charlotte Leavitt. Charlotte will present an overview of her business, CHART Metalworks, and a current business challenge. In a roundtable format…

Funding Opportunities

The Maine Women’s Fund supports organizations that:

Can describe outcomes of their social change work within the context of economic security for Maine women and point to one of the five social change indicators described below.
Demonstrate a commitment to women’s equality.
Encourage women and girls to define their needs.

Listen to the voices of women and girls and are willing to implement these ideas within the organization’s structure and programs.

Five Indicators of Social Change

The Maine Women’s Fund believes that social change is most recognizable in a successful program when certain changes can be observed, including:

Shifts in Definition: The issue will be defined differently in the community or society. Example: Domestic violence is seen as an economic security issue; definitions of women and children’s safety are more comprehensive.
Shifts in Behavior: People are behaving differently in the community or larger society. Example: Women seek and advocate for women-centered health care; the community provides better care.
Shifts in Engagement: People in the community or larger society are more engaged in the issue. Example: Creating economic justice for low-income women by building political skills and leadership to help women advocate for and effect change in the welfare system.
Shifts in Policy: Institutional, legal, organizational or legislative policies or practices change. Example: Paid sick leave is guaranteed for working moms through new legislation.
Current Position Maintained: Past gains maintained in the face of backlash or resistance. Example: Protecting women’s existing reproductive health choices.

The Maine Women’s Fund provides grants in the following forms:

Size: The average grant size is $7,500. However, we will consider exemplary proposals of up to $15,000. For organizations asking for general operating support, we will not fund over 10% of an organization’s annual budget. Applicants should request an amount that meets the needs of their type of request and is consistent with the Fund’s funding range.
Duration: We will consider one-year grant applications.
Geographic Range: We invite applications from all areas of the state.

The Maine Women’s Fund provides grants for the following uses:

General Operating Support: Operational costs that maintain or sustain the ongoing work of an organization, i.e. salaries, benefits, rent, copying, phone, etc.
Program or Project Grants: Existing program/project costs or those that may be in addition to or new to an organization’s regular programming.
Start-up Grants: New and emerging organizations that may or may not have a track record, but show significant promise for success and sustainability.

2010 FUNDING CRITERIA

The Maine Women’s Fund seeks proposals that mesh with the following four criteria:

1) Strategic Funding Areas (one or more)

Entrepreneurship and Better Jobs & Wages

Education

Public Policy

Asset Building & Financial Literacy

2) Priority Areas

Grow an existing social change effort.

Bring proven social change effort to hard-to-reach populations.

Innovate where an existing social change solution does not exist.

3) Work collaboratively or synergistically with other organizations.

4) Promote women and girls’ economic security through their everyday work and beyond their grant application.

The Maine Women’s Fund will fund:

Organizations incorporated as not-for-profits.
Collaborations of two or more organizations that are working together to achieve a common goal.
Unincorporated organizations with a fiscal agent. (Please contact us if you need assistance identifying a fiscal agent.)

The Maine Women’s Fund will not fund:

Scholarships to a university, college, or technical program.
Capital campaigns.
Religious activities.
Retroactive funding.
Fundraising events.
Direct services not linked to the five social change indicators.
Organizations that may be deemed as discriminatory on the basis of race, age, gender, ability level or sexual orientation.
Organizations that limit or oppose women’s right to self determination.
Reduction of an operating deficit or to liquidate existing debt.
Agencies of state or federal government, unless they are part of a community collaborative that includes eligible organizations.
Organizations outside of Maine.
Individuals seeking personal assistance.

2010 FUNDING EXPECTATIONS

The Maine Women’s Fund is seeking to work in partnership with its grantees to promote economic security for women and girls across Maine. We expect that grantees will:

Participate in the Fund at various events throughout the year including, but not limited to, the Annual Leadership Luncheon on June 10, 2010.
Provide feedback and ideas for the Economic Security Initiative by submitting a Grant Status Report by May 30^th, 2011.

Help the Maine Women’s Fund make a public case for women’s economic security across Maine by participating in our Making Change Happen Campaign.

2010 GRANTMAKING PROCEDURE:

3/1/10- GRANT APPLICATION AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD

4/12/10- Grant Applications are DUE by mail to the Maine Women’s Fund.

4/16/10- Grant Applications will begin being assessed by community members as part of a public review process.

6/1/10- Applicants will be notified by email and mail.

SEND APPLICATION TO:

Maine Women’s Fund

P.O. Box 5135

Portland, ME 04101

Attn: Jessica Wallner

CONTACT INFORMATION

If at any time you have questions about the application process, we encourage you to contact Jessica Wallner at 207-774-5513 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).