Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) is a public charity based in Topsham, Maine, that works with partners to conserve the state’s lands and waters. Founded in 1970, it supports land protection, stewardship, public access, and conservation collaboration across Maine.
Maine Coast Heritage Trust at a glance
In short: Maine Coast Heritage Trust gave $3.7M across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $215K), mostly in Maine. 53% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,656,739
- -60.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +21.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $215,102
- -67.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $115,000
- Total assets
- $312,200,748
- +4.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (9 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maine (78% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Maine Coast Heritage Trust
- Review Cycle
- The listed 2026 Espy Award and internship deadlines have passed.
- Deadline
- The listed 2026 Espy Award and internship deadlines have passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1 Bowdoin Mill Island 201, Topsham, ME 04086
Phone: (207) 729-7366
Website: https://mcht.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Maine Coast Heritage Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Biddeford Pool Land Trust ($1.2M). Together the top 10 received $3.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 67 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
MCHT states that its mission is focused on conserving lands and waters in Maine and describes its land trust support as serving organizations across the state. In 2024, 76% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Maine, 23% to Virginia, and 1% to Massachusetts; the filing also reports 0% each for California and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Maine Coast Heritage Trust open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 17 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $72K; repeat grants $376K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $271K repeat.
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 $1.4M (2021) to $9.3M (2023). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Biddeford Pool Land Trust Biddeford Pool, ME | Land Conservation | $1,205,465 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Land Conservation | $750,000 |
| Downeast Salmon Federation Columbia Falls, ME | Land Conservation | $349,184 |
| York Land Trust York, ME | Land Conservation | $288,441 |
| Kennebec Estuary Land Trust Bath, ME | Land Conservation | $254,486 |
| The Forest Society of Maine Bangor, ME | Land Conservation | $200,000 |
| The Community School Mount Desert, ME | Land Conservation | $127,835 |
| Crabtree Neck Land Trust Hancock, ME | Land Conservation | $125,000 |
| Niweskok Milford, ME | Land Conservation | $115,000 |
| Blue Hill Heritage Trust Blue Hill, ME | Land Conservation | $94,337 |
Ready to take the next step with Maine Coast Heritage Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $312,200,748 | $21,977,989 | $17,027,299 | $3,656,739 | 17 | $8,167,007 |
| 2023 | $298,161,205 | $26,628,849 | $20,722,142 | $9,314,821 | 14 | $4,724,872 |
| 2022 | $280,515,892 | $22,546,705 | $12,766,248 | $1,959,368 | 10 | $4,517,654 |
| 2021 | $288,737,271 | $21,037,195 | $11,258,952 | $1,402,707 | 13 | $5,606,408 |
| 2020 | $263,797,312 | $19,850,749 | $11,344,458 | $2,065,833 | 13 | $4,687,689 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
MCHT’s mission is to advance the conservation of lands and waters in Maine to ensure ecological well-being and foster thriving communities. Its work includes conserving land and water, caring for conserved places, supporting outdoor experiences and water access, and providing training, education, and technical assistance to Maine’s land trust network. Its stated focus areas include healthy coastal ecosystems and climate response, community well-being, and accelerating conservation statewide.
MCHT’s 2024 grants were reported for land conservation. Recipients included local land trusts and other conservation organizations. For example, Biddeford Pool Land Trust describes its mission as conserving the natural resources of Biddeford Pool and nearby areas for the public’s benefit; Downeast Salmon Federation describes its mission as conserving wild Atlantic salmon and habitat in eastern Maine; and The Nature Conservancy describes its mission as conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends.
Grantmaking
The largest awards included $1,205,465 to Biddeford Pool Land Trust, $750,000 to The Nature Conservancy, $349,184 to Downeast Salmon Federation, $288,441 to York Land Trust, and $200,000 to The Forest Society of Maine. The stated purpose for these listed grants was land conservation.
MCHT also presents the Espy Land Heritage Award to an individual, organization, agency, or coalition for contributions to land conservation in Maine. The 2026 award provides $5,000 to the nonprofit organization chosen by the recipient. The 2026 cycle’s stated deadline was February 27, 2026, which has passed.
MCHT’s Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship Program pairs Maine-connected students with land trusts and conservation organizations for paid summer internships. The stipend is paid to interns, so this is not a grant program for outside applicants. The 2026 applicant cycle deadline was February 13, 2026, and the host-organization cycle deadline was December 1, 2025; both have passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Thomas Armstrong Jr as Chair, MacKenzie Davis as Vice Chair, and Judy Wallingford as Treasurer. Directors listed are John Adelman, Ann Amstutz Hayes, Emily Beck, Emily Bruce, Darron Collins, Alejendra Geiger-Ortiz, and Katherine Jans.
Maine Coast Heritage Trust is led by Katherine D Stookey, President & CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2022); 7 of 28 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katherine D Stookey
President & CEO
President → President & CEO, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$182K (2022) → $213K (2024)
Thomas Armstrong Jr.
Chair
Chair → Chair & Past Interim President, 2022
Chair & Past Interim President → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joanne Favreau
Senior Director of Finance & Administrator
Director of Finance & Administrator → Director of Finance & Administration, 2023
Director of Finance & Administration → Senior Director of Finance & Administrator, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$99K (2020) → $183K (2024)
Nichole Blanchard
Senior Director of Committee & Philanthropy
Director of Engagement → Senior Director of Committee & Philanthropy, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$104K (2021) → $172K (2024)
Elizabeth Ham
Senior Director of Land Protection
Director of Land Protection → Senior Director of Land Protection, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$107K (2022) → $162K (2024)
Amanda Devine
Senior Director of Stewardship
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$126K (2024)
Angela Twitchell
Senior Director of Partnerships & Pub Policy
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$123K (2024)
Emily Beck
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emily Bruce
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Adelman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Jans
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Spencer
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheridan Steele
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christina Millet
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alejendra Geiger-Ortiz
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Amstutz Hayes
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amory Logan
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin Twining
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nova Tower
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip Ryan
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darron Collins
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Nitze
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Rogers
Associate Director of Human Resources
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$126K (2024)
Edward E Wendell Jr.
Past Director
Director → Past Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judy Wallingford
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
M Cameron Barrow
Past Director
Director → Past Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
MacKenzie Davis
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alexandra Hopkins
Past Director
Director → Past Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Jane Arbuckle (2020–2023) — Director of Stewardship
- Former: Jean Wheeler (2020–2023) — Past Director
- Former: Karin Marchetti (2020–2023) — General Counsel
- Former: Lucy McCarthy (2020–2023) — Past Vice Chair
- Former: Alix Hopkins (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Arthur C Martinez (2020–2022) — Past Treasurer
- Former: Ben Twining (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: David Reis (2020–2022) — Past Director
- Former: John Forsgren (2020–2022) — Past Director
- Former: Joseph W Hammer (2020–2022) — Past Director
- Former: Stephen Sullens (2020–2022) — Past Director
- Former: Thomas E Ireland (2020–2022) — Past Director
- Former: Elizabeth Gilmore (2020–2021) — Past Director
- Former: William T Glidden (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Jennifer Mahoney (2020) — Past Director
- Former: Melissa Paly (2020) — Past Director
- Former: Richard Knox (2020) — Director of Communications
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 $213K, to Katherine D Stookey (President and CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Maine Coast Heritage Trust
How much does Maine Coast Heritage Trust give each year?
Maine Coast Heritage Trust gave $3.7M across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $9.3M across 14 grants.
What is Maine Coast Heritage Trust's typical grant size?
Maine Coast Heritage Trust's median grant in 2024 was $115,000, and its average grant was $215,102, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Maine Coast Heritage Trust that year got $72K on average.
Where does Maine Coast Heritage Trust give grants?
Maine Coast Heritage Trust gives mostly in Maine: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were Mount Desert, ME (2 grants).
Does Maine Coast Heritage Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Maine Coast Heritage Trust's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Land Conservation" (17 grants).
Who are Maine Coast Heritage Trust's largest grantees?
Maine Coast Heritage Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Biddeford Pool Land Trust ($1,205,465), The Nature Conservancy ($750,000) and Downeast Salmon Federation ($349,184), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Maine Coast Heritage Trust?
Maine Coast Heritage Trust reported $312.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $22.0M.
What does Maine Coast Heritage Trust fund?
MCHT’s mission is to advance the conservation of lands and waters in Maine to ensure ecological well-being and foster thriving communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Maine Coast Heritage Trust?
Maine Coast Heritage Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check mcht.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Maine Coast Heritage Trust's EIN?
Maine Coast Heritage Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7099105. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 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 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Maine Coast Heritage Trust funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Maine Coast Heritage Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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More similar funders
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Maine Coast Heritage Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/maine-coast-heritage-trust-morg_615a38f8fc2a4c07a728ed70aeba52cb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237099105_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Maine Coast Heritage Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/maine-coast-heritage-trust-morg_615a38f8fc2a4c07a728ed70aeba52cb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Heritage Trust'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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