MainStreet Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The MainStreet Foundation is the charitable arm of Androscoggin Bank and supports organizations that assist at-risk youth in the state of Maine.

IP TAKE: Androscoggin Bank’s MainStreet Foundation conducts most of its grantmaking through a youth lens, so while it funds a relatively wide range of issue areas, grantseekers should emphasize how their funding will go to benefit Maine youth. It is a modest yet accessible funder with small funding opportunities available throughout the year and one yearly large grant.

MainStreet is a relatively transparent funder. It posts regular press releases and annual reports and lists some of its recent grantees on its website, but it does not maintain a comprehensive, searchable grants database.

Even so, the MainStreet foundation has an accessible grant application process with clear guidelines and eligibility requirements. Grantseekers should note, however, that this funder does not accept online applications. You will have to print out the application form and mail it in.

PROFILE: Established in 1997, the MainStreet Foundation is a charitable outreach organization of Androscoggin Bank, based in Lewistown, Maine. This bank has locations from Portland to Jay, Maine. The foundation also has a board of directors that consists of bank employees at all levels and bank corporators, as well as the past and current presidents of the bank. The foundation’s mission is “to provide our most vulnerable at risk youth with life’s essentials: food, shelter, and security.” Its grantmaking is focused on keeping kids safe, active, healthy, educated, happy, and nourished.

The MainStreet foundation has two main grantmaking programs that address the same issue areas but vary by grant size:

  • Quarterly Grants are small grants of up to $5,000. The foundation accepts applications year-round and distributes grants four times per year.

  • 25K for Kids selects one organization each year to receive a larger grant of $25,000. The foundation accepts applications for this grant between May and July and the winner is announced in November.

Grants for Housing, Hunger, and Youth

The MainStreet Foundation’s grantmaking primarily supports “projects that impact the essentials, like food, security, shelter, and education” in order to promote a “supportive and safe environment” for vulnerable youth. It supports a wide range of youth-oriented programs, including after-school programs, mentoring and leadership development, literacy, homelessness prevention and services, mental health services, and financial management skills. Grantees include Midcoast Hunger Prevention, Gray Community Food Pantry, High Street Food Pantry, Trinity Jubilee, Lisbon Area Christian Outreach, L/A Boys and Girls Club, Preble Street Resource Center, Safe Voices, YWCA, Turner Food Bank, New Beginnings, Opportunity Alliance.

Important Grant Details:

Grants typically range from $1,500 to $25,000 each. The MainStreet Foundation posts a limited list of its previous grantees on its Grantmaking Overview page, but grantseekers may search for the foundation’s tax filings for more information on its grantmaking habits.

  • Grantmaking is restricted to organizations that serve the state of Maine.

  • The foundation accepts unsolicited grant requests for both of its funding programs by mail. It does not have an online grant application portal.

  • Grant award decisions are made by the foundation’s board, which is comprised of members of Androscoggin Bank’s Board of Directors, employees, corporators, and community members.

  • The foundation’s board meets in February, May, August, and November to review applications for Quarterly Grants.

  • The foundation accepts applications for 25k for Kids program from May 1 to July 31. Three finalists will be selected to present their proposal to the board in October before the final decision is announced in November.

  • Grant recipients may not apply for funding within 12 months of the conclusion of a previously funded project

  • The foundation will not award grants to support annual operating budgets, conferences, seminars, or political or religious causes.

Direct grantseeker questions to mainstreetfoundation@androscogginbank.com or call 207-376-3512.

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