Oak Grove School
Oak Grove School is a private foundation located in East Vassalboro, Maine, established in 1993. The foundation was created following the closure of Oak Grove-Coburn, a private Quaker school in Vassalboro, and the subsequent sale of its facilities. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation dedicated to providing financial assistance to Central Maine schools and nonprofits.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.8M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$103K
-23.1% YoY
Grant Count
70
-17.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1K
-6.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Oak Grove School reported a distributable amount of $89K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to provide scholarships and educational assistance to various schools and organizations. The foundation supports heritage preservation through arts initiatives, educational technology projects, environmental education equipment, visiting artist programs, and video documentation projects. The foundation also owns and contributes to the maintenance of the Oak Grove Chapel (River Meetinghouse) in Vassalboro, a historic chapel built in 1786 that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Grantmaking
Oak Grove School Foundation distributes funds through two primary grant programs:
Review Cycle
for mini grants is the first Friday in October. The Sandy River Charitable Foundation contributes to the mini grant fund.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses its grantmaking on Central Maine organizations and schools.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $1,818,799
- Total Revenues: $141,287
- Total Expenses: $129,542
- Total Giving: $103,018
- Number of Grants Made: 65
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,818,799 | $1,807,054 | $1,660,701 |
| Revenue | $141,287 | $306,092 | $222,183 |
| Expenses | $129,542 | $159,739 | $135,482 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $103,018 | $134,050 | $111,711 |
| Net Investment Income | $57,947 | $51,066 | $72,636 |
| Distributable Amount | $88,688 | $84,389 | $84,096 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Friends of School of Portland ($10,000), Friends of River Meeting House ($6,775), Erskine Academy ($5,118).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALBERT CHURCH BROWN MEMORIAL LIBRAR CHINA VILLAGE, ME | LEGOS CLUBS FOR KIDS | $1,500 |
| ELM CITY COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL WATERVILLE, ME | INSTRUMENT/EQUIPMENT BANK | $3,500 |
| ERSKINE ACADEMY SOUTH CHINA, ME | SCHOOL NURSE AND NURSING EXPENSES | $5,118 |
| ERSKINE ACADEMY SOUTH CHINA, ME | INNOVATION LAB | $1,035 |
| ERSKINE ACADEMY SOUTH CHINA, ME | SUSTAINED SILENT READING SEED FUND | $2,500 |
| ERSKINE ACADEMY SOUTH CHINA, ME | ENHANCING LIBRARY ENGAGEMENT | $500 |
| ERSKINE ACADEMY SOUTH CHINA, ME | ROOTS RENEWED | $700 |
| ERSKINE ACADEMY SOUTH CHINA, ME | IMPROVNG BLS/CPR TRAINING EQUIPMENT | $970 |
| FRIENDS OF RIVER MEETING HOUSE VASSALBORO, ME | RESTORATION/IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS | $6,775 |
| FRIENDS OF SCHOOL OF PORTLAND CUMBERLAND, ME | TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS & SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN BRIGGS | VICE PRESIDE | — | — |
| LORE FERGUSON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JILL SPICER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JODY LALIME WELCH | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| MARGARET CATES | ASSISTANT TR | — | — |
| KAMELA HAHN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MIKE STEINBERG | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOYCE SMITH | SECRETARY | — | — |
| DOT CATES | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOHAN DOWDY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JENNIFER DAY | ASSISTANT TR | — | — |
| CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON | TREASURER | — | — |
| TOM GUTTMACHER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ALISON JENKINS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MARY DENISON | LEGAL ADVISO | — | — |
| GREG ZIMBA | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CHRIS HEID | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking operations with recent grants distributed to educational institutions and community organizations throughout Central Maine, including support for tuition scholarships, facility restoration projects, and school nursing services.
Oak Grove School District Education FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does Oak Grove School fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to provide scholarships and educational assistance to various schools and organizations. The foundation supports heritage preservation through arts initiatives, educational technology projects, environmental education equipment, visiting artist programs, and video documentation projects. The foundation also owns and contributes to the maintenance of the Oak Grove Chapel (River Meetinghouse) in Vassalboro, a historic chapel built in 1786 that is listed on the …
How do I apply for a grant from Oak Grove School?
Oak Grove School Foundation distributes funds through two primary grant programs: **Major Grants Program:** Grants of up to $5,000 are available by application to nonprofit groups in Central Maine. Annual applications are due the first Friday in April. **Mini Grants Program:** This program is by invitation only. The foundation maintains a cyclical list of high schools that are invited to apply for grants every few years. Each mini grant awarded has a maximum of $1,000, with every staff member a…
Where does Oak Grove School make grants?
The foundation focuses its grantmaking on Central Maine organizations and schools.
What size grants does Oak Grove School award?
In 2024, Oak Grove School awarded 70 grants totaling $103K — an average of about $1K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Oak Grove School required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Oak Grove School reported a distributable amount of $89K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Oak Grove School's EIN?
Oak Grove School's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0211537. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Oak Grove School's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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