MaineCF celebrates 35 years of the Piscataquis County Fund
DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Maine Community Foundation celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Piscataquis County Fund, one of the organization’s 15 funds that support grantees from each county. It is one of MaineCF’s first three county funds, along with those in Aroostook and Washington counties.
MaineCF works to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. The community foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations, awards educational and aspirational scholarships, and manages funds for nonprofit organizations and municipalities.
Since 1986, the Piscataquis County Fund has supported 247 grants totaling more than $900,000. This year, it funded nearly $45,500 in grants, including $43,500 in competitive grants, and $2,000 in grants directly from donors. In 2020, MaineCF awarded 66 scholarships totaling more than $45,000 to Piscataquis County students.
This year’s grantees include Appalachian Mountain Club, Friends of Community Fitness, Moosehead Trails, Pineland Farms, and the Piscataquis Regional YMCA. The Piscataquis County Committee also awarded Appalachian Mountain Club with an anniversary grant for building community and improving the quality of life in the region.
In honor of this celebration, an anonymous donor recently contributed $150,000 to the county funds in six Maine counties: Aroostook, Piscataquis, Washington, Penobscot, Androscoggin, and Oxford. Vice President of Philanthropy Laura Young said, “We are incredibly touched and thrilled by this generous gift to grow the permanent resources in these six counties in Maine.”
As part of the anniversary celebration, MaineCF produced a video that celebrates the Piscataquis County Fund, its donors and the community it serves. The video can be viewed at www.mainecf.org/35. The celebration also honored more than 30 current and former county committee advisors for serving as ambassadors in the region.
MaineCF’s county funds are supported by donors, and proposals to the Community Building grant program are reviewed by local volunteers on the county committee who determine where funds are directed. Gifts to the Piscataquis County Fund help strengthen communities through grant support to a wide range of grantees – from the arts and education to environmental projects, economic development and human services.
“The Piscataquis County Fund strengthens the entire community by supporting a broad spectrum of organizations including arts, education, environment, economic development, and human services,” said Senior Program Officer Laura Reed. “Grants made from this fund address challenges and provide opportunities. As the needs change and the community evolves, The fund will continue to be a resource to strengthen the community and support future generations.”
Those who have pledged legacy gifts to the Piscataquis County Fund become Friends of Maine, which recognizes donors who have chosen to include the fund in their wills or bequests. Their foresight will impact Maine’s social, civic, cultural, and environmental well-being in the years to come. For more information, visit https://www.mainecf.org/about-us/friends-of-maine/.
To learn more about the Piscataquis County Fund, contact Reed at lreed@mainecf.org.
Headquartered in Ellsworth, with additional personnel in Portland, Dover-Foxcroft, Mars Hill, and Rockport, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to provide strong investments, personalized service, local expertise, and strategic giving to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.