ELLSWORTH – Small to medium-sized organizations involved in indigenous, ethnic, or rural arts programs or projects, particularly those that serve areas with limited access to arts activities, are encouraged to apply for funding from the Maine Community Foundation’s Expansion Arts Fund.

Applicants must be incorporated in Maine as nonprofit and have 501c 3 tax-exempt status or use a fiscal sponsor with that status. Applicants must have an annual operating budget of $250,000 or less and must provide evidence of broad community support.

Generally, grants are not made for endowments, capital improvements, scholarships, regular performance series, production costs of films or annual operating expenses. Exceptions are made for new organizations in need of start-up support and unusual circumstances where a one-time grant will meet a special need.

Recent grant recipients include Association Culturelle et Historique du Mont-Carmel in Lille-su-St-Jean, Commons Art Collective in Norway, Johnson Hall in Gardiner, Knee-Lun in Princeton, Machias Bay Concert Series, Puffin Playhouse on Mount Desert Island and Union of Maine Visual Artists. Grants range from 1,000 to $5,000.

A statewide organization with offices in Portland and Ellsworth, the Maine Community Foundation is celebrating 20 years of strengthening Maine communities.

Sept. 15 is the deadline for applying to the fund. For complete application guidelines, visit www.mainecf.org or call toll free (877) 700-6800