How We Do It
We’re a different kind of foundation.
We know that change happens in community. And that means, as a foundation, we need to do things differently: getting everyday people involved in raising and pooling funds, in choosing where those funds go, and in working together to advance justice and equity in Maine. At Maine Initiatives, we believe everyone has something to give. And we know that only together can we bring about justice and collective liberation.
Engagement
We are more than a foundation. We are a network of more than 1,200 Mainers coming together to support social, economic and environmental justice through informed, intentional and collective philanthropy. Through our community programming, we shine a spotlight on Maine’s grassroots leaders. We invite individuals to share resources, volunteer, advocate, and act in solidarity with Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other leaders of color.
Grantmaking
We raise and pool funds from the community to support a wide range of progressive issues in Maine. Our grant-making programs consist of Grants for Change, the Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund, Rapid Response Grants, Donor-Advised Funds, and other donor-directed giving. Since March 2020, we have made over $1.9 million in grants to 76 organizations working to make our communities more just and equitable.
Movement Building
Our communities will only ever be as just as we make them. Social change requires movement building. And money is only one of the many resources and assets that we need to build the movements for justice in our state. While some of us can give financial resources, others give their time, energy, expertise, and lived experience. We use participatory grantmaking to support community-driven decision making and solutions: because we believe that everyone has a part to play in this work.