Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Fund Grant

The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Fund Grant, provided by the Maine Community Foundation, supports organizations led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. The grant aims to promote equity in Maine through leadership investment, policy change, and combating race-based discrimination. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, municipalities, and public agencies in Maine, with a focus on programming that engages BIPOC communities. Grants offer up to $10,000 per year for various operational needs.

Purpose
The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Fund supports organizations that are led by and serving people of Native American, Latino, African, Arab, and/or Asian descent. The goal of the grant program is to help Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color in Maine achieve greater equity by:
investing in existing, new, and emerging leadership and nonprofit organizationschanging policies and practices that negatively impact Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color, because of their racesupporting efforts to alleviate the impact of race-based discrimination and disparities.
Criteria
To receive a grant, an organization or project must:

• Have offered programming for the community in the last year focused on serving mostly Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color
• Involve Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color in leadership positions, on board and staff of the organization
• Involve Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color in the design, delivery, and evaluation of the programs and services.
• Priorities
• This grant program will give priority to the following areas of interest:
• Racial Equity: Increase through improving:Access to resources,
• Access to opportunities, and/or

Life outcomes (examples of what we mean by life outcomes are increasing how many people graduate from high school, have health insurance, or have housing)Health: Thanks to support from the Maine Health Access Foundationto address health disparities in Maine, grants will support organizations and projects that increase access to or understanding of health and wellness
Leadership Development: Organizations or projects that provide skill building, training, and mentorship for Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color
Economic Opportunity: Organizations or projects that improve economic well-being, such as increasing access to employment opportunities, access to education and professional development, and supporting business development.
Types of Funding
Two-Year General Support Grants for flexible funding of any type such as new/expanding/ongoing programs and operational needs. The maximum award amount for all organizations is $10,000 per year.

Eligibility

Who is eligible to apply: Nonprofit, charitable organizations tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and also classified as an organization described in sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2)
Public agencies working for the State of Maine
Indian tribal governments (or political subdivisions) recognized by the Department of the Interior
Groups without any tax status may apply with a fiscal sponsor that is an eligible organization as described above. (Click here for information on fiscal sponsorships).Your organization’s primary work must meet the BIPOC criteria listed above AND your organization must:Be located in Maine, defined as having a Maine address.

Ineligibility

Funds may not be used for:Expenses already incurred
Regranting to a secondary grantee through a competitive process
Lobbying in the form of calls to action on a specific vote
Religious activities, including, but not limited to, religious services, promotion of religious beliefs, or activities that are restricted to church or religious group membership.