Maine Coast Fishermens Assn
Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA) is a public charity based in Brunswick, Maine. It works on behalf of Maine’s community-based fishermen, with activities spanning sustainable fisheries, access to working waterfronts, fisheries innovation, and support for fishing communities.
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn at a glance
In short: Maine Coast Fishermens Assn gave $85K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in Maine. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $85,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- Average grant
- $5,000
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,473,218
- +27.0% vs 2023
- 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.
How to apply to Maine Coast Fishermens Assn
- How to Apply
-
The filing describes an open application process for the disaster-recovery grants. Applicants were asked about damages and rebuilding plans, and selected recipients acknowledged the intended use of the grant and were followed up on by MCFA.
- Contact
Mailing address: 93 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011
Phone: (207) 956-0752
Website: https://mainecoastfishermen.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Maine Coast Fishermens Assn funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wottons Lobster Wharf LLC ($5K). Together the top 10 received $50K.
Grant Size Distribution
17 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 17 grants of 17 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
MCFA describes its work as serving Maine’s fishing communities and addressing fisheries issues in Maine and beyond, including through regional and national advocacy. All 2024 itemized grant dollars went to recipients in Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $15K (2022) to $85K (2024). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $85K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wottons Lobster Wharf LLC Bristol, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| Sea Meadow Marine Foundation Yarmouth, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| Bob Williams Company Stonington, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| Ditto Inc Bailey Island, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| Jason Joyce Swans Island, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| Tapley Cove Oyster CO Brooksville, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| David Lunt Frenchboro, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| Rumery Lobster Inc Milbridge, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| Benjamin Heanssler Deer Isle, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
| CW Johnson Inc Harpswell, ME | Disaster Storm Recovery | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Maine Coast Fishermens Assn?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,473,218 | $3,487,288 | $2,598,671 | $85,000 | 17 | $151,702 |
| 2023 | $3,521,349 | $2,922,167 | $1,820,024 | — | — | $66,538 |
| 2022 | $2,216,534 | $1,710,661 | $1,610,193 | $15,000 | Total only | $9,424 |
| 2021 | $1,760,264 | $1,689,910 | $1,604,221 | — | — | $6,354 |
| 2020 | $1,658,455 | $1,744,192 | $1,346,776 | — | — | $5,396 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
MCFA’s stated mission is to inform natural resource management, support equitable access to healthy fisheries, and contribute to the long-term well-being of community-based fishermen, their families, businesses, and communities in Maine.
Its work includes fisheries policy and research, preserving working waterfront and access to fisheries, and supporting fishing and business innovation. The organization’s filing describes outreach and public education, advocacy with partner organizations, and research on fishing gear, changing oceans, seafood quality, fishing-community socioeconomic conditions, and family wellness. It also describes ecosystem preservation for the benefit of the public and coastal fishing communities.
A grantee, Sea Meadow Marine Foundation, describes its own mission as preserving Maine’s working waterfront through a collaborative, sustainable approach, while supporting the marine economy and integrating environmental science and educational opportunities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, MCFA reported 17 grants totaling $85,000. Each listed grant was $5,000. The filing describes a separate disaster-recovery effort in which MCFA awarded $5,000 grants to 40 fishery-related working-waterfront property owners after winter storms; the 2024 itemized grant data lists 17 grants.
Listed recipients included Wottons Lobster Wharf LLC, Sea Meadow Marine Foundation, Bob Williams Company, Ditto Inc, and Tapley Cove Oyster Co, each receiving $5,000 for disaster storm recovery. The itemized grants were all to recipients in Maine.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Benjamin D. Martens as executive director and Jill G. Harlow as chief operating officer. It lists Alex Todd as chair, Gerry Cushman as vice chair, and Andrew Kraus as secretary. Kevin Lipson, David Schwartz, and Nikki Strout are listed with the development committee; Bryan Bichrest and Randy Cushman are listed with the policy committee.
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn is led by Benjamin D. Martens, Executive Director since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 11 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Benjamin D. Martens
Executive Director
Manager → Executive Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$92K (2022) → $111K (2024)
Alex Todd
Chair
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jill G. Harlow
Chief Operating Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$118K (2024)
Andrew Kraus
Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bryan Bichrest
Policy Committee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Schwartz
Development Committee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gerry Cushman
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Lipson
Development Committee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Randy Cushman
Policy Committee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nikki Strout
Development Committee
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Desgrosseilliers
Treasurer
Development Committee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Lee Walker (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Kate Curran (2020–2022) — Development Committee
- Former: Ben McKinney (2022) — Development & Policy Ctees
- Former: Jamieson Webking (2020) — Development Committee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $118K, to Jill G Harlow (Chief Operating Officer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Maine Coast Fishermens Assn
How much does Maine Coast Fishermens Assn give each year?
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn gave $85K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990.
What is Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's typical grant size?
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,000, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Maine Coast Fishermens Assn give grants?
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn 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 Harpswell, ME (2 grants) and Beals, ME (2 grants).
Does Maine Coast Fishermens Assn give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Disaster Storm Recovery" (17 grants).
Who are Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's largest grantees?
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's largest 2024 grantees include Wottons Lobster Wharf LLC ($5,000), Sea Meadow Marine Foundation ($5,000) and Bob Williams Company ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Maine Coast Fishermens Assn?
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What does Maine Coast Fishermens Assn fund?
MCFA’s stated mission is to inform natural resource management, support equitable access to healthy fisheries, and contribute to the long-term well-being of community-based fishermen, their families, businesses, and communities in Maine. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Maine Coast Fishermens Assn?
The filing describes an open application process for the disaster-recovery grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's EIN?
Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4337702. 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 16, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Maine Coast Fishermens Assn's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Maine Coast Fishermens Assn funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/maine-coast-fishermens-assn-morg_c1e68f32abc64d7db8cd1200abcbf27b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134337702_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Maine Coast Fishermens Assn funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/maine-coast-fishermens-assn-morg_c1e68f32abc64d7db8cd1200abcbf27b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Maine Coast Fishermens Assn'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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