AROOSTOOK COUNTY, Maine — The Aroostook County Committee of the Maine Community Foundation has awarded $57,879 in grants to eight nonprofit organizations through the Community Building Grant Program.
Grant recipients include:
BigRock Ski Area, Mars Hill, to revitalize snowshoeing trails to provide increased access to winter physical activity;
Ignite Presque Isle, to establish a co-workspace in Presque Isle for entrepreneurs as a post-COVID hub for community development; and
Van Buren Resiliency Project, to conduct a program for students to mitigate social, emotional and educational “COVID-slide.”
MaineCF donors made an additional seven grants totaling $26,980 from donor-advised funds.
The Aroostook County Fund is a permanent endowment that supports projects and nonprofits that strengthen communities in the county. Proposals are submitted through the foundation’s Community Building Grant Program and are reviewed by a committee of local leaders. The next proposal deadline is Feb. 15, 2022. Application, guidelines and a complete list of recent grants can be found at www.mainecf.org.
The Aroostook County Fund is built through donations from the community. If you would like more information about the fund, please contact Erica McCrum, MaineCF foundation officer, at 207-227-7678 or emccrum@mainecf.org.
Headquartered in Ellsworth, with additional personnel in Portland, Dover-Foxcroft, Mars Hill and Rockport, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to provide strong investments, personalized service, local expertise, and strategic giving to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.
2021 grants from the Aroostook County Committee:
Aroostook County Action Program, Presque Isle, to assist those experiencing homelessness establish safe and stable housing: $2,000;
BigRock Ski Area, Mars Hill, to revitalize snowshoeing trails to provide increased access to winter physical activity: $10,000;
Freedom Church Maine, Presque Isle, to increase outreach in the community to battle addiction, depression and anxiety: $10,000;
Ignite Presque Isle, to establish a co-workspace in Presque Isle for entrepreneurs as a post-Covid hub for community development: $10,000;
Limestone Development Foundation, for a town revitalization project creating safe spaces: $10,000;
Salmon Brook Historical Society, Washburn, to expand the Veterans room, gallery, and library: $5,000;
United Way of Aroostook, Presque Isle, to create a COVID-19 Utility Assistance Program: $6,079; and
Van Buren Resiliency Project, to conduct a program for students to mitigate social, emotional, and educational “COVID-slide”: $10,000.
2021 grants from Donor-Advised Funds:
Halfway Home Pet Rescue, Inc., Caribou, to repair its storage warehouse to conform to current safety laws and improvements to remove environmentally unsafe conditions for volunteers working in the warehouse: $5,000;
Jefferson Cary Foundation, Caribou, to provide COVID-19 resilience in nine communities in Central Aroostook by establishing a volunteer ride service for the most vulnerable and isolated elderly: $2,980;
Maine School of Science and Mathematics Foundation, Limestone, to conduct a search for a development and outreach leader to ensure the long-term financial stability of the MSSM Foundation and school: $1,000;
Limestone Development Foundation, for a town revitalization project creating safe spaces: $3,000;
RSU 29, Houlton, to ensure students are well-rounded individuals with a voice and appreciation in the school community through music class: $10,000; and
Van Buren Resiliency Project, to conduct a program for students to mitigate social, emotional, and educational “COVID-slide”: $5,000.
