MCF at 20

The Maine Community Foundation marked its 20th anniversary this week, but even after raising nearly $100 million during its life, it’s a fair bet that not one Mainer in 100 has heard of it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, as long as Maine knows about the many good works MCF helps to fund.

A small but important portion of these are recounted in the foundation’s celebratory publication “20 Great Grants,” including grants that helped start the highly effective Maine Children’s Alliance, called the Coalition for Maine’s Children in 1984 when it began with the support of the foundation. The next year MCF funded the distribution of “From Stump to Ship,” a University of Maine presentation of a 1930 film wonderfully documenting the lumber industry in Maine.

In ’89, it helped the Aroostook Micmac Council establish and document a collection of baskets that was part of the council’s goal of cultural preservation. It helped Maine Public Broadcasting in Bangor launch its Career and Learning Connections program to teach workplace skills, donated to the Bangor Public Library to teach computer skills and helped fund a program in the city for women with mental illness.

The AIDS Project in Portland, revitalization in Lewiston, the Western Mountains Alliance in Farmington, the Compact for Higher Education statewide – MCF has backed thousands of grants that help improve the quality of life in Maine. In 1999, it gave away $6.3 million in grants and provided more than $1 million in scholarship aid. And MCF has increased philanthropy in Maine while encouraging communities and organizations to look for innovative ways of improving their regions. Its Partners in Philanthropy allows kids to appreciate the difference a grant can make by giving them the opportunity to listen to requests and award grants – they’ve given a total of more than $100,000 to nonprofits so far.

For anyone who has looked at a worthwhile community project and wondered, “How did this happen?” the answer is almost always a lot of hard work from local volunteers, but along the way some organization had to provide at least seed money to get things started or keep the project going. That’s where MCF and, of course, its generous donors come in. Know it or not, MCF helps communities hum. It deserves best wishes for a long life and a prosperous future.