Keystone Program

Keystone Program is a grant from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation that funds Maine-based grassroots and community-led organizations advancing environmental and racial justice.

In 2026, the program has $1,390,000 available and will award multi-year grants (up to 4 years) across three categories: Building Community Resilience ($20,000–$60,000/year), Resourcing Community Resilience ($10,000–$50,000/year), and Systems-Level Advocacy ($10,000–$40,000/year).

The program prioritizes organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, rural Mainers, and women, with an explicit commitment to the intersection of environmental and racial justice. Applications were due February 25, 2026; grant decisions are announced by early May 2026. Contact keystone@sewallfoundation.

org for more information.

Keystone — Elmina B. Sewall Foundation Accessibility Toolbar Contact The Keystone program prioritizes grassroots and community-led efforts to address environmental and racial justice, as a key strategy for equitable social change and community well-being. Keystone now frames its impact through the lens of advocacy to better reflect the strategies grantees are using to create systemic change.

The Keystone program will support organizations and efforts that represent an interconnected ecosystem of movement-building, where community-based organizations are supported by groups that provide resilience-building resources and reinforced by organizations advancing systems-level resilience through advocacy.

Together, these categories uphold the essential work of grassroots organizing through the lenses of public policy advocacy, resourcing community organizing, and community power-building. 2026 available funding: $1,390,000 Program Contact: keystone@sewallfoundation. org Photo courtesy of JustMe for JustUs.

Building Community Resilience Grassroots, on-the-ground organizations actively dismantling harmful systems, shifting behaviors, and creating new models that foster sustainable and resilient communities. Resourcing Community Resilience Organizations that support and educate community-led movements by providing tools, training, and resources to build and sustain community ownership and empowerment.

Organizations that strengthen community voices and leadership by centering the lived experiences of those on the frontlines of marginalization. We prioritize applicants that: Are led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color, rural Mainers, and women; Are working collaboratively across sectors; and/or Have an explicit commitment to the intersection of environmental justice and racial justice.

2026 Available Funding: $1,390,000 In 2026, the Keystone program will award multi-year grants (up to 4 years) through an open application process.

Generally, grant funding levels in this program area are: Building Community Resilience : $20,000 to $60,000 per year Resourcing Community Resilience : $10,000 to $50,000 per year Systems level Advocacy : $10,000 to $40,000 per year Operating, project, and capital requests will be considered 2026 Application Information Applications are due by February 25, at 5pm. Grant decisions will be announced by early May, 2026.

2026 Keystone Grants Fact Sheet We recommend reviewing the 2026 Sewall Grant Application Guide prior to starting an application, which includes guidelines, instructions, application questions and a description of attachments. For your reference, a word document of the application questions can be found here .

If this is your first time applying to the Sewall Foundation, we recommend following our Creating an Account Guide for step by step instructions. Click on the button to start a new application, or return to an in-progress application. Start a Keystone Grant Application We’re pleased to present this series of articles on our inspiring grant partners .

Sewall has been supporting League of Women Voters Maine Education Fund since 2022. In 2023, Sewall awarded the Education Fund a 24-month Equitable Civic Engagement grant to eliminate inequities in voter turnout at the local, state and national levels. Read to learn about the Education Fund’s efforts to ensure all Mainers can meaningfully participate in the democratic process.

The Healthy People Healthy Places® mark is used under license from Worldways social marketing. info@sewallfoundation. org Elmina B.

Sewall Foundation