Rural Partnerships Grants

The Rural Partnerships Grants program, administered by the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, is designed to strengthen collaboration and advance sustainable, community-led change in rural regions of Maine. The Foundation has long been committed to empowering the Katahdin Region and Washington County—areas with complex geographic, economic, and demographic challenges that are representative of broader trends across rural Maine. Through this grant program, the Foundation supports efforts that foster resilience and shared prosperity by funding place-based and cross-sector partnerships grounded in local leadership and inclusive development. This initiative is rooted in the Foundation’s vision of a healthy, thriving, and resilient rural Maine. It responds to decades of economic transition, population shifts, and environmental change by bolstering local nonprofits, businesses, and community coalitions that are stepping in where public services may be limited or absent. In this transitional phase from 2025 to 2027, the Foundation is not only maintaining its deep commitment to the Katahdin and Washington County regions but is also exploring expansion to additional regional, statewide, and cross-sector partnerships. These expansion efforts include convening local leaders, engaging in peer learning, and coordinating support across related grant programs, including Food Systems, Animal Welfare, Wabanaki, Nature-Based Education, and Keystone initiatives. Priority areas of support under the Rural Partnerships Grants include affordable housing, broadband expansion, climate adaptation planning, community and economic development, food systems, social and health systems reform, natural resource-based economic revitalization, regional planning, Wabanaki partnerships (including land back and habitat restoration), workforce training, and two-generation (2Gen) approaches. These categories reflect the Foundation’s commitment to equity, sustainability, and systemic impact through locally guided initiatives. The 2025 grant cycle offers a total funding pool of $2,885,000. Individual organizations may request between $10,000 and $60,000 annually, while collaborative groups involving multiple stakeholders can apply for up to $200,000 per year. Additional or increased funding may be considered for organizations that act as hubs for federal grant coordination or that demonstrate capital, operating, or special project needs. A separate funding track supports transformational efforts that address critical priorities and aim for sustainable systems change, with variable funding levels typically lasting one to two years. Applications for the 2025 cycle were accepted exclusively through the Foundation’s online portal and were due by February 13, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Decisions will be announced by the end of April 2025. The Foundation emphasizes clarity and accessibility in the application process, encouraging brief responses and offering assistance for technical or procedural issues. Required documents may include a project or operating budget, financial statements, and fiscal sponsorship agreements, where applicable. Additional materials beyond those requested are discouraged unless explicitly requested by reviewers. Programmatic inquiries can be directed to Tom Boutureira, the Foundation’s Rural Partnerships Community Partner, via email at tboutureira@sewallfoundation.org. Technical issues with the application system, hosted by GivingData, may be directed to Laura Dover. Looking forward, the Foundation anticipates continuing this program beyond 2025 and encourages potential applicants to monitor future opportunities, especially as expansion to broader regions of Maine is planned.

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