While we were busy in October settling into our new offices in Falmouth, commencing our Grantee Social Change Workshops, and getting to know our six new board members at the annual Board Retreat, we did notice that this fall's foliage and October's weather were nothing short of spectacular. Now, November is upon us, and we are moving into winter months that bring more change, and more beauty to Maine. I'd like to share with you the following three changes at the Fund:
This month we will bid "farewell" to Lauren Dietlin. After more than six years of dedicated service, first as Development Director and then as COO, Lauren has decided to pursue opportunities beyond the Fund. We are excited for her and wish her all the best. She does plan to remain in the area, so we will keep an eye out for her next professional endeavor. Fair winds, Lauren!
Secondly, the Fund is approaching the end of 2014, and our Report to the Community will--for the first time--be available only online. I hope you will take the time to read about all of the Fund's activities during the 2013/2014 fiscal year, some of which include our needs conversations in 15 counties, May's Leadership Luncheon that surpassed all records for attendance and funds raised, as well as grants and technical assistance to support the great work being done to bring economic security to women and girls across Maine.
Finally, we have updated the grants process for 2015. Please take note that the Fund is using a Letter of Interest or "LOI" process before soliciting grant applications. Organizations that would like to be considered for a grant from the Fund's annual Economic Security Initiative will be asked to first submit a brief LOI, the online form which you can find HERE, due December 8, 2014. Organizations whose LOI's are approved will then be invited to submit a grant application on or before February 13, 2015, and decisions about those full applications should be made on or before April 2, 2015, and communicated shortly thereafter. Our goal is to simplify as much as possible the submission and review process for applicants as well as for the granting committee of the Fund.
As always, best to you and yours for a safe, healthy and joyous Thanksgiving with family and friends. We at the Fund are thankful for all you do for Maine women and girls.
Sincerely,
Sarah Ruef-Lindquist
CEO
THE FUND IS HIRING!
Finance, Human Resources and Operations Manager
The Fund seeks an experienced professional with accounting, human resource and office management skills for its Falmouth, Maine office. The successful candidate will have, at a minimum:
Bachelor's Degree; advanced certifications or degrees preferred
Ability to manage multiple projects with close attention to detail and accuracy
Extensive knowledge of QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook applications
Experience with relationship-management software, such as Raiser's Edge
5 years of experience with organizational financial management, human resources and office systems
Experience working with boards and volunteer committees
Two personal references, and three professional references
A more detailed job description is available upon request.
The Maine Women's Fund invites Letters of Interest (LOI) for its 2015 Economic Security Initiative grant cycle. The Fund's website has a full description of its funding priorities and process here.
The Maine Women's Fund welcomes calls from applicants wanting to discuss proposal ideas or with any questions about the application or guidelines. Please contact Kimberly Crichton, Grants Coordinator at 441-4710 or kimberly.crichton@gmail.com.
Successful LOIs will result in an invitation to submit a full grant application. Full grant proposals for invited applicants are due by 5:00PM on February 13, 2015.
The grant awards approved by the Board will be announced in April 2015.
The Maine Women's Fund is proud to premiere a short video outlining the story and mission of the Fund through the voices of the Fund community, images and film. We hope you enjoy!
We welcome you, the Fund community, to share your stories, pictures and memories of 25 Years of Grantmaking with us. Please contact us at thewomen@mainewomensfund.org or at 207-774-5513.
Since its inception the Fund has invested nearly $2M in 180 organizations creating systemic change and improving the quality of life in our communities.
Under its current leadership and strategic plan, the Fund is positioning itself to be a permanent source of philanthropy in Maine for women and girls. We invite you to join us this year as we look back and commemorate the Fund's 25 Years of Grantmaking.
The Maine Women's Fund Founders are:
Nancy Anderson, Tracy Booth, Minette Cummings, Beth Edmonds, Nancy Herter, Mary Hillas, Deborah Johnston, Lucinda Lang, Jacquelin Libby, Gloria Milliken, Margot Milliken, Destry Oldham-Sibley, Marjorie Phyfe, Carol Ward, Ellen Wells, Phoebe M. Whipple and Anne Zill.
SPOTLIGHT
Maine Women's Fund Board of Directors: Donna McNeil
Why do you support the Maine Women's Fund?
I support the Fund for the amazing work they do. I support the Fund because I am moved to make a difference for women and girls. I support the Fund because it provides gap programming and fiscal support for seminal and life changing programs for women and girls.
What do you enjoy about board service?
I enjoy being part of a collective voice for positive change.
What do you know about the Fund that you think most people don't, and should?
The general public should know more about our grantees. If they saw the need and the brilliant and awe inspiring ways in which the dollars are used, generosity would abound and the Fund could provide support for all the great requests.
What is your vision for Maine women and girls?
I would like to see Maine women and girls have access, regardless of their situations, to any and all tools for personal and professional success.
Donna McNeil holds a BFA in Painting from Syracuse University, an MLA in Art History from Harvard University and an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from the Maine College of Art. She is Co-Director of Artists in Context at Maine Media Workshops and is the former Executive Director of the Maine Arts Commission. She has served as a juror for the National Endowment for the Arts, Baker Artist Awards, St. Botolph Awards, MacArthur Foundation, the Piscataquis Artist Advancement grant and worked extensively with Creative Capital Foundation.
SPOTLIGHT ON GRANTEE: GIRLS ON THE RUN
Our second site visit to 2014 grantees occurred on a rainy, gusty Tuesday in October-not exactly the most appealing weather for a Maine organization working to teach girls life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. Yet, at the end of our visit, each and every girl was out in the rain running and laughing.
Girls on the Run volunteer coaches guide the girls through healthy snacktime and conversations about gossip.
A game of telephone helps illustrate how gossip travels.
On October 21, Maine Women's Fund board members, volunteers, donors, and staff met with Girls on the Run-Maine's Emily Clark (Executive Director), Staci Olson (Program Director), and Debbie Megna (Fundraising and Outreach Coordinator and coach) at Lyseth Elementary School in Portland. The group watched (but did not participate) as the girls held their practice.
Girls on the Run-Maine inspires girls, age 8-11 to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running. The Maine branch is a new independent council of the GOTR International program. Created in 1996, Girls on the Run International (GONTRI) now exists in 47 states and Canada, with 225 Councils serving over 120,000 girls/year. The program addresses two areas of concerns faced by young girls today: their physical health and psychological well-being.
Playing "telephone"
Offered are two 10-week seasons per year (fall and spring) during which the girls (in teams of 15 with 3 volunteer coaches) practice twice weekly. Each practice combines a curricular focus with running. The curriculum helps participating girls gain a better understanding of who they are by building their self-confidence, teaching self-respect, and developing healthy habits. They explore the importance of teamwork and healthy relationships; they also work together in teams to complete projects and accomplish goals to realize the power of providing support and encouragement to their peers. The season concludes with an exploration of how they can positively connect with and shape the world, the completion of a community impact project and a 5k (3.1 mile) race. All coaches volunteer their time and they are a mix of teachers, parents, and interested community members.
The curriculum topic for the day we visited was gossip. The girls started with an indoor activity (playing "telephone" to see how gossip is spread), and then moved into warm up activities (mixing the learning topic of the day with some physical activity). Afterwards, they ran laps (they start the season off with 20 minutes of running and working up from there).
We heard the moving story of a student whose mother had enrolled her in Girls on the Run because the mom had just been diagnosed with cancer and knew how much time she'd need to spend away from her daughter, caring for herself. The student participated with some financial assistance, and then turned around and became the top scholarship fundraiser in Extra Mile Fund Drive, raising $500 in addition to maintaining a positive outlook throughout her mother's treatment.
Girls on the Run is rapidly expanding in 2015 in Cumberland, Kennebec, Sagadahoc, Penobscot and York Counties, reaching approximately 750 girls. Most teams have the maximum 15 girls, with many schools needing to wait list interested girls. The organization would like to reach the entire state in the next 5-10 years. This year, GOTR-ME reached approximately 550 girls, with a goal of reaching 2,000 girls a year, five years down the road. They aim to continue to reach further into the state, eventually offering the program statewide.
The most important goal of the program? To help build confidence and self-esteem for all participants. The Maine Women's Fund is proud to be a grantor of this terrific organization. We're excited to see its growth across the state.
Warming up!
From left to right: Marilyn Bronzi (Fund Board), Kay White (Former Board member, Fund Volunteer), Mary Nelson (Fund Board), Robin Hodgskin (Fund Board), GOTR Program Director Staci Olson, Natalie Solotoff (Fund Board), Clara Porter (Fund Board), Rebecca Andreozzi (Fund Board), GOTR Executive Director Emily Clark. Not pictured: Noreen Patient (Fund Board and Grants Committee), Marcie Parker Griswold (Fund Communications & Events Coordinator) and Kimberly Crichton (Fund Grants Coordinator).
Planned Parenthood Launches Gallery Series for Portland's First Friday Art Walk
5:00pm - 8:00pm
PPNNE's One Night Stand Gallery, 443 Congress Street, 3rd floor, Portland, ME
Friday, November 7: Rebecca Lambert (water colors/pastels)
Rebecca Lambert is a self-employed mother, artist, writer, climber and guide. She works in oils, acrylics, pastel, watercolor, and pen and ink. Rebecca's relationship with Planned Parenthood goes back to college when she volunteered as a translator and counselor every Saturday morning for three years. Moved by the women in need with whom she worked and the quality of service Planned Parenthood provided, she has been a supporter ever since.
Friday, December 5: Kasey Gagnon (landscape oil paintings)
Kasey Gagnon is a Maine native who enjoys the freedom that all art brings-from the discussions that are created from the work, to the emotions felt inside. In Kasey's view, art brings people together in so many ways and she feels the same about Planned Parenthood. "PPNNE creates a world where everyone is free to be themselves and be supported...the opportunity to work with PPNNE is me taking part in the community and sharing myself with others as they share themselves with me. I live for my right to express myself how I see fit regarding my art, my body or any aspect of my life. Everyone should feel safe enough to have that freedom."
Students from Maine's Coastal Studies for Girls Win International Science Writing & Art Awards
From the Bow Seat, a national environmental education non-profit, announced the winners of its annual ocean awareness contest and gave away over $27,500 in prizes. This year's contest challenged students to consider the growing international problem of ocean plastic pollution through art, advocacy, and essay projects. The First Place Winners of the 2014 Ocean Awareness Contest received a $1,500 cash prize, and a matching prize will go to their school. Past grantee Coastal Studies for Girls made a great showing:
1st Place Essay Winner Katherine Rigney, Coastal Studies for Girls, Semester 9
Essay Honorable Mention Emma McGurren, Coastal Studies for Girls, Semester 9
Essay Honorable Mention and Judges' Pick Kate Laemmle, Coastal Studies for Girls, Semester 9
Advocacy Film Judges' Pick Spencer Wollan, Coastal Studies for Girls, Semester 8
Through the contest, From the Bow Seat hopes to encourage STEAM education, which emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to learning and engaging students. Congrats to all the winners!
ILAP Partners to Present Portland Genocide Conference
The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project is proud to partner with Maine Wabanaki-State Truth and Reconciliation Commission, REACH, and United to End Genocide to present "Genocide and ME: Shining the Light of Truth" on Thursday, November 20, at USM's Hannaford Hall. Several speakers will explore the ways genocide has touched and continues to touch the lives of those in Maine and its effect worldwide, including former US Representative from Maine Tom Andrews, who is now President of United to End Genocide in Washington DC. Look for registration information soon at www.ILAPmaine.org.
The Maine Women's Fund Kicks off Social Change Workshops
On October 1, the Maine Women's Fund commenced the first of four grantee sessions designed to increase capacity for making positive social change for Maine women and girls. These workshops, led by the Maine Women's Policy Center, bring our grantee organizations together to share and explore experiences and opportunities to address the conditions that create economic insecurity for Maine women and girls.
At this first session in Augusta were staff from the Maine Women's Policy Center, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Program (ILAP), Four Directions, Girls on the Run, Family Crisis Services, Wayfinder Schools, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Neighborhood Housing League of Lewiston, Hardy Girls Healthy Women and Maine Coalition to End Sexual Assault.
Working together in groups, representatives from the grantee organizations discussed the causes of the problems each organization works to change and ways the grantee organizations are already working to create social change at the individual, community or policy level. Participants shared ideas on organizational efforts as diverse as peer mentoring, including staff and board in efforts to advocate for an issue, and tools for celebrating success.
The session provided a powerful reminder of the "big picture" for everyone attending, including the Fund staff. Kimberly Crichton, Grants Coordinator noted, "We are all so busy with the day-to-day demands of our jobs that the opportunity to take some time to learn from each other. Everyone's really different and important work for Maine women and girls is a gift. It reminds us of the power in numbers and in large networks. Together, we can do much more for women and girls than we could ever do alone."
This workshop series is supported by an inaugural grant from a Donor Advised Fund for the Maine Women's Fund.
Current and former grantees of the Maine Women's Fund may send news, events, program updates or other happenings to marcie@mainewomensfund.org by the 20th of each month.
DONOR PROFILE: KATE AND ERICA QUIN-EASTER
Leaving a Legacy of Social Justice: Kate and Erica Quin-Easter
Kate and Erica Quin-Easter's compassion and respect for Maine have motivated them to generously donate their resources and talents to their community. With lifelong interests in statewide social justice, Kate and Erica have supported and worked with many Maine organizations close to their hearts.
With the simple vision of carrying on their work beyond their lifetime, they developed their wills to allow the proceeds of their estate to go to organizations they trust to steward the funds into the future: Women, Work, and Community; Maine Initiatives; Add Verb Productions; EqualityMaine; MCLU; Maine Women's Policy Center; and Maine Women's Fund. Their ultimate goal? "To meet whatever emerging needs exist at that time in the communities we care about. The statewide social justice focus means our money will far outlive us in its usefulness."
Ellen Wells Legacy Society
Named in honor of Maine Women's Fund founder and dedicated philanthropist Ellen Wells, the Ellen Wells Legacy Society recognizes those, who with generosity and thoughtful planning, have included the Maine Women's Fund in their estate plans. This may be done through bequests, trusts, charitable gift annuities, and through life insurance, retirement plan assets, real estate and other planning strategies.
For more information on planned giving options, please contact Sarah Ruef-Lindquist at 207-975-5165.
Friday, November 14, 2014 in Boston, MA | 8:00am - 3:00pm
Dreaming Big: Making the Case for Girls, Focus on Middle Schoolers and Careers
Bringing funders, policymakers, educators and girl-serving organizations together to improve the lives and futures of girls. Simmons College, Linda K. Paresky Conference Center, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA. Registration Fee $35, with college ID $10. Presented by Simmons College and Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts.
Friday, November 21, 2014 in Freeport, ME | 7:30am - 9:00am
"Moving Toward a More Targeted Approach to Strengthening Families and Communities"
Ensuring that Maine children have a solid foundation is a key priority of the Maine Development Foundation and a critical element in building a healthy and productive future workforce. 40,000 Maine children are growing up below 200% of the national poverty level.The John T. Gorman Foundation believes in strategic and measurable impact. Join the Maine Development Foundation for Leadership Unplugged with Tony Cipollone, President and CEO of the John T. Gorman Foundation, in a conversation about strengthening families and communities with a unique and targeted approach.
At the Freeport Community Center; breakfast included.
Learning, Leveraging and Giving for High Impact The Women's Funding Network just released a white paper that features the accomplishments of six women's foundations who came together to share strategies and models for creating effective pathways to women's economic security and stability. "Women's economic security is more than a women's issue--it is also a catalyst for family and community change. When we help women connect to good jobs, the impact spreads wide. This is why women's economic security continues to be a focus for our members, with over 80% of grants within the women's funding community directed to women and girls with low to no income." >>Read more
'She helped me build myself back up': Organization assisting women in need breaks ground on new, expanded facility
An inspiring profile on Rose Scribner, president and founder of the the Indian Women's Mission, which distributes food and clothing to women who are part of the Penobscot Indian Nation, as well as other women in the area seeking help. >>Read more Webinar: Strengthening Women's Economic Security: Grantmaking at Community Colleges
Tuesday, November 18 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
While working to ensure economic security for women, the Women's Foundation of Mississippi noticed that low income women, particularly those who are parenting, have extremely low community college graduation and/or transfer rates. The Women's Foundation commissioned two sets of research to guide their grantmaking in this new area. The data from both sets of research are the basis of a policy report to be released in May 2014. This report describes recommendations for how community colleges can better serve low income women, particularly those who are parenting. This webinar will share the results of this report and will also impart best practices of investing in community college to enhance economic security for women.
The report, released this week, benchmarks national gender gaps of 142 countries on economic, political, education- and health-based criteria. This year is the 9th edition of the Index, allowing for time-series analysis on the changing patterns of gender equality around the world and comparisons between and within countries.
Seeking Nominations for the 2015 Induction into Maine Women's Hall of Fame
The Maine Women's Hall of Fame, established in 1990, is co-sponsored by the Maine Business and Professional Women, the BPW/Maine Futurama Foundation, and the University of Maine at Augusta.
12:30pm - 4:00pm at the Presque Isle Career Center
Free! Pre-registration required: call Suzanne at 207-768-9635 or email.
2014 Kids Count Report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation:
"More than one-third of Maine children live in households where parents lack full-time, year-round employment, while 21 percent of Maine children - or 54,000 - live in poverty." Read the full report here and the Maine report here.
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Walmart Foundation Accepting Applications for Community Grant Program
Through the program, grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to local nonprofit organizations within the service area of individual Walmart stores in support of initiatives in the areas of hunger relief and healthy eating, sustainability, women's economic empowerment, and/or career opportunities.
Mary Byron Project Announces 2015 Roth Award for Domestic Violence Programs
As part of its annual Celebrating Solutions Awards honoring innovative programs in the United States that demonstrate promise in ending the generational cycle of domestic violence, the Mary Byron Project created the Roth Award to reward and spotlight domestic violence programs that address the needs of underserved populations. Eligible programs provide services to populations (including those based on age, race, ethnicity, gender, faith, disabilities, low socioeconomic status, sexual preference, and victims from economically comfortable suburban areas) that traditionally do not know how to avail themselves of services or who are too ashamed to find them.
AAUW Accepting Applications for Community Action Grants The American Association of University Women is accepting applications for its Community Action Grants Program, an annual program that provides funds to individuals, AAUW branches, and AAUW state organizations as well as community-based nonprofit organizations for innovative programs and non-degree research projects that promote education and equity for women and girls.
For individuals working to make their community and the world a better place in the areas of arts and culture, community health and wellness, the environment, and justice.
Invites applications for programs that engage youth and communities in learning opportunities.
Deadline: Open
The Maine Women's Fund thanks MaineShare for its ongoing support. MaineShare makes it easy to donate to more than 30 statewide organizations working every day to make Maine a better place to live. For more information, please visit the website.
On behalf of the staff and board of the Maine Women's Fund, thank you for reading and for all you do to support Maine women and girls.
Office locations:
74 Lunt Road, Suite 100, Falmouth, ME 04105 | 41 Mechanic Street, Suite 328, Camden, ME 04843
Learning, Leveraging and Giving for High Impact
My Money Works
