The Maine Women’s Fund (MWF) at the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) has awarded $120,000 to 24 organizations that work to advance gender equity in Maine.
Each organization received $5,000 in 2023. Grantees include: A Company of Girls, ArtVan, Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, Equality Maine Foundation, Four Directions Development Corporation, Gedakina, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, In Her Presence, The League of Women Voters of Maine Education Fund, Mabel Wadsworth Center, Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Maine Community Integration, MaineTransNet, Maine Women’s Lobby Education Fund, Mano en Mano, New England Arab American Organization, New Ventures Maine, Restorative Justice Institute of Maine, Somali Bantu Community Association, Survivor Speak USA, Tree Street Youth, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, Wayfinder Schools and YWCA Central Maine.
A Company of Girls grant funding will directly support staffing for its Core Afterschool Resiliency and Empowerment program that uses the arts (visual, culinary and performing) to help girls find and develop their unique and valuable voices, and build the tools and skills necessary to remain resilient to life's challenges. Photo courtesy A Company of Girls
From 1989 to 2022, MWF invested over $3 million in organizations working to transform the lives of women and girls in Maine. The six funding areas included education, financial skills and literacy, healthcare, leadership, personal safety and policy. More recently, MWF focused on making pivotal systems and social change aimed at creating greater gender equity, especially for Black, Indigenous and other women of color. Beyond grants, they fostered a collaborative community dedicated to advancing gender equity. In 2022, MWF transitioned to MaineCF so that a greater proportion of the funding could be put to work in communities.
MaineCF seeks nominations for an 8 -12-member advisory committee to advise on the formation, implementation and grantmaking of the Maine Women’s Fund at MaineCF. We are recruiting community members who can bring their unique perspectives to help inform our strategies and grantmaking. The advisory committee will be composed of women and nonbinary people, a majority of whom are from and have knowledge of marginalized groups.
If you are interested in being considered for the Maine Women’s Fund Advisory Committee, please complete the online form at www.mainecf.org/mwf by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 18. MaineCF staff will consider all complete submissions and will finalize committee membership by the end of the year.
For more information about the Maine Women’s Fund or to be considered for the advisory committee, visit www.mainecf.org/mwf or contact Vice President of Community Impact Laura Lee at llee@mainecf.org or 207-412-0838.
