Equity Fund

Purpose

The Equity Fund's mission is to strengthen lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) organizations in Maine and support community-based initiatives.

Criteria and Priorities

All applicants must meet the Maine Community Foundation’s grant eligibility requirements. Please read our eligibility and grant guidelines before submitting an application.

Criteria

To receive a grant, an organization or project must:

• Involve people in Maine who identify as LGTBQ+. They need to be at least one of the following:
  • In leadership positions on board and staff of the organization
  • Involved in the design, delivery, and evaluation of the programs and services
  • Most of the participants or intended recipients.

Priorities

This grant program will give additional priority to proposals that:

• Increase access to health care or reduce health disparities
• Reduce race-based disparities or barriers to opportunities
• Reduce violence and/or harassment
• Promote respect and understanding.

Types of Funding

This program provides:

• General support grants for LGBTQ+ organizations for ongoing programming, operational needs, and capacity-building. To apply for a general support grant, an organization must have previously received a project grant.
• Project grants for new or expanded projects. Projects are activities with a clear start and end date, with goals and objectives related to but not the same as the organization’s mission. Project grants will support staff time dedicated to supporting proposed activities. They may also include administrative or indirect costs in their request as a line item in their budget. These funds may be used at the discretion of the organization to cover overhead or indirect costs but must be limited to 20% of the total amount requested.

Additional Information

Eligible Expenses

Project grant funds can be used to support:

• Staff time dedicated to the proposed project
• New equipment or materials that are necessary to achieve the goals or outcomes of the proposed activities
• Training for staff, volunteers, or board members
• Administrative overhead (up to 20 percent of the requested funding).

Ineligible Expenses

Project grant funds may not be used for:

• Endowments or capital campaigns: activities designed to increase capital or assets of organization. This includes costs related to verbal or written requests for financial support such as appeal letters or fundraising events.
• Camperships: funding for admission, enrollment, tuition, or other costs related to individual or group attendance at a short-term recreational or educational program.
• Capital expenses: purchases of equipment or building materials
• See, also: “What we will not fund, without exception” on our eligibility and grant guidelines page.

Background

The Equity Fund was established in 1996. Originally funded with a two-year matching grant to the Maine Community Foundation from the National Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership, the Equity Fund became a permanent fund of the foundation in December 2000.  A community assessment and forum were conducted in 2003 to clarify the criteria and priorities of the Equity Fund.

Equity Fund Advisors

Charles Dwyer, Chair, Belmont
Donna Galluzzo, Portland
Anna Kellar, Portland
Jamie Knowles, Rockland
Olivia Orr, Portland
Aspen Ruhlin, Bucksport
Randi Small, Belfast
Abbie Strout-Bentes, Rockland