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The Bank of Maine Charitable Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Bank of Maine Charitable Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$29k
Granted FY2025still arriving
7
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$5k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Community Improvement$66kEducation$60kHealth$52kYouth Development$47kHuman Services$44kArts & Culture$39kAnimals$25kEnvironment$21kOther$0
02FY2025 · 7 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$5,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$203k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Scarborough Public Library$5,000
Beth C Wright Cancer Resources$5,000
Belknap House$5,000
Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine$5,000
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association$5,000
The Friendly Kitchen$2,000
Book Love Foundation$2,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY17–25, $25k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%Belknap House: $5k → 9%Wabanaki Womens Coalition: $3k → 15%Area Interfaith Outreach: $10k → 11%Community Compass: $5k → 11%New Hope Midcoast: $2k → 11%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

42%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$175k · 8 repeat orgs$243k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +53% since the first grant, against +31% for those funded once.

8 repeat relationships: 0 still active in FY2025, 8 since wound down; 7 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

8
56

Total granted

$175k
$214k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+53%
+31%

Still filing today

100%
71%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 0% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $29k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureHealthEducationHuman ServicesYouth DevelopmentRecreation & SportsOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • PP
    Portland Public Library
    3× · 2018–2020 · $30k · revenue +43%
  • MH
    MIDCOAST HUMANE
    2× · 2017–2018 · $25k · revenue +119%
  • KV
    Kennebec Valley YMCA
    7× · 2017–2024 · $24k · revenue +20%

Funded once

  • AREA INTERFAITH OUTREACHgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue +817%
  • SK
    SOUTHERN KENNEBEC CHILD DEVELOPMENTgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue +42%
  • UW
    United Way of Kennebec County
    one grant, 2017 · $7k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Maine Media College

Maine Media Workshops & College educates and inspires visual artists and storytellers to achieve their creative potential. We provide lifelong learning opportunities for those pursuing the fine arts and media-related professions. We are…

—
2
Maine GearShare

To provide access to outdoor gear and know-how through a collaborative, equity-centered approach.

Recreation & Sports
3
Protect Maine's Fishing Heritage Foundation
Environment
4
Maine & Company

Maine & Company is a private, non-profit business development sales organization. Its purpose is to improve Maine's success in attracting new business and expanding and retaining existing business by providing a focused, statewide sales…

—
5
Sail Maine

To provide affordable access to the water through community sailing and educational programming.

Arts & Culture
6
Maine State Chamber of Commerce

Enhance the business climate, the quality of life, and economic wellbeing of the businesses and people of maine

—
7
Kennebunk Land Trust

Kennebunk Land Trust's mission is to permanently conserve and steward land to benefit natural and human communities.

Environment
8
Western Maine Play Museum

Our mission is to inspire children, connect families, and build community through exploration, learning, and play.

Arts & Culture
9
Maine Council on Aging

A broad multi-disciplinary network that works to ensure we can all live healthy, engaged, and secure lives as we age in our homes and communities. With the voices of people with lived experience, we work on policy issues related to…

Unclassified
10
Fork Food Lab

Fork Food Lab is a nonprofit food business incubator and shared commercial kitchen focused on growing the local food economy. We support the growth of sustainable Maine-based businesses by providing entrepreneurs with work space,…

Environment
11
Maine Film Center

To enrich, educate, and entertain the community through film and art.

—
12
Manufacturers Association of Maine

The manufacturers association of maine is dedicated to promoting and strengthening manufacturing in maine as an informative voice for the state's manufacturing community.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Center for Grieving Children; the most unlike its peers is Classical Uprising. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

56 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 56 of the 71 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
23
Early backer (in before they grew)
55/56
Grantees still filing
38/56
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Kennebec Valley YMCA: $23,800 · OtherKennebec Valley YMCASOUTHERN KENNEBEC CHILD DEVELOPMENT: $10,000 · OtherSOUTHERN KENNEBEC CHILD DEVELOPMENTUnited Way of Kennebec County: $7,000 · OtherMIDCOAST HUMANE: $25,000 · OtherMIDCOAST HUMANE+32 more: $113,000 · Other+32 moreGARDINER MAIN STREET: $29,500 · Community ImprovementGARDINER MAIN S…Maine Association of Nonprofits: $22,500 · Community ImprovementMaine Associati…Institute for Family-Owned Business: $5,000 · Community ImprovementInstitute for F…BOYS&GIRLS CLUBS OF KENNEBEC VALLEY: $25,000 · Youth DevelopmentBOYS&GIRLS …MAINE BOYS TO MEN: $5,000 · Youth DevelopmentMAINE BOYS …THE CENTER FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN: $5,000 · Youth DevelopmentTHE CENTER …HEARTY ROOTS INC: $5,000 · Youth DevelopmentHEARTY ROOT…HARDY GIRLS HEALTHY WOMEN INC: $3,500 · Youth DevelopmentHARDY GIRLS…KENNEBEC VALLEY MENTAL HEALTH CENTE D/B/A KENNEBEC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: $17,000 · HealthKENNEBEC VA…WOMEN FOR HEALTHY RURAL LIVING: $5,000 · HealthWOMEN FOR H…ClimateWork Maine: $5,000 · HealthClimateWork…MILESTONE RECOVERY: $5,000 · HealthMILESTONE R…BETH C WRIGHT CANCER RESOURCE CENTER: $5,000 · HealthBETH C WRIG…SARAH'S HOUSE OF MAINE: $2,500 · HealthSARAH'S HOU…Medical Care Development Inc: $2,000 · HealthPortland Public Library: $30,000 · EducationPortland Pu…SCARBOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY: $5,000 · EducationSCARBOROUGH…Maine Arts Academy: $2,000 · EducationTHE CHALLENGER LEARNING CNTR OF ME: $2,000 · Education+2 more: $2,000 · EducationCLASSICAL UPRISING: $5,000 · Arts & CultureCHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND THEATRE OF MAINE: $5,000 · Arts & CultureMaine Academy of Modern Music: $5,000 · Arts & CultureCHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM: $5,000 · Arts & CultureMAINE CRAFTS ASSOCIATION: $5,000 · Arts & CultureFriends of the Maine State Museum Inc: $2,400 · Arts & CultureBOOK LOVE FOUNDATION: $2,000 · Arts & Culture+1 more: $1,000 · Arts & CultureAREA INTERFAITH OUTREACH: $10,000 · Human ServicesCOMMUNITY COMPASS: $5,000 · Human ServicesBelknap House: $5,000 · Human ServicesWABANAKI WOMENS COALITION INC: $2,500 · Human ServicesNEW HOPE FOR WOMEN INC: $2,000 · Human ServicesSEA CHANGE YOGA: $1,000 · Human Services
Other$178,800Community Improvement$57,000Youth Development$43,500Health$41,500Education$41,000Arts & Culture$30,400Human Services$25,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetPortland Public Library: $30,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetGARDINER MAIN STREET: $29,500 over 7y, 9.6% of budgetBOYS&GIRLS CLUBS OF KENNEBEC VALLEY: $25,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetMIDCOAST HUMANE: $25,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetKennebec Valley YMCA: $23,800 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetMaine Association of Nonprofits: $22,500 over 5y, 1.1% of budgetKENNEBEC VALLEY MENTAL HEALTH CENTE D/B/A KENNEBEC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: $17,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetAREA INTERFAITH OUTREACH: $10,000 over 1y, 3.5% of budgetSOUTHERN KENNEBEC CHILD DEVELOPMENT: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetWOMEN FOR HEALTHY RURAL LIVING: $5,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetInstitute for Family-Owned Business: $5,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetPEJEPSCOT HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $5,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetThe Iris Network: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMID-COAST RECREATION CENTER INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetPeabody Memorial Library: $5,000 over 1y, 9.4% of budgetCHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND THEATRE OF MAINE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetClimateWork Maine: $5,000 over 1y, 1.9% of budgetISLAND COMMUNITY CENTER INC: $5,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetUBR: $5,000 over 1y, 5.9% of budgetSALTWATER CLASSROOM: $5,000 over 1y, 6.7% of budgetMaine Academy of Modern Music: $5,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetMAINE COAST FISHERMENS ASSN: $5,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetMAINE BOYS TO MEN: $5,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetBrunswick-Topsham Land Trust Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetPortland Community Squash: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBOOTS2ROOTS: $5,000 over 1y, 4.9% of budgetSCARBOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM: $5,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetTHE CENTER FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetMAINE CRAFTS ASSOCIATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetBelknap House: $5,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetHEARTY ROOTS INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetHARDY GIRLS HEALTHY WOMEN INC: $3,500 over 1y, 2.2% of budgetWABANAKI WOMENS COALITION INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetJUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF MAINE INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetSARAH'S HOUSE OF MAINE: $2,500 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetThe Susan L Curtis Foundation: $2,500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetCAMP SUNSHINE AT SEBAGO LAKE INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetFriends of the Maine State Museum Inc: $2,400 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetMedical Care Development Inc: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMaine Arts Academy: $2,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetBOOK LOVE FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 1y, 3.6% of budgetNEW HOPE FOR WOMEN INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE CHALLENGER LEARNING CNTR OF ME: $2,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetTHE FRIENDLY KITCHEN INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetJohnson Hall Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetFour Directions Development Corporation: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSTARTUP MAINE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Maine Community Found…Bangor Savings Bank F…Onion FoundationDavis Family Foundati…Fisher Charitable Fou…Sam L Cohen FoundationKennebec Savings Bank…John T Gorman Foundat…Elmina B Sewall Found…Reny Charitable Found…Saco & Biddeford Savi…Agnes M Lindsay Trust
Maine Community Foundation IncME66.9× affinity37 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Maine Community Foundation Inc · Bangor Savings Bank Foundation · Onion Foundation · Davis Family Foundation · Fisher Charitable Foundation · Sam L Cohen Foundation · Kennebec Savings Bank Foundation · John T Gorman Foundation · Elmina B Sewall Foundation · Reny Charitable Foundation · Saco & Biddeford Savings Charitable Foundation · Agnes M Lindsay Trust

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Bank of Maine Charitable Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Bank of Maine Charitable Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    12report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to The Bank of Maine Charitable Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Bank of Maine Charitable Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 71 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Bank of Maine’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home