Quality of Place Initiative

Welcome to the Environmental Funders Network e-newsletter. 

The term “quality of place” conveys the essential relationship between Maine’s environmental well-being, its economic prosperity, and the overall quality of life. Through financial support, collaborative grantmaking, and learning opportunities, the EFN is bringing nonprofits, governmental agencies, business, and philanthropy together to implement sustainable quality of place strategies. Learn more.

BREAKING EFN NEWS:

Jane’s Trust Challenge Met

Three foundations and four Maine Community Foundation donor advisors stepped up with $100,000 to meet Jane’s Trust’s 1:1 challenge to identify new funder investors for the Quality of Place Initiative. Jane’s Trust, which is administered by Hemenway & Barnes LLP, represents the legacy of the late Jane B. Cook and continues her 30 years of philanthropy in the areas of health and welfare, arts and culture, education, and the environment.

Grantees on the Ground:

Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund

The Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC) is a partnership of 25 environmental, conservation, and public health organizations brought together by the Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund (MCVEF) to work with lawmakers to promote prosperity and protect our environment. Its most recent project is a report called Investing in Maine’s Environment: A Trail Map to Prosperity 2010-2015. Learn more about MCVEF's Quality of Place project here.

“As we plan for the year ahead, our partners recognize the need to work collaboratively in new ways. EFN’s grant will allow the coalition to sharpen its decision-making, identify new allies, and collectively employ shared communications, education, and advocacy strategies that will contribute to turning the Trail Map to Prosperity into policies that protect our quality of place.” - Maureen Drouin, executive director, Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund

Who’s in the Network:

William Clough III

Bill Clough has been a trustee of the Betterment Fund for the past 13 years. The fund was created for charitable purposes by the will of William Bingham, II, a resident of Bethel, Maine, who died in 1955. The Betterment Fund's current grantmaking priorities include education, health, community support, conservation, the creative economy, and philanthropy.

“I spent 40 years in secondary education as a teacher, coach, and headmaster (including 18 years at Gould Academy in Bethel), and I find much in common between working with teenagers and arranging property easements and environmental protections. In both cases one needs confirmation and sustenance from colleagues because the results of day-to-day labor are always years away.” - Bill Clough, trustee, the Betterment Fund

From Around the State:

Land for Maine’s Future Receives Support

The results of the Land for Maine’s Future ballot question 3 demonstrate that even in difficult economic times, Maine people feel strongly about investing in quality of place. Question 3, “Do you favor a $9,750,000 bond issue to invest in land conservation and working waterfront preservation and to preserve state parks to be matched by $9,250,000 in federal and other funds?”, passed with 58% of the vote.

Coming Up Next

Planning Downtown Revitalization: On Friday, December 3, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Maine Development Foundation will be hosting its final training program for the year designed to help participants create a solid plan to move forward with confidence and a firm downtown development strategy. Discounts are available for MDF members and participants from Maine Street Maine communities and Maine Downtown Network communities. “Maine Downtown Institute Session VI” will focus on strategic planning, visioning, and board leadership. To learn more or to register for the program, visit MDF's website.

Creating Jobs from Quality of Place: The Maine Quality of Place Council is hosting a day-long conference on Monday, December 6, at the Augusta Civic Center. The event is designed as a community dialogue to generate ideas and solutions that will inform the Council and other policy-makers on steps the state can take to create jobs with Maine’s place-based assets. Investors, funders, businesspeople, conservationists, downtown developers, and anyone interested in creating jobs and Maine’s quality of place are invited. Visit the Quality of Place Council's website to register or learn more about the program.

Our Mission

The Environmental Funders Network helps to identify and create ways to improve and sustain Maine’s natural environment. We accomplish our mission by identifying opportunities for individual or joint funding of initiatives, providing opportunities for education and sharing of information to gain a deeper understanding of trends, challenges, and solutions, and encouraging networking. Learn more.