The Rapid Response Fund is a grant opportunity that supports emergency and/or time-sensitive needs of organizations and communities.
Donor Name: Elmina B. Sewall Foundation
State: Maine
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/02/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
To support a culture of equity and interconnected well-being for people, animals, and the environment in Maine:
- Emergency refers to an unexpected and unplanned event or situation that requires an immediate and time-limited response.
- Time-sensitive refers to opportunities that are short-term in duration (usually within the next few months) and purpose.
Priorities
- In keeping with Sewall’s values and commitment to fostering equity and centering community voice, Rapid Response Fund grants are generally focused on:
- Community-based organizations with operating budgets under $250,000
- Organizations led by and/or serving black, indigenous, people of color, rural Mainers, and women
- Land back and land access efforts. Up to $100,000 of the Rapid Response Fund is allocated to support land back (land return) and land access projects. Eligible costs include down payments, legal fees, appraisals, due diligence, and other time-sensitive acquisition expenses. Most grants from the fund will not exceed $10,000.
- Additional priorities include:
- Organizations, networks, or grassroots efforts working to coordinate or mobilize response/action for their field or sector, a geographic region, or a specific community or population
- Collaborative and cross-sector efforts
- Efforts that are explicit in their commitment to racial and environmental justice
- Efforts that integrate the well-being of people, animals and the environment.
Funding Information
- Available Funding for 2025: $400,000
- Most Rapid Response Fund grants will be no greater than $10,000.
Grant Period
All Rapid Response Fund grants are limited to a 12-month term.
Examples of Rapid Response Fund Grants
Below are examples of the kinds of opportunities that Rapid Response Fund grants might support. These examples are for illustration only – not intended as an exhaustive list – and do not guarantee funding nor refusal to fund individual requests.
Some examples of Rapid Response Fund grant uses:
- Increasing capacity of a small nonprofit to respond to emergency needs (food, fuel, housing) in their community
- Supporting an animal shelter to address an unforeseen crisis
- Supporting unexpected legal costs to remove barriers to equity.
Eligibility Criteria
- Focus of work is located in Maine
- Applicants must be eligible to receive tax-deductible donations as outlined in Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. This includes: 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organizations; public schools; public agencies working for the State of Maine; Indian tribal governments (and their political subdivisions) recognized by the Department of the Interior
- Applicants may also apply through a fiscal sponsor
- The work of the applicant must be aligned with the values and approach of the Sewall Foundation
- Eligible organizations may apply regardless of their funding history with the Sewall Foundation
- Sewall Foundation does not fund:
- Direct or grassroots lobbying or political campaign activities
- Private for-profit enterprises, cooperatives, or individuals.
For more information, visit EBSF.
