Maine Philanthropy Center Readiness and Response Fund

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MPC is launching its first ever fund! 

This fund offers financial resources and support to help Maine nonprofits prepare for and respond to loss of federal funding, cuts to social programs, and targeted harassment of marginalized communities. 

All Maine nonprofits, fiscally sponsored organizations, and tribes are encouraged to apply, especially those that have historically been excluded from traditional philanthropic funding.

Why now?

The landscape that nonprofits exist in is rapidly changing in unpredictable and destructive ways. Government funding is being reduced and/or eliminated, critical infrastructure is disappearing, and employees are being stretched, again, to do more with less. Organizations focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice along with organizations led by or focused on historically marginalized communities are under intense scrutiny and being targeted intentionally. Everyday Maine Philanthropy Center hears stories of funding disappearing, layoffs, program elimination, and threats to employees' physical and emotional safety. This new reality threatens to undermine MPC’s mission by interrupting and possibly extinguishing some Maine nonprofits’ ability to advance an equitable, vibrant, and just Maine.

How is MPC meeting this moment?

This moment demands an organized philanthropic response so that Maine nonprofits can access additional financial resources to prepare for and respond to this changing landscape. While most foundations wish to respond to nonprofit emergent needs, not every foundation is prepared to respond to urgent needs with an emergency fund. Further, the issues confronting nonprofits in this moment may not be aligned with funders’ primary areas of support.

Based on our understanding of the sector, recommendations from Maine nonprofit practitioners, and similar actions taken by PSOs across the country (including Exponent Philanthropy, Catalyst Grantmakers of San Diego, Center for Effective Philanthropy, and Justice Funders), MPC will move our mission forward in this current context through the establishment of a rapid response pooled fund. This fund will be open to applications from all Maine nonprofits, while prioritizing communities that have historically been excluded from traditional philanthropic funding.

In addition to a cash grant, MPC will support grantees navigating this space through consultant lists and additional navigation support (in development). We aim to launch the fund with $500,000 and provide grant awards of $15,000 per organization.

The Readiness and Response Fund will not support:

• Replacement of existing funding sources, however, we will consider inquiries aimed at stabilizing organizations facing sudden funding losses or responding to policy changes.
• Sponsorship of events for organizational promotion.
• Requests that require expenditure responsibility.
• Direct or grassroots lobbying or political campaign activities.
• Private for-profit enterprises, cooperatives, or individuals.

Grant Information

Grant Size: Grants are $15,000 general operating support grants and are limited to one per organization. Fiscally sponsored organizations and their sponsoring organizations may both apply and receive funding. Tribes and tribal departments may both apply.

Grant Term: All grants are limited to a 6-month term.

Grant Review Turnaround: Decisions are released on a rolling basis after application review by MPC staff and board members. Applicants can expect notification about the status of their application two to three weeks after submission.

Application Timeline:

• Fund opens for application submission starting Wednesday July 9, 2025.
• We anticipate a lot of interest in this fund and will announce closing or pause dates once demand is better understood.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be eligible to receive tax-deductible donations as outlined in Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. This includes: 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organizations; public schools; public agencies working for the State of Maine; tribal governments (and their political subdivisions) within what is now Maine. 
• Applicants may also apply through an eligible fiscal sponsor. A fiscally sponsored organization does not need to be a legal entity, but it must have a signed fiscal sponsorship agreement with a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
  • Fiscally sponsored organizations and their sponsoring organizations may both apply and receive funding separately.
• Organizations should be based in Maine or part of a tribal government (or a political subdivision) within what is now Maine.
• Work of applying organization must be focused in Maine and/or in the Wabanaki Nations in Maine.
• Applicants do not have to be an MPC member to receive funding.

Priorities of the Fund

• This fund is designed to increase equitable access to philanthropic resources. This fund is open to all organizations that demonstrate a need that aligns with the purpose of the fund. 
• Priority will be given to organizations that demonstrate meaningful leadership by and/or service within communities that have historically been excluded from funding opportunities, including Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, LGBTQ+ communities, immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities, and low-income communities.
• Priority will be given to organizations with less than a $1.5 million annual operating budget. This does not apply to Indigenous organizations.