Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund
The Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund is a public charity based in Ellsworth, Maine, that makes grants to nonprofit organizations serving the Greater Portland area. Its current grant program supports youth engagement projects for middle and high school students in that area.
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund at a glance
In short: Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund gave $89K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Maine. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $89,487
- +21.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- +25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,949
- -2.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $2,531,560
- +5.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maine (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund
- How to Apply
-
The fund’s program page directs applicants to apply online. A Microsoft Word version of the application is available after the application opens.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 cycle’s September 15 deadline has passed. The page lists applications opening July 15 and notification by December 30.
- Deadline
- The 2026 cycle’s September 15 deadline has passed.
- Next open deadline
- February 17, 2027 (Community Building Grant Program)
- Contact
Mailing address: 245 Main Street, Ellsworth, ME 04605
Phone: (207) 667-9735
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund
Who Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was 317 Main Street Community Music Center Inc ($10K). Together the top 10 received $89K.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 48 grants of 48 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund benefits organizations serving Greater Portland. Its current program requires projects to be based in Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Falmouth, Gorham, Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, Westbrook, or Yarmouth. The 2024 IRS filing reports that all grant dollars went to recipients in Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 20% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $74K (2022) to $89K (2024). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $89K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 317 Main Street Community Music Center Inc Yarmouth, ME | Performing Arts Schools | $10,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maine Portland, ME | Boys & Girls Clubs | $10,000 |
| Mayo Street Arts Portland, ME | Youth Program | $10,000 |
| Portland Housing Services Corporation Portland, ME | Low-Income & Subsidized Rental Housing | $10,000 |
| Telling Room Portland, ME | Arts Education | $10,000 |
| The Center for Grieving Children Portland, ME | Intercultural Peer Support Program,Counseling | $10,000 |
| Maine Audubon Society Falmouth, ME | Environmental Education | $9,987 |
| LearningWorks Portland, ME | Neighborhood Centers | $7,000 |
| Foundation for Portland Public Schools Portland, ME | Student Programs | $6,500 |
| Yellow Tulip Project Portland, ME | Mental Health Associations | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,531,560 | $300,667 | $158,169 | $89,487 | 10 |
| 2023 | $2,397,058 | $216,793 | $154,679 | $73,500 | 8 |
| 2022 | $2,252,826 | $100,182 | $149,807 | $73,500 | 9 |
| 2021 | $2,719,591 | $159,530 | $152,106 | $78,000 | 10 |
| 2020 | $2,376,955 | $82,757 | $137,129 | $81,500 | 11 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s stated mission is to support the Maine Community Foundation and its charitable and educational purposes. Its 2024 filing describes grantmaking focused on young children from birth to age eight, their families and teachers, and youth leadership programs for students through high school. It says discrete project requests are preferred over general operating requests.
The fund’s current program description focuses on youth engagement projects for middle and high school students. Recent grantees illustrate a range of work: the Telling Room describes its mission as empowering youth through writing; Mayo Street Arts says it engages area youth in the arts; and the Center for Grieving Children describes its work as providing peer support and education to grieving children, teens, families, and the community. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
The 2024 IRS filing reports 10 grants totaling $89,487. Awards ranged from $6,000 to $10,000, with a median of $10,000. The fund’s Maine Community Foundation webpage lists 2025 awards to organizations including Rippleffect ($10,000), the Telling Room ($10,000), Mayo Street Arts ($10,000), and the Center for Grieving Children ($4,000).
The fund’s current program information describes project grants for new or expanding engagement programs for middle and high school-aged youth. It encourages collaboration between organizations; collaborating organizations must provide letters from their executive directors explaining their roles, and partnerships with schools require a letter from a school official. The program will not award a grant to the same organization for four consecutive years. Applicants must meet Maine Community Foundation eligibility requirements and its nondiscrimination policy.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Erik C Jorgensen and Nicole Witherbee as trustees, and Katharine Fullam Harris as chair and trustee. It also lists Deborah Ellwood as Maine Community Foundation president and CEO. Michele Camarco is listed as treasurer and Maine Community Foundation CFO through October 2024; Brendon Reay is listed in that role beginning in December 2024.
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund is led by Deborah Ellwood, McF President & CEO on every filing since 2022; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Deborah Ellwood
McF President & CEO
On filings since 2022
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katharine Fullam Harris
Chair & Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erik C Jorgensen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Witherbee
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michele Camarco
Treasurer & McF CFO
Treasurer → Treasurer & McF CFO, 2022
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brendon Reay
Treasurer & McF CFO
New on the 2024 filing
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Sterling Speirn (2022) — McF President & CEO
- Former: James E Geary (2020–2021) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund
How much does Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund give each year?
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund gave $89K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $74K across 8 grants.
What is Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's typical grant size?
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $8,949, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund that year got $8K on average.
Where does Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund give grants?
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund gives mostly in Maine: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, ME (8 grants).
Does Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's largest grantees?
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's largest 2024 grantees include 317 Main Street Community Music Center Inc ($10,000), Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maine ($10,000) and Mayo Street Arts ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund?
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $301K.
What does Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund fund?
The fund’s stated mission is to support the Maine Community Foundation and its charitable and educational purposes. Its 2024 filing describes grantmaking focused on young children from birth to age eight, their families and teachers, and youth leadership programs for students through high school. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund?
The fund’s program page directs applicants to apply online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's EIN?
Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0473137. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 31, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/edward-h-daveis-benevolent-fund-morg_c957b1f72bb74da0a5ccae2c08cd8c37
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_010473137_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/edward-h-daveis-benevolent-fund-morg_c957b1f72bb74da0a5ccae2c08cd8c37},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-31. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Edward H Daveis Benevolent Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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