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July 21, 2022
Maine Women’s Fund Announces Transfer of $3 million in Assets to the Maine Community Foundation to further its mission of transforming the lives of Maine Women and Girls
July 21, 2022 –Today, the Maine Women’s Fund announced it is transferring $3 million in assets and entrusting the pursuit of its mission to make bold investments that transform the lives of Maine women and girls to the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF). MaineCF will establish two field of interest funds: the Maine Women’s Fund and the Karen Moran Leadership Fund to further the Maine Women’s Fund grant making efforts.
“Led by a team of talented women, the Maine Community Foundation is an ideal partner,” said Janice Rogers, co-president of the Maine Women’s Fund. “With its grassroots, community-based grant programs with a focus on equity and its statewide presence, the organization has long-standing relationships with many of our nonprofit partners.”
The Maine Women’s Fund, as a separate nonprofit organization will dissolve this summer. To maintain continuity at MaineCF, several members of the Maine Women’s Fund board and committees will be engaged in the transition and evolution of the program at MaineCF. An Advisory Committee, including a majority of women from marginalized groups most affected by gender inequities, will advise the direction of the Funds and future grantmaking.
“Maine Community Foundation has the philanthropic expertise to help build new relationships with our generous supporters, and offers connections with donor advised funds that will benefit our grantees,” said Gabrielle Gallucci, co-president of the Maine Women’s Fund. “Additionally, we are confident the Maine Community Foundation will bring administrative efficiencies that will strengthen and expand the impact of our funding.”
“MaineCF is excited to welcome these two new funds, help grow their assets, and ensure bright futures for Maine women and girls,” said Deborah Ellwood, president and CEO at the community foundation. “Their leadership is so important as we work together to build a better Maine.”
About the Maine Women’s Fund
Since 1989, the Maine Women's Fund has been incubating and investing in nonprofit organizations run by and for Maine women and girls. Through its $3 million in assets, it makes annual financial investments in new and established organizations working towards its mission – to transform the lives of Maine women and girls through innovative programs and advocacy efforts. The Maine Women’s Fund provides financial and technical assistance to the organizations it partners with to build capacity, achieve sustainability, and create space for new generations of women leaders. The Maine Women’s Fund is the only Maine foundation focused exclusively on advancing gender equity. In the past 33 years the Maine Women’s Fund has granted more than 525 awards totaling more than $3 million to 350+ organizations investing in the power of women and girls across the state and Wabanaki communities.
About Maine Community Foundation
The Maine Community Foundation brings people and resources together to build a better Maine through strategic giving, community leadership, personalized service, local expertise and strong investments. Last year, the community foundation awarded nearly $58 million in scholarships and grants to nonprofit organizations and projects. MaineCF just welcomed Deborah Ellwood, its new president and CEO, and is based in Ellsworth and Portland. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.
March 24, 2022
Maine Women’s Fund Announces an Immediate $120,000 in Funding to Support More than 24 Grantee Partners Across Maine
Reaching over $3 million in total donations
Portland, Maine March 24, 2022 –Today, the Maine Women’s Fund announced $120,000 in direct grants, which will provide general operating support for more than 24 grantee partners throughout Maine and help advance a wide-range of organizations that work to end gender violence, improve financial skills and literacy, promote health equity, ensure access to education, improve gender equity through policy change and more. Since its inception 33 years ago, the Maine Women’s Fund has made more than 525 bold investments, which total over $3 million to organizations transforming the lives of women and girls across the state.
“We recognize that our grantee partners are focusing their energy on meeting the needs of women and girls across Maine, while also making pivotal systems and social change needed to create greater gender equity, especially for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color,” said Kimberly Crichton, Executive Director of the Maine Women’s Fund. “During this annual grant cycle, we purposely chose to streamline the grantmaking process in order to send immediate support to organizations working in all of Maine Women’s Fund six funding areas: education, financial skills and literacy, healthcare, leadership, personal safety, and policy.”
“The Maine Women’s Fund is an inspiration, a coach, and a connector to me all the time. Their support goes beyond grant money to empower people,” said Claudette Ndayininahaze, Co-founder and Executive Director of In Her Presence.
At this time in history, we are especially proud to help support collaboration rather than competition among the many incredible organizations that have been at the forefront of our annual grantmaking advancing gender equity for the last five years. We’re delighted to report one of our long-term grantee partners will share half of their grant with Wabanaki Women’s Coalition in recognition of their powerful leadership in support of Wabanaki women and girls.
“Beyond funding, the collaborative community that the Maine Women’s Fund supports is essential in how we move forward into sustainable systemic change,” said Shannon Els, Executive Director of ArtVan.
2022 Grant Awards (listed in alphabetical order):
Grants are just a part of what we can do to advance gender equity.
About the Maine Women’s Fund
Since 1989, the Maine Women's Fund has been incubating and investing in nonprofit organizations run by and for Maine women and girls. Through its $3 million endowment, it makes annual financial investments in new and established organizations working towards its mission – to transform the lives of Maine women and girls through innovative programs and advocacy efforts. The Maine Women’s Fund provides financial and technical assistance to the organizations it partners with to build capacity, achieve sustainability, and create space for new generations of women leaders. The Maine Women’s Fund is the only Maine foundation focused exclusively on advancing gender equity. In the past 33 years the Maine Women’s Fund has granted more than 525 awards totaling more than $3 million to 230+ organizations investing in the power of women and girls across the state and Wabanaki communities.
Learn more at www.mainewomensfund.org
May 25, 2021
Teacher reading a book to students at Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare in Milbridge, Maine.
The Maine Women’s Fund Grants $155,000 to 16 Nonprofits, Helping Shape the Post-Pandemic Future for Maine Women and Girls
Portland, Maine, May 25, 2021 – The Maine Women’s Fund recently announced grants totaling $155,000 for 16 nonprofits that are working to address the most pressing needs of women and girls across the state. From York to Aroostook County, these organizations and leaders are helping shape the post-pandemic future in key areas where the pandemic has further exacerbated existing gender inequalities.
“We’re honored to make bold investments in innovative programs that will help address the disproportionate burden of care work, as well as unprecedented increases in violence, substance use, unemployment and financial insecurity,” said Kimberly Crichton, Executive Director of the Maine Women’s Fund. “We’re also proud to invest over one third of funding in the powerful vision and leadership of Black, brown and Indigenous women-led organizations, which receive just 0.5% of all charitable giving in the United States but experience the greatest disparities.”
One recent grantee, Mano en Mano, supports Latinx and farmworker communities in Maine and received $10,000 to support its Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare in Washington County.
Grant support from the Maine Women’s Fund comes at a critical time, as one in four (more than 2 million) women left the workforce during the pandemic, with Latinas experiencing the greatest job losses of any population. Rayitos de Sol Childcare was started in January 2021, during a surge in the virus and a distressing report of job loss for Latinas and Black women.
“Women are disproportionately impacted by the lack of affordable and quality childcare, which often limits their access to career opportunities, professional growth, and ability to gain financial autonomy,” said Juana Rodriguez, Migrant Education and Rayitos de Sol Childcare Director of Mano en Mano. “Rayitos de Sol supports women that previously could not access childcare services due barriers, including cost and language, in order to pursue personal, professional, and other goals. Thanks to support from the Maine Women's Fund, we can continue to provide bilingual childcare that builds bridges of community, so that language and culture are valued and appreciated by all.”
Each organization supported by Maine Women’s Fund this year has a similar story to tell. Helping shape the post-pandemic future in Maine, the most recent grants include:
The Maine Women’s Fund provides general operating or project support to organizations that meet needs in the areas of: Education, Financial Skills & Literacy, Healthcare, Leadership, Personal Safety, and Policy. Dani Scherer, Chair of the Maine Women’s Fund Grants Committee stated, "At this moment of recovery and reckoning, it matters who leads us forward, and how. The organizations and initiatives supported through our recent round of grant funding show us what an equitable, caring and inclusive future can look like."
November 3, 2020
www.grantprofessionals.org/page/gmotyawardrecipients
June 24, 2020
Photo Credit: ArtVan staff.
Image Description: ArtVan, and all the other grantees, will be bringing their tools of change to women and girls across the State.
CONTACT:
Kimberly Crichton, Executive Director
Maine Women’s Fund
Kimberly@mainewomensfund.org
(207) 774-5513
Maine Women’s Fund Announces Nearly $140,000 in Grants for 16 Organizations
June 24, 2020 – Today, the Maine Women’s Fund announces annual grant funding totaling $138,975 to 16 nonprofit organizations dedicated to transforming the lives of women and girls. In the past 30+ years the Maine Women’s Fund has made over 490 bold investments totaling more than $2.6 million to 230 organizations investing in the power of women and girls across the state.
“Our generous donors and sponsors allow us to fund new and established organizations so that they have the resources to strengthen women’s rights, create new opportunities, and economic well-being.“, said Dr. Candace Walworth, board member and Chair of the Grants Committee.
The Grants Committee received letters of interest from 68 non-profit organizations of various sizes and from all areas of the state. Each member of the Committee reviewed all requests and participated in a group discussion; from there, 27 of those organizations were invited to submit a more detailed proposal. After further assessment and due diligence by the committee, 16 organizations were selected for funding based on: strengths of the program and organization; the clearly identified need for the program; the diversity of geographic area and populations reached through the program; and opportunities to make the greatest impact and further the mission across the Maine Women’s Fund six funding areas: education, financial skills and literacy, healthcare, leadership, personal safety, and policy.
2020 Grant Awards (listed in alphabetical order):
“Once again, our annual grants provide many supportive programs for all ages, with several different programs around the state specifically serving the ends of the age spectrum, and others specifically serving the middle of the age spectrum,” said Kimberly Crichton, Executive Director. “Funding stretches from Aroostook to York County and reaches all five federally recognized tribal communities.”
*This year, we funded Financial Skills and Literacy grants through our CA$H Maine capacity building initiative.
About the Maine Women’s Fund
Since 1989, the Maine Women's Fund has been incubating and investing in nonprofit organizations run by and for Maine women and girls. Through its $2.9 million endowment, it makes annual financial investments in new and established organizations working towards its mission – to transform the lives of Maine women and girls through innovative programs and advocacy efforts. The Maine Women’s Fund provides financial and technical assistance to the organizations it partners with to build capacity, achieve sustainability, and create space for new generations of women leaders. In the past 30+ years the Maine Women’s Fund has granted almost 500 awards totaling more than $2.6 million to 230 organizations investing in the power of women and girls across the state and Wabanaki communities.
The Maine Women’s Fund is the only Maine foundation focused exclusively on advancing gender equity. In 2017, the Maine Women’s Fund created a rolling Swift Social Justice Grants Program to complement the Annual Grants Program and stand with women and girls from communities disproportionately impacted by the current policy and social landscape as they address immediate threats or take advantage of opportune moments. The Safety First for Women Fund is the Maine Women’s Fund first pooled emergency fund.
Learn more at www.mainewomensfund.org.
June 4, 2020
CONTACT:
Kimberly Crichton
Executive Director
Maine Women’s Fund
Kimberly@mainewomensfund.org
(207) 774-5513
June 4, 2020–Today, the Maine Women’s Fund announced emergency funding totaling over $53,000 raised through its rapid response Safety First for Women Fund. The Maine Women’s Fund rapidly created this specialized fund to meet the urgent needs of women and girls across the state. Funders and advocates quickly responded and within six weeks, gifts totaling $40,000 were received from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, Sam L. Cohen Foundation, and the PRBB Foundation and over $13,000 from 59 different individuals.
“Over our 30-year history, approximately 30% of our giving has focused on improving personal safety and ending violence. The Safety First for Women Fund is a rapid-response emergency fund that reflects the Maine Women’s Fund long-term commitment to ending violence for those living in all the communities we serve,” said Executive Director, Kimberly Crichton. “We are thrilled to provide $10,000 to the Maine Council on Aging to support their powerful advocacy for greater safety for direct care workers, $27,791 to the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence in support of the work of their nine member resource centers across the State of Maine and $15,439 to the Wabanaki Women’s Coalition in support of the work of their five member domestic and sexual violence advocacy centers throughout the Wabanaki territories.”
Systemic violence against women, violence against Black and Brown people, violence against LGBTQ+ people, violence against poor people, violence against aging and disabled people is all interconnected. We know we cannot end violence against women and children without ending all violence. There is no gender justice without racial justice. The Safety First for Women Fund was created to provide financial support and visibility for these powerful coalitions working at the forefront of our equity challenges in this very moment.
We are also proud to be amplifying the voices of survivors raising awareness about domestic violence with a $2,000 Swift Social Justice Grant to Finding Our Voices that has filled midcoast towns with survivor stories hung in downtown business windows. The awareness raising is working, with the local resource center reporting that several people have called the domestic violence hotline seeking support after seeing the banners around town.
Domestic violence accounts for approximately half of all Maine homicides. In some Wabanaki communities, women have combined sexual and domestic violence rates as high as 80%. Direct care workers, some of Maine’s lowest wage workers who provide the personal care for the elderly and disabled, were without adequate access to personal protection equipment and access to testing at the time this fund was started.
“We are honored to have had the opportunity to mobilize our community around these issues and we are deeply grateful to the 59 individuals and the three foundations who trusted and invested in the Maine Women’s Fund knowledge of the landscape, understanding of the places where other funders were investing, and identification of some of the most pressing unmet needs facing women and girls in Maine and the Wabanaki territories were,” said Board Chair, Janice Rogers. “Every gift we’ve ever made is reflective of someone’s belief in our work, in the power of women seeing and investing in each other.”
About the Maine Women’s Fund
Since 1989, the Maine Women's Fund has been incubating and investing in nonprofit organizations run by and for Maine women and girls. Through its $2.9 million endowment, it makes annual financial investments in new and established organizations working towards its mission – to transform the lives of Maine women and girls through innovative programs and advocacy efforts. The Maine Women’s Fund provides financial and technical assistance to the organizations it partners with to build capacity, achieve sustainability and develop the next generation of women leaders. In the past 30+ years the Maine Women’s Fund has granted over 475 awards totaling more than $2.5 million to 225 organizations investing in the power of women and girls across the state.
The Maine Women’s Fund is the only Maine foundation focused exclusively on advancing gender equity. In 2017, the Maine Women’s Fund created a rolling Swift Social Justice Grants Program to complement the Annual Grants Program and stand with women and girls from communities disproportionately impacted by the current policy and social landscape as they address immediate threats or take advantage of opportune moments. The Safety First for Women Fund is the Maine Women’s Fund first pooled emergency fund.
Learn more at www.mainewomensfund.org.
June 4, 2019
CONTACT:
Kimberly Crichton
Executive Director
Maine Women’s Fund
(207) 774-5513
Kimberly@mainewomensfund.org
Maine Women’s Fund Announces $132,550 for 14 Organizations Throughout the State
“We are staying true to our founding mothers’ mission 30 years ago to ensure women and girls in our communities have opportunities and pathways to grow and reach their full potential “, said Dr. Candace Walworth, board member and Chair of the Grants Committee. “Our generous donors and sponsors allow us to fund new and established organizations so that they have the resources to strengthen women’s rights, create new opportunities, and economic well-being.”
The Grants Committee received letters of interest from 59 organizations of various sizes and from all areas of the state. Each committee member reviewed the requests and participated in a group discussion, then the Grants Committee invited 25 of those organizations to submit detailed proposals. After further assessment and due diligence by the committee, 14 organizations were selected for funding based on: strengths of the program and organization; the clearly identify need for the programs; the diversity of geographic area and populations reached through the program; and opportunities to make the greatest impact across the Maine Women’s Fund six funding areas: education, financial skills and literacy, healthcare, leadership, personal safety and policy.
2019 Grant Awards (listed in reverse alphabetical order):
About the Maine Women’s Fund
Since 1989, the Maine Women's Fund has been incubating and investing in nonprofit organizations run by and for Maine women and girls. Through its $2.9 million endowment, it makes annual financial investments in new and established organizations working towards its mission – to transform the lives of Maine women and girls through innovative programs and advocacy efforts. The Maine Women’s Fund provides critical assistance and technical assistance to the organizations it partners with to build capacity, achieve sustainability and develop the next generation of women leaders. In the last 30 years the Maine Women’s Fund has granted over 450 awards totaling more than $2.4 million to 200 organizations investing in the power of women and girls across the state.
The Maine Women’s Fund is the only Maine foundation focused exclusively on advancing gender equity. In 2017, the Maine Women’s Fund created a rolling Swift Social Justice Grants Program to compliment the Annual Grants Program and stand with women and girls from communities disproportionately impacted by the current policy and social landscape as they address immediate threats or take advantage of opportune moments. Learn more at www.mainewomensfund.org.