Momentum Conservation
Momentum Conservation is a Portland, Maine-based public charity that supports conservation organizations and practitioners through grantmaking, capacity building, and convening. Its work is rooted in Maine, which its website describes as Wabanaki homelands, and emphasizes connections to land, justice for people, and an inclusive conservation movement.
Momentum Conservation at a glance
In short: Momentum Conservation gave $455K across 44 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Maine. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $455,000
- +18.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 44
- +83.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,341
- -35.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $142,828
- -30.9% 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.
How to apply to Momentum Conservation
- How to Apply
-
The funder’s website describes an online application process for eligible Maine land trusts. Applicants must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) or use a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, and must have a valid EIN. The 2026 application period is past: it opened March 25, 2026, and closed April 24, 2026. The website said decisions would be sent by email and that community grant reviewers participate in the review process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 22 Monument Square Suite 601, Portland, ME 04101
Phone: (207) 699-2989
Website: https://momentumconservation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Momentum Conservation
Who Momentum Conservation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Bomazeen Land Trust ($20K). Together the top 10 received $165K.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 93 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Land Trust Grant Fund is for land trusts operating in Maine. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2025 went to recipients in Maine. Momentum describes its broader work as serving conservation organizations and practitioners in Wabanaki homelands, now called Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Momentum Conservation gives
- 43% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3K (2022) to $455K (2025). In 2025 it made 44 grants totaling $455K.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bomazeen Land Trust Portland, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $20,000 |
| Land in Common Greene, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $20,000 |
| Three Rivers Land Trust Alfred, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $20,000 |
| Blue Hill Heritage Trust Blue Hill, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $15,000 |
| Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust Damariscotta, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $15,000 |
| Francis Small Heritage Trust Limerick, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $15,000 |
| Greater Lovell Land Trust Lovell, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $15,000 |
| Loon Echo Land Trust Inc Bridgton, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $15,000 |
| Mahoosuc Land Trust Inc Bethel, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $15,000 |
| Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust Portland, ME | To strengthen land trusts throughout Maine with resources necessary to grow and succeed | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Momentum Conservation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $142,828 | $948,699 | $1,013,416 | $455,000 | 44 | $7,723 |
| 2024 | $206,813 | $990,579 | $906,863 | $385,000 | 24 | $489 |
| 2023 | $119,935 | $638,956 | $633,418 | $275,000 | 23 | — |
| 2022 | $114,068 | $271,667 | $260,361 | $3,000 | Total only | — |
| 2021 | $101,731 | $516,535 | $513,807 | $280,000 | 2 | — |
| 2020 | $102,652 | $252,835 | $194,742 | — | — | — |
"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 September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to work collectively in Maine to create mutually beneficial relationships with the earth, communities, and people through the conservation movement. Its website describes an equity-focused approach and a vision of land being returned, restored, and stewarded, alongside restoring sovereignty to Indigenous people.
The Land Trust Grant Fund aims to strengthen land trusts’ governance, leadership, strategic planning, financial stability, programming, and organizational development; advance equity and inclusion; broaden community engagement; build connections for shared learning; and support conservation rooted in community, with conserved land accessible to a broad range of people. Applicants are prioritized if they are working to center justice, open to trying new things, willing to share learnings, and committed to challenging colonial systems in conservation.
The 2025 filing describes grants as support for the operational finances of land trusts and other conservation organizations. Grantees’ missions illustrate the range of work represented: Land in Common says it places land in a member-run trust for long-term care by residents and supports cooperative, resilient futures; Bomazeen Land Trust says it enables Abenaki/Wabanaki descendants to renew caretaking and stewardship of significant lands and waters; and Portland Trails describes work to expand and enhance trails while fostering inclusive partnerships and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Momentum reported 44 grants totaling $455,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest listed awards were $20,000 each to Bomazeen Land Trust, Land in Common, and Three Rivers Land Trust. Other listed awards included $15,000 each to Blue Hill Heritage Trust, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, Francis Small Heritage Trust, Greater Lovell Land Trust, Loon Echo Land Trust, Mahoosuc Land Trust, Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust, Portland Trails, and Western Foothills Land Trust.
Momentum announced 40 recipients of its 2026 Land Trust Grant Fund in August 2026, describing the program as annual general operating support for Maine land trusts. It said applications would open again in spring 2027.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Andrea Berry as president; Chelsey Berlin as treasurer; Andrew Mackie, Kent Redford, Helen Scalia, and John Spencer as officers; and Jessica Burton as executive director.
Momentum Conservation is led by Jessica Burton, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 7 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jessica Burton
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$66K (2020) → $74K (2025)
Andrea Berry
President
Director → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Spencer
Officer
President → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Mackie
Officer
Director → Officer, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chelsey Berlin
Treasurer
Officer → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Helen Scalia
Officer
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kent Redford
Officer
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Danielle Olsen (2023–2024) — Officer
- Former: Eric Topper (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Jaime Parker (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Jon Kachmar (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Richard Rhames (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Stephanie Smith (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Alex Redfield (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Cheri Dunning (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Peter Zack (2023) — Director
- Former: Charlie Baldwin (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Dick Jarrett (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Eric Trooper (2022) — Director
- Former: Doreen Johnson (2020–2021) — Program Manager
- Former: Ned Daly (2020–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Paul Hunt (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Richard Rottkov (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Denny Gallaudet (2020) — Director
- Former: Heather McCargo (2020) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Melville (2020) — Director
- Former: Larissa Crockett (2020) — Director
- Former: Rich Bard (2020) — Director
- Former: Warren Whitney (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 $74K, to Jessica Burton (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Momentum Conservation
How much does Momentum Conservation give each year?
Momentum Conservation gave $455K across 44 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $385K across 24 grants.
What is Momentum Conservation's typical grant size?
Momentum Conservation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,341, across 44 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Momentum Conservation give grants?
Momentum Conservation 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 Portland, ME (4 grants), Bethel, ME (2 grants), Kennebunkport, ME (2 grants) and Yarmouth, ME (2 grants).
Does Momentum Conservation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 44 grants with a stated purpose on Momentum Conservation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Momentum Conservation's largest grantees?
Momentum Conservation's largest 2025 grantees include Bomazeen Land Trust ($20,000), Land in Common ($20,000) and Three Rivers Land Trust ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Momentum Conservation?
Momentum Conservation reported $143K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $949K.
What does Momentum Conservation fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to work collectively in Maine to create mutually beneficial relationships with the earth, communities, and people through the conservation movement. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Momentum Conservation?
The funder’s website describes an online application process for eligible Maine land trusts. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Momentum Conservation's EIN?
Momentum Conservation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-5011505. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 24, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 12, 2022)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 27, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 25, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Momentum Conservation funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Momentum Conservation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Davis Conservation Foundation
Yarmouth, ME
The Davis Conservation Foundation funds 501(c)(3) organizations working on wildlife, habitat, environmental protection, outdoor recreation, and community involvement, with priority for the Northern Forest and Gulf of Maine, then Northern New England. Its 2024 grants had a median of about $17,000 and ranged from $6,000 to $181,000. It accepts applications through its online system and does not require a pre-proposal or letter of inquiry.
Assets
$40.3M
Grants
62
Total Given
$1.5M
John Sage Foundation
Portland, ME
The John Sage Foundation funds Maine projects that strengthen the relationship between people and the natural environment, including conservation, restoration, environmental research, and education, with priority for smaller organizations. Its guidelines list grants of $500–$50,000; recent awards ranged from $2,000 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000. It accepts applications through an annual cycle, but applications are currently closed and the next application is expected in late 2026 for 2027.
Assets
$3.6M
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27
Total Given
$162K
Fields Pond Foundation Inc
Auburndale, MA
Fields Pond Foundation supports community-based nature and land conservation projects that engage local residents, especially land protection, public access, stewardship, and related education in New England and upper New York State. Grants are typically $5,000–$15,000, with awards ranging from $500 to $25,000; it accepts unsolicited proposals and concept papers at any time.
Assets
$10.1M
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43
Total Given
$528K
Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Topsham, ME
Maine Coast Heritage Trust supports land conservation and related stewardship and access work, primarily in Maine, often through local land trusts and conservation organizations. Its 2024 grants ranged from $800 to $1,205,465, with a median of $80,000; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$312.2M
Grants
17
Total Given
$3.7M
Onion Foundation
Auburn, ME
Onion Foundation funds Maine nonprofits working in the arts and environment, including nature learning, with particular attention to rural and underserved communities. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $625,000, with a median of $15,000. It accepts unsolicited requests through its online grant portal.
Assets
$63.6M
Grants
245
Total Given
$4.4M
Quimby Family Foundation
Portland, ME
The Quimby Family Foundation supports Maine-based nonprofits advancing human well-being through movement and nourishment, especially outdoor experiences, regional plant-based food, and equitable access for under-resourced communities. Its 2024 grants ranged from $2,500 to $45,000, with a median of $10,000. It accepts unsolicited requests through an open application process, with two application periods each year.
Assets
$21.5M
Grants
97
Total Given
$1.1M
More similar funders
More Funders in Maine
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Momentum Conservation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/momentum-conservation-morg_53220d4ada10486d97ac3131e0b55dae
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_455011505_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Momentum Conservation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/momentum-conservation-morg_53220d4ada10486d97ac3131e0b55dae},
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 Momentum Conservation'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.
Momentum Conservation down — hundreds of funders to go?