Grant Size: Up to $7,500.
Application Deadline: September 15, 2008
Background
The Equity Fund’s mission is to strengthen gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) organizations in Maine and support community-based initiatives that address GLBT issues and needs. The vision driving the fund is one of inclusive, diverse, prejudice-free communities for the GLBT population and for all people in Maine
Priorities
The Equity Fund currently encourages two types of grant proposals: project grants and capacity building grants.
Project grants: The Equity Fund encourages grant proposals to support a wide variety of projects, particularly those serving people living in rural and underserved communities in Maine. The Equity Fund committee has identified the following priority areas:
- Access to health care and reduction of health disparities
- Support for GLBT elders
- Education to promote respect and understanding of GLBT people
- Equality for GLBT families and individuals
- Reduction of anti-GLBT violence
- Social and cultural community-building activities
- Support for GLBT youth.
The Equity Fund normally will focus its support on projects that use the following strategies:
- Collaboration (building inclusive and diverse coalitions among GLBT organizations and between GLBT organizations and other sectors)
- Marketing and public relations efforts to improve the visibility of GLBT issues
- Activities that strengthen local leadership
- Efforts that are sustainable and have a lasting impact after grant funding is complete.
Capacity building grants: The Equity Fund encourages proposals for capacity building grants from organizations whose primary mission is to serve Maine’s GLBT community. Successful applicants will be able to describe how enhancing their organizational capacity will ultimately benefit the communities they serve.
The Equity Fund will support an array of capacity building activities that result in:
- Improved governance and leadership
- Improved staff skills
- Creation and implementation of outcomes-based strategic and business plans
- Improved services and programs
- Improved financial management
- Expanded strategic assets, including financial and human resources such as staff and volunteers.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be nonprofit, 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organizations, public schools, public agencies working for the State of Maine, or Indian tribal governments (and their political subdivisions) recognized by the Department of the Interior or have a fiscal sponsor that is a 501(c)(3) organization, public school or public agency (click here for more information on applying with a fiscal sponsor).
Grants cannot be made for lobbying or religious activities.
Grants cannot pay for program expenses that have already been incurred.
Project Evaluation
All grant recipients will be required to submit a Project Evaluation Report approximately 10 months after receiving payment of the grant. For guidance on how to create an evaluation plan for your project, we have provided a resource guide, Developing a Project Evaluation Plan, that you may find helpful in preparing your proposal.
How to Apply
Grant application forms are available from the MaineCF offices or can be downloaded below. Organizations applying for a capacity building grant are asked to respond to the questions below in place of narrative question #9 found on our common application:
- What are the major challenges your organization faces? How do those challenges affect your ability to accomplish your mission?
- Please describe the capacity-building activity your organization proposes to undertake with support from the Equity Fund that will address these challenges.
- How do you expect your organization to be different once the activity is accomplished? How would those changes improve programs and benefit the GLBT community?
When to Apply
Proposals must be postmarked by September 15 and mailed to:
The Equity Fund
Maine Community Foundation
245 Main Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
We will not accept applications via fax or e-mail. Applicants will be notified in late November of the final decisions.
Equity Fund Grant Application
PDF format | RTF (word processor) format
Contact
If you have any further questions regarding the Equity Fund, please contact Lelia DeAndrade by e-mail or by phone at (207) 512-4902.
Click here to see a list of recent grants from the Equity Fund
Back to list of available grants