2026 Land for Communities

2026 Land for Communities is sponsored by Maine Community Foundation. This program supports projects that increase relationships to land and/or water for underserved geographies and populations in Maine, focusing on land return (to Wabanaki Nations or Wabanaki-led organizations) or land for food (hunting, fishing, wild food harvesting, working far…

Land for Communities – Maine Community Foundation 2026 Land for Communities After July 15, applicants may review a Microsoft Word version of the grant application before applying online here . Interest Areas : Environment, Food/Agriculture Geographic Area : Statewide Types of Funding : Project Support Application Opens : Jan.

15 and July 15 * This grant program accepts applications twice per calendar year beginning July 2025 Deadline : March 16 and Sept. 15 Notification : June 15 and Dec. 15 Staff Contact : Stephanie Cesario , scesario@mainecf.

org , 207-412-0824 Apply: Click on the orange “Apply” button at the top right of this page. Applications received : 27 Amount requested : $857,357 Number of grants awarded : 11 Grant dollars awarded : $352,851 Percentage of applicants that received grants : 40% Additional grants by donors: 8 grants totaling $159,000 Recent Grants : Click here to view grants from the previous cycle.

The Land for Communities grant program supports projects that increase relationships to land and/or water for underserved geographies and populations in Maine. All applicants must meet the Maine Community Foundation’s grant eligibility requirements and non-discrimination policy. Please read the eligibility and grant guidelines and non-discrimination policy before applying.

If your organization doesn’t have a tax status and is applying using a fiscal sponsor, please read our fiscal sponsorship guidelines for competitive grant programs . NOTE: Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible to apply.

Expand access to land and/or water for an underserved geography or population Focus on land for community use, specifically one or both of the following: Land return (land back to Wabanaki Nations or Wabanaki-led organizations, restoring Wabanaki stewardship of land and/or water) Land for food (hunting, fishing, wild food harvesting, working farms, community agriculture, working waterfront, community fisheries) Engage the people served in the design, delivery, evaluation, and/or leadership (board or staff) of the work Project grants for land acquisition and/or protection: Up to a maximum of $50,000 towards the purchase of land or easements/deed restrictions that meet the criteria above.

Project costs may include, but are not limited to, purchase price, closing costs, legal services, survey, appraisal or value assessments, lease agreements, right-of-way agreements, and/or contributions to a stewardship fund for the property. Projects expected to be secured within one year of the grant award will receive priority consideration.

Project grants for land-based projects: Up to a maximum of $25,000 for land-based projects that meet the criteria above that are not acquisition and/or protection. Land-based project costs may include, but are not limited to, infrastructure, convenings, technical assistance, land stewardship, and/or staff time dedicated to the project.

If your project is an active land acquisition/protection project with a specific property identified, apply under project grants for land acquisition and/or protection . Project support may include administrative overhead, up to 20% of the requested funding. Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible to apply.

Please see MaineCF's Eligibility and Grant Guidelines for more information. Applicants who meet the Land for Communities grant program criteria may submit one application per deadline. For more information on donor advised funds, click here .

If you have additional questions, please contact Stephanie Cesario, scesario@mainecf. org , 207-412-0824. Staff review grant proposals received to determine if they are eligible for funding.

Staff assign all eligible proposals to a community advisor for review. A community advisory committee reviews all the proposals and decides which proposals to fund. This committee identifies the strongest proposals that meet the criteria and increase relationships to land and/or water for underserved geographies and populations in Maine.

The Fund for Maine Land Conservation grant program started in the early 1990s and awarded nearly 200 grants totaling $889,768. In 2018, MaineCF received a bequest which made it possible to reexamine and redesign our grantmaking approach to land conservation.

We closed the Fund for Maine Land Conservation grant program and in its place created two new land conservation grant programs: 1) Conservation for All, which offered general support, and 2) Maine Land Protection, which offered support for land acquisitions and easements.

In 2024 and 2025, MaineCF completed a field scan and program analysis of the needs and gaps in the field and collaborated with a team of community advisors on grant program redesign. As a result, MaineCF closed the Conservation for All and the Maine Land Protection grant programs and replaced these grant programs with one new grant program, Land for Communities, in 2025.

Funding Types: General versus Project Support Katie Howard , a MaineCF community partner, explains the differences between general and project support funding and provides helpful grant application tips. For MaineCF Donors & Fundholders For MaineCF Applicants, Reviewers, and Grantees To access an application, a proposal, or a grant report. For MaineCF Staff Members Staff access to MaineCF materials.

County & Regional Program For MaineCF County and Regional Committees Advisor access to committee information. Online Scholarship Review For MaineCF Scholarship Reviewers Advisor access to scholarship applications.