The Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust is seeking applications to connect people and places through the arts, culture and the natural environment in Maine.
Donor Name: Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust
State: Maine
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 10/01/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The organizations and individuals can cultivate creative expression and a sense of responsibility towards one another and to the lands and waters around us. Proposals may be for operating support or specific projects and may be of local or statewide benefit.
Across all programs, community connection is paramount. They will give preference to organizations and programs that demonstrate:
- Equitable access for Maine residents
- Community representation in program design and delivery
- Expanded community connections and vibrancy through program activities
- Responsiveness to new voices and the less visible histories of Maine
- Deepening connections between people and place
Program Areas
The two main Program Areas of interest to the Trust are:
- Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation
- Environmental Initiatives
Focus Areas
- Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation
- The Trust is interested in community arts and cultural programs, cultural facility improvements, historic preservation projects and celebration of the diverse cultural heritage of Maine.
- The Trust’s Arts and Culture Program Area welcomes operating support or project proposals that meet any of the following goals:
- Access to the arts, creative expression and community cultural programs
- Priorities include:
- Access to arts education, experiences, performances and programs that serve Maine communities and residents of all ages.
- Visual and performing arts programs in Maine museums, public libraries, historical societies and other cultural organizations.
- Urban and rural programs that reflect local needs and bring community members together, including lectures, exhibits and special events.
- Projects and programs that serve diverse populations and cultural experiences including Black, Indigenous and people of color in Maine.
- Facility improvements for community cultural centers and historic preservation projects that contribute to community vitality.
- Cultural facility improvement priorities include:
- Structural, health, safety, public access or energy efficiency improvements.
- Technology upgrades and other renovation needs.
- Small venues in rural or underserved areas where few other resources are available, and which contribute to community revitalization.
- Historic preservation projects that contribute to community vitality:
- Priorities include:
- Restoration and conservation of significant historic structures such as those listed on the National Register, or have documented importance through Tribal Historic Preservation Departments or are a known community landmark. The Trust will support structural improvements and building systems (such as electrical service) rather than maintenance, painting or short-term repairs.
- Preservation projects may also include restoration of significant material cultural resources.
- Celebrate the diverse cultural heritage and multiple histories of Maine.
- Priorities include:
- Programs that build community connection, celebrate the diverse cultural heritage of Maine communities and elevate the unique experiences of Black, Indigenous and other under-represented groups.
- Efforts that build bridges within communities to elevate cultural histories of place, expand awareness, develop cultural connection and share learning.
- Environmental Initiatives
- The Trust is interested in environmental initiatives that protect ecological values, water quality and ecosystem health through land conservation, stewardship, education and research programs. The Trust is interested in supporting organizations that promote positive relationships with nature including scientific, ecological and cultural perspectives. The Trust is also interested in expanded efforts to conserve culturally significant lands for Wabanaki communities.
- The Trust’s Environmental Initiatives Program Area welcomes proposals for operating support or projects that meet any of the following goals or related priorities:
- Provide equitable access to outdoor experiences and nature-based education
- Priorities include:
- Programs that offer outdoor experiences and nature-based education for youth and community members to inspire care and responsibility for the environment.
- Programs that provide safe, inclusive spaces for youth and others to develop appreciation for nature, science and the social and cultural dimensions of land and place.
- Programs that benefit BIPOC and underserved communities.
- Enhance environmental stewardship.
- Priorities include:
- Support of the growing stewardship responsibilities of conservation groups in light of climate change, development pressures and greater public use of conserved lands and waters.
- Support of staffing, programs and partnerships for stewardship, education and community engagement.
- Advance new approaches for land conservation
- Priorities include:
- Partnerships, tools and relationships for conservation that emphasize equity and inclusion.
- Land conservation that protects biodiversity or provides access to lands and waters for recreation, education and restoration. Organizations requesting funding for land acquisition should include a funding plan for the project.
- Building capacity for the protection, stewardship and management of culturally significant lands for Wabanaki lifeways and culture.
- Promote restoration and improvement of water quality in coastal and inland watersheds.
- Priorities include:
- Applied science and research for the restoration and management of ecosystems, especially the coastal and inland waters of Maine.
- Relevant research and education for water quality and habitat improvement.
- Addressing climate change impacts on coastal and aquatic resources.
- Initiatives that use science, policy and community engagement to improve and restore natural resources and ecosystems
Types of Grants
Applicants may request project or operating support. The same application is used for both types of grants. Project requests may be for specific community programs or for capital expenses such as historic preservation or cultural facility improvement projects. Projects should articulate clear goals, timelines and outcomes for the project. Operating support requests should provide information on the organization’s current strategic direction or priorities. In all cases, requests should align with at least one of our stated goals and priorities. They suggest that new applicants consider a project request before seeking operating support.
Funding Information
Up to $20,000 in grant funding may be requested.
Eligibility Criteria
Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust supports organizations and projects throughout Maine in its priority Program Areas. If your organization has received a grant in each of the last two years, please take a one-year hiatus before applying again. This does not apply to recently funded Wabanaki-led projects.
Ineligibility
- multi-year requests
- endowments or annual campaigns
- political advocacy
- national or regional organizations based outside of Maine, except in cases where a project is being conducted entirely within the state.
- organizations that provide medical services, operate medical research facilities or focus on a particular disease or condition; or
- organizations that are primarily social service providers.
For more information, visit Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust.
