Cultivating Community
To grow food justice in Greater Portland by providing education, resources, and opportunities to cultivate and share culturally familiar food.
Cultivating Community at a glance
In short: Cultivating Community gave $60K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in Maine. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $59,902
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- Average grant
- $19,967
- Median grant
- $17,000
- Total assets
- $955,007
- +128.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Maine (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Cultivating Community funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was New Roots Cooperative Farm ($27K). Together the top 3 received $60K.
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3 grants of 3 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $60K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Roots Cooperative Farm Lewiston, ME | Immigrant Farmer Fund donations - split between SBCA, CC, & New Roots | $26,951 |
| OK Community Farms Lewiston, ME | Donations to build a well at the farm collected on behalf of OK Community Farms, as part of our farm programming | $17,000 |
| Somali Bantu Community Association Lewiston, ME | Immigrant Farmer Fund donations - split between SBCA, CC, & New Roots | $15,951 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $955,007 | $1,680,904 | $1,431,998 | $59,902 | 3 | $11,998 |
| 2024 | $418,356 | $1,367,688 | $1,263,950 | — | — | $2,184 |
| 2023 | $118,756 | $1,082,326 | $1,145,508 | — | — | $10,737 |
| 2022 | $319,027 | $1,017,213 | $1,105,091 | — | — | $1,080 |
| 2021 | $267,828 | $1,186,256 | $1,061,166 | — | — | $2,043 |
| 2020 | $184,599 | $1,192,248 | $1,151,574 | — | — | $7,467 |
About Cultivating Community
Based on IRS filings
Cultivating Community is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Portland, ME. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $955K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $60K. Net investment income was $12K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Cultivating Community is led by Silvan Shawe, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 2 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Silvan Shawe
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$62K (2023) → $95K (2025)
Marcques Houston
President
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeannie Verrando
Director
On filings since 2023
3.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Khadija Ahmed
Director
On filings since 2023
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amanda Scarpone
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yusuf Escobedo
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mariam Taleb
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meg Rogers
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roberto Rodriquez
Vice President
Interim Co-Director → Co-Executive Director, 2022
Co-Executive Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
$12K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Gillian Cridler
Secretary
On filings since 2023
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James DeBaisi
Treasurer Emeritus
Treasurer → Treasurer Emeritus, 2025
On filings since 2023
3.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chelsea Dias
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
3.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Kathleen McKersie (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Dee Dee Germain (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Elizabeth Manning (2020–2022) — Vice President & Secretary
- Former: Jenn So (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Joan Amory (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ted Spitzer (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Brenda Peluso (2021–2022) — Co-Executive Director
- Former: Waite Maclin (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Alex Readfield (2021) — Interim Co-Director
- Former: Anna Somo (2021) — Interim Co-Director
- Former: C. Waite Maclin (2020) — Director
- Former: Dave Colson (2020) — Director
- Former: Emily Green (2020) — Director
- Former: Joan Daly (2020) — Director
- Former: Samar Ahmed (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $95K, to Silvan Shawe (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Cultivating Community
How much does Cultivating Community give each year?
Cultivating Community gave $60K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
What is Cultivating Community's typical grant size?
Cultivating Community's median grant in 2025 was $17,000, and its average grant was $19,967, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Cultivating Community give grants?
Cultivating Community gives mostly in Maine: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lewiston, ME (3 grants).
Does Cultivating Community give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Cultivating Community's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is Cultivating Community?
Cultivating Community reported $955K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.7M.
What is Cultivating Community?
Cultivating Community is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Portland, ME. It holds $955K in total assets as of 2025.
What is Cultivating Community's EIN?
Cultivating Community's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3607322. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 21, 2026)
Live grants for the work Cultivating Community funds
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cultivating Community's focus areas in our free grants database
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