Edward H. Daveis Benevolent Fund Grant Program

The Edward H. Daveis Benevolent Fund is a grant program of the Maine Community Foundation that supports nonprofit and public-sector work benefiting young people in the Greater Portland area of Maine. The fund was established in 1943 through the will of Mabel Stewart Daveis to honor her father, Edward H. Daveis, and benefit nonprofit organizations serving Greater Portland. Edward H. Daveis was a member of a prominent Portland family with community roots dating to 1785 and had careers in banking and law before becoming president of the Portland Gas Light Company. The fund continues this local charitable purpose through competitive grantmaking focused on youth development. The program supports youth engagement programs in Greater Portland that provide opportunities, develop aspirations, and/or support wellbeing for middle and high school aged youth. Funding is specifically offered as project grants for new or expanding youth engagement programs serving this population. Eligible projects must be based in the Greater Portland area, which for this program consists of Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Falmouth, Gorham, Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, Westbrook, and Yarmouth. The maximum award is $20,000. Recent cycle statistics report 65 applications requesting $573,000, with 13 grants totaling $97,800 awarded and an average award of $7,523. An additional 10 grants totaling $51,000 were made by donors. Applicants must satisfy the Maine Community Foundation's general competitive grant eligibility requirements and non-discrimination policy. Eligible applicants include nonprofit charitable organizations tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) and classified under sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2), municipalities, public schools, public agencies working for the State of Maine, and Indian tribal governments or political subdivisions recognized by the Department of the Interior. Groups without tax status may apply through an eligible fiscal sponsor. Organizations generally may submit one application per grant program. The Daveis program additionally will not award a grant to the same organization for four consecutive years. Requests must cover future expenses only and may not exceed the program's $20,000 maximum award. Maine Community Foundation competitive grants do not fund expenses already incurred, regranting to a secondary grantee through a competitive process, political campaigns, lobbying in the form of calls to action on a specific vote, or religious activities such as religious services, promotion of religious beliefs, or activities restricted to church or religious group membership. Applicants should submit only information and materials requested by the program. The source does not state that a matching contribution or cost share is required for this grant. All applicants must provide a list of the members of their organization's board or advisory committee, including each member's town or city of residence and occupation. Collaboration is encouraged. For the Daveis program, a letter from the executive director of each collaborating organization is required to explain the organization's involvement and responsibility. Organizations partnering with schools must provide a letter from a school official. Maine Community Foundation's general guidelines also specify applicable letters for projects involving tribes, public schools or school districts, municipal libraries, and towns, cities, or government or municipal agencies. Applicants submit online using the Apply button on the grant page, and a Microsoft Word version of the application is available for review after July 15. For the 2026 cycle, applications open July 15 and must be submitted by September 15 at 11:59 p.m. Because no time zone is specified, the deadline is treated as Eastern Time under the data-entry rules. Late applications are not accepted. Maine Community Foundation describes an intake process involving verification of applicant information and required materials, followed by program staff prescreening for grant criteria. Proposals may then enter the Giving Together process for possible donor support. Volunteer community reviewers read qualifying proposals, may contact applicants, and make recommendations. Reviewers ultimately discuss proposals and make final award decisions as a committee. Proposals may also be shared with interested donors and other funders for potential funding. Applicants to this cycle are to be notified by December 30. Maine Community Foundation states generally that competitive proposals take approximately 10 to 12 weeks to process, so applicants should plan project start dates accordingly. Award and decline notifications are made by email; awardees also receive a letter and check by regular mail. When an applicant uses a fiscal sponsor, the check is sent to the fiscal sponsor and the applicant receives a copy of the award letter. The named staff contact for this program is Katie Howard at khoward@mainecf.org or 207-412-0832. The provided material does not explicitly state that the Daveis program recurs annually or provide a future cycle schedule beyond the identified 2026 application period.

Large organizations with multiple program areas are advised to apply for project grants rather than general operating support.