Built for the Big Stuff

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF). In 1983, when the founding president of College of the Atlantic, Ed Kaelber, retired and received a $10 startup gift from friend and philanthropist Bob Blum, they set out the vision for what MaineCF could become.

Through Ed and Bob's vision and four decades of subsequent work and partnerships, we have grown by leaps and bounds from that initial $10 exchange - to the tune of nearly $665 million in grants made over 40 years.

In the last year alone, MaineCF and our donors invested nearly $60 million into organizations and programs across the state; we manage nearly $700 million in assets, 2,200 funds (including 440 donor-advised funds), and more than 1,000 scholarships that give approximately $4 million toward Maine students of all ages. This growth, however, still boils down to the vision of building a better Maine.

So, we can't stop now. There are key threads that our board has identified to build for the big stuff - and continue to create meaningful, lasting change in Maine.

The adoption of MaineCF's current strategic plan provides the building blocks to achieve more than we ever have before. As we celebrate what got us here, we're focused on a future that continues to put all our resources behind strategies, programs and people that improve the quality of life here. We will strive to reach new and ambitious goals.

We will drive greater impact in Maine's communities by boldly, creatively building on decades of foundational work and engage all the resources, relationships and skills in our toolkit .

We will mobilize philanthropic resources across the state by building relationships with new and existing donors and community members. We're focused on building flexible assets so we can nimbly respond to needs and opportunities as they arise.

Strengthening operations and aligning the organization will position MaineCF to strengthen Maine. We'll continue to invest in our own people and processes to ensure we're set up to help our neighbors thrive.

We're bullish about Maine's fut ure. Our new logo, which evokes the brightness and beauty of the Maine landscape, reflects our optimism. There's no part of Maine we don't reach, and the artwork in the logo reflects all of us, no matter which part of the state.

As you leaf through this report that documents the accomplishments of the past year - and some from the past 40 years - we hope you share our enthusiasm for what the future holds. Building a better Maine will take more than one year, one organization, or one person; fortunately, we are beginning with people, places and programs decades in the making. Thank you for your part in helping us achieve more for Maine.