ELLSWORTH – The Maine Community Foundation is seeking nominations for the 2005 Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence.

This year’s award, which includes a $10,000 unrestricted grant, will honor a Maine nonprofit organization that exemplifies excellence in developing partnerships between youth and adults for the purpose of addressing community issues or seizing opportunities for community enrichment.

The focus of this year’s award is inspired by the work of the Maine Citizenship Education Task Force, a 50-member coalition of individuals and organizations committed to promoting and strengthening civic learning across Maine.

Civic learning reflects a variety of instructional approaches inside and outside the classroom that help young people acquire knowledge, skills and habits to become informed and active citizens.

Guidelines and nomination forms can be found at www.mainecf.org or obtained by contacting Amy Pollien at (877) 700-6800, or apollien@ mainecf.org. Completed forms and attachments should be mailed to the Maine Community Foundation and postmarked no later than July 15.

Only Maine organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status are eligible. Any individual knowledgeable about an exceptional program may make a nomination – including community and board members, staff, volunteers and clients.

Past Noyce Award winners include CyberSeniors, Wolfe’s Neck Farm, Nezinscot Guild, Northeast Atlantic Marine Alliance, Unity Barn Raisers and the Kennebec Valley Community College Foundation.

The Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence honors philanthropist Elizabeth Noyce (1930-1996), who was dedicated to supporting the health and development of Maine’s nonprofits.

A statewide organization with an office in Ellsworth, the Maine Community Foundation partners with donors and groups to strengthen Maine communities.