Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor Transaction Fund

Purpose: Provides financial assistance for land conservation projects in the 5 million-acre Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor. The fund supports transaction costs associated with land conservation projects that will advance ecological protection or restoration.

Award Amount: Up to $15,000 per grant for non-profit conservation organizations

Eligible Grantees

• 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations
• Must be working to conserve forestland with notable ecological, recreational, or forestry values in the Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor

Eligible Projects

• Projects must be within or closely linked to the Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor
• Must intend to permanently protect natural resource values
• Must prohibit activities contrary to the primary easement purpose of protecting ecologically significant land and water
• Preference for projects more than 500 acres, but lands with exceptional values of a smaller size will be considered

Allowable Costs

• Surveys, appraisals, and appraisal reviews
• Attorney services related to acquisition of easements or land
• Title searches, closing services, deed preparation
• Timber cruise, baseline documentation, mapping
• Easement and deed recording
• Initial management plans
• Up to 10% of the grant may be used for staff time associated with transaction portions of the project
• Preference given to early due diligence costs (appraisals, title review, timber cruise)

Non-Allowable Costs

• Payment for the value of the land or easement
• Media, marketing, and communications costs
• On-site cleanup or mitigation
• Stewardship costs or endowment

Evaluation Criteria

The following factors will be weighed for grant decisions:

• Ecological, recreational, forestry, and community values that the project would likely conserve
• Acreage (size) of the protected property (500 acres + preferred)
• Adjacency to conserved lands
• Landowner donation value, if any

Funding History

• 2022: $100,000 gift from anonymous foundation to help with early transaction costs
• 2021: $250,000 grant from EJK Foundation to facilitate projects with specific "ecological lift"
• 2017: Program began with $100,000 from Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust and $100,000 from anonymous donor

About Maine Mountain Collaborative

The MMC's mission is to innovate and accelerate land conservation in the Maine Appalachian Corridor. It is a coalition of statewide, regional, and national conservation and forestry organizations bringing shared focus and innovative financing to accelerate the pace and scale of conservation in one of the world's most intact temperate forests.

Contact

Bryan Wentzell - Contact for more information and application materials

Application Process

• Timing: Proposals accepted on a rolling basis (first come, first-serve) until funding is depleted
• Turnaround: Estimated 30-day turnaround for funding decisions
• Installments: If mutually agreed, the grant may be given in two installments pending a signed purchase and sale agreement or other contract

How to Apply

1. Contact Bryan Wentzell for application materials and information
2. Submit proposal on rolling basis
3. Await funding decision (approximately 30 days)

Required Materials

• Application form (available from Bryan Wentzell)
• Project budget template
• Demonstration that project meets all application criteria

Note: Detailed step-by-step application instructions and specific narrative questions were not fully provided in the website content.