1. Support/Start a Fund

Giving To and Through MaineCF

Fritz and Susan Onion have embraced philanthropy through the Maine Community Foundation. Their giving spans a broad spectrum. Through their MaineCF donor-advised fund they have supported collective initiatives such as entrepreneurship, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, and MaineCF’s new Kennebec County Fund.

The flexibility of the Onions' donor-advised fund has allowed them to make grants in areas that are close to home and personally meaningful, including food insecurity, social justice and equity, Boys and Girls clubs, Saddleback Mountain, and Millinocket Memorial Library. Learn more about the Onions and their giving here.

Caption: Fritz and Susan Onion of Wayne returned to Maine from California when it was time to raise their family. Photo Gabe Souza

Whether you want to organize and focus your giving as Onions have, support a specific cause, help make Maine better for future generations, provide scholarships for students, or lend a helping hand for people in need, the Maine Community Foundation can help. At MaineCF, we offer many options for your giving, and we tailor strategies to your situation.

The options are endless, but to get started, investigate our Three Ways to Give, or contact us for a confidential consultation about how to make your giving meaningful, effective, and fun.

Our giving solutions are not just for individuals and families - we also work with businesses and private foundations to maximize their philanthropy.

Do you already have a charitable fund at MaineCF? You'll find resources just for you on the page, For Fundholders.

 

Additional Stories of Giving

 
  • Allen and Sally Fernald: A Chance to Give Back to Their State - Allen and Sally Fernald have a bird’s-eye view of the Maine coast from their home in Rockport, with the Camden Hills in the foreground and the islands of Penobscot Bay beyond. This special perspective strengthens their commitment to the community, the region and the state, where both have enduring roots. Read more
  • The Dietzes: Philanthropy is a Family Affair - A couple of times a year some very special people are guided into the conference room at the Maine Community Foundation’s Portland office. Charles and William Dietz settle into their chairs and begin to review a set of grant applications. Read more
  • David Body and Elizabeth Miller: Knowing the Power of Education - From the sitting room of their third-floor walk-up on Portland’s Munjoy Hill, David Body and Elizabeth Miller can watch the tugboats return to their berths and the ferries head from the waterfront to Peaks and Long islands. Having met in their middle years, at turning points in their lives, the couple feels comfortable knowing that they are doing what they want to do: teach. Read more
  • Jack Blum and Alice Blum Yoakum: A Family Legacy - The way Jack Blum and Alice Blum Yoakum remember it, when Ed Kaelber came to their father with the idea of launching the Maine Community Foundation, Bob pulled a $10 bill from his wallet and made the first contribution. He soon established the Dirigo Fund at the New York Community Trust, which allowed Kaelber, recently retired as president of College of the Atlantic, to dedicate all his time and energy to establishing the community foundation. Read more
  • Lives of Caring: Mary Bayer and Leon Bresloff - On a bright Saturday afternoon in January, Mary Bayer stirs homemade carrot soup in her log home just a few paces from Lovejoy Pond, in the central Maine town of Fayette. Nearby, her husband Leon Bresloff loads logs into a wood-burning stove set into a dramatic two-story chimney built from massive granite stones. Read more