MES Foundation
MES Foundation is a private foundation based in Alfred, Maine, that supports Maine students pursuing post-secondary education through scholarships. The foundation says it shifted its focus in 2015 from loan administration, college-access, and outreach activities to providing scholarships, and changed its name from Maine Education Services to MES Foundation in April 2016.
MES Foundation at a glance
In short: MES Foundation gave $216K across 45 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in Maine. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $216,000
- +5.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- +7.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $4,800
- -2.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,838,218
- +4.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Maine (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to MES Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s listed process is an online scholarship application. Applicants must be Maine residents entering their first year of post-secondary education and intend to enroll in, or be enrolled in, an accredited two- or four-year degree-granting college or university. The application materials listed on the filing include transcripts, SAT scores, FAFSA, an essay, and a letter of recommendation; the website also lists two letters of recommendation and a personal essay of at least 300 words. The application window listed on the website is January 1 through April 1; that window has passed for 2026.
- Review Cycle
- April 1.
- Deadline
- April 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Mes Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 1296, Alfred, ME 04002
Phone: (207) 791-3600
Email: info@mesfoundation.org
Website: https://www.mesfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who MES Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
210 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 210 grants of 210 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing shows that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maine. The scholarship eligibility criteria require recipients to be Maine residents.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How MES Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 124% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $185K (2022) to $216K (2024). In 2024 it made 45 grants totaling $216K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 45 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $216,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,838,218 | $443,675 | $327,562 | $216,000 | 45 | $290,514 | $404,085 | $233,782 |
| 2023 | $4,627,835 | $278,288 | $319,305 | $205,750 | 42 | $278,095 | $241,580 | $211,828 |
| 2022 | $3,983,199 | $82,722 | $297,796 | $185,000 | 37 | $257,052 | $49,000 | $207,341 |
| 2021 | $4,679,393 | $465,357 | $322,647 | $210,500 | 43 | $282,141 | $428,259 | $218,156 |
| 2020 | $4,430,373 | $1,033,063 | $280,437 | $197,000 | 43 | — | $1,019,889 | $181,858 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, MES Foundation reported a distributable amount of $234K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
MES describes its work as expanding access to higher education for Maine students through college scholarship opportunities. Its Richard H. Pierce Memorial Scholarship is awarded based on academic merit and financial need, with the stated goal of helping students who might otherwise be unable to continue their post-secondary education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, MES reported 45 grants totaling $216,000. Individual grants ranged from $500 to $5,000, with a median of $5,000. The listed grants went to individual recipients in Maine; the largest were $5,000 awards for the Richard H. Pierce Memorial Scholarship. Separately, the foundation’s website reported that the scholarship program awarded $300,000 to 15 Maine students in June 2024.
The website lists 20 renewable scholarships of $5,000 each. Awards may be renewed for up to four years, depending on the student’s grade level. Recipients must earn at least 12 credits per semester and maintain a 2.5 GPA to receive renewable awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kristie Hurlburt as President/Executive Director; Todd Cesca as Director/Chair; Scott Albert as Director/Vice Chair; Darren Hurlburt as Director/Secretary; Guy Langevin and Christopher Bell as Directors; and Donald Reynolds as Director/Treasurer through July 2024. Timothy Sabo is listed as Director/Treasurer beginning in August 2024.
MES Foundation is led by Kristie Hurlburt, President & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 8 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kristie Hurlburt
President & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$50K (2020) → $59K (2024)
Todd Cesca
Director & Chair
Director → Director & Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Bell
Director
Director & Vice Chair → Director & Chair, 2022
Director & Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darren Hurlburt
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald Reynolds
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Guy Langevin
Director
Director & Chair → Director & Vice Chair, 2022
Director & Vice Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Albert
Director & Vice Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Sabo
Director & Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: James Totten (2020) — Director & 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $59K, to Kristie Hurlburt (President/Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about MES Foundation
How much does MES Foundation give each year?
MES Foundation gave $216K across 45 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $206K across 42 grants.
What is MES Foundation's typical grant size?
MES Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,800, across 45 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does MES Foundation give grants?
MES Foundation gives mostly in Maine: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does MES Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 45 grants with a stated purpose on MES Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Richard H. Pierce Memorial Scholarship" (45 grants).
How large is MES Foundation?
MES Foundation reported $4.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $291K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $234K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does MES Foundation fund?
MES describes its work as expanding access to higher education for Maine students through college scholarship opportunities. Its Richard H. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from MES Foundation?
The foundation’s listed process is an online scholarship application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is MES Foundation's EIN?
MES Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0471533. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Figures come from MES Foundation'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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