Printable forms*

*A note on our printable forms: You may:

- fill out the forms online and print them,

- print blank forms and fill them out by hand,

- retype them, or

- contact us to request a hard copy or a Word file.

If you fill them out online:

- make sure everything you've entered actually prints, and

- note that you cannot save what you enter - you can only print it. 

  Maine Initiatives created the Harvest Fund to provide small short-term grants to Maine groups working for sustainable agriculture and food security. Our purpose is to link environmentally sound growing practices with solutions to hunger that are economically viable and socially responsible over the long term. Within the state, we strive for an equitable geographic distribution of our resources. We fund projects and groups that already have strong local volunteer support, and we fund the replication of model programs in new communities.

Program goals:

While we do not expect one proposal to address every goal, the Harvest Fund is most interested in projects that:

- Increase the amount of food grown in Maine using sustainable practices.
- Integrate food access, community devlopment, and sustainable agriculture.
- Support underserved, marginalized, or special needs populations.
- Involve collaboration with other groups and individuals.
- Address root causes and offer systemic solutions.

What we'll fund:

We will fund various types of activities, including start-up funding, research and development, advocacy, public policy, general support, education and training, and community organizing. We ask applicants to be very specific about what types of activities they are asking the Harvest Fund to support. We have a strong bias towards projects that:

- help to build businesses, organizations, facilities, and other institutions that carry out Harvest Fund goals and fill gaps in the food supply or distribution system and/or

-  help to build the ability of organizations to advocate effectively on food and agriculture issues.

To be eligible:

- Only Maine-based organizations may apply to the Harvest Fund.
- Applicants must be tax-exempt or have a tax-exempt fiscal sponsor. (Call us at 622-6294 if you're not sure.)
- Organizations may receive only one Harvest Fund grant per year at the $5,000-and-under level.
- Organizations may receive no more than two Harvest Fund grants at the $5,000-and-under level.
- Proposals must include an evaluation component undertaken within that funding period.
- Project proposals must have a funding period of one year or less.
- Projects that involve growing plants must use natural systems - no synthetic fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, or fertilizers.

Funding criteria:

While no one proposal is expected to address all of our funding criteria, projects will be selected for funding based on:

- Degree to which the project meets The Harvest Fund's program goals.
- Originality of the concept.
- Level of community and volunteer support and degree of outreach to other groups.
- Potential for success and visibility.
- Capacity to be imitated or reproduced.
- Potential for impact beyond the funding period.
- Quality of evaluation component.
- Degree to which Harvest Fund support is critical.

Size of grants:

The Harvest Fund will grant up to:

 - $1,000 to community gardens.

 - $2,000 to projects that have regional impact or meet more than one Harvest Fund goal.

 - $5,000 to projects with statewide or national impact meeting more than one Harvest Fund goal.

 - $10,000 to projects with broad impact that meet all Harvest Fund funding criteria, have strong potential to effect systemic change, and leverage additional funding. We strongly prefer that projects at this level address one or more of the following concerns:

. Infrastructure in support of local and sustainable agriculture
. Policy and policy development
. Intersection between health and local food.

To apply:

Provide the original plus ten collated double-sided copies (eleven copies in all) of items 1 through 6, and provide one copy each of items 6 and 7:

1. Printable forms (cover sheet and budget info).

2. Project narrative: In a narrative of no more than three pages, tell us:

- The mission and history of your organization.
- The project's purpose.
- Expected results and long-term impacts.
- How the project will sustain itself beyond the funding period (if applicable).
- How it meets the Harvest Fund's criteria.
- How results are to be measured and evaluated.

3. Financial statement: Most recent financial statement or annual report.

4. Personnel: A list of key volunteers, board of directors, and current staff.

5. (Optional) Support materials such as newsletters, brochures, press clippings, photos, or letters of support.

6. IRS 501(c)(3) designation letter for your group or your fiscal sponsor (one copy only).

7. Statement that your organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, political affiliation, or religious beliefs (one copy only).

Submit your application to Maine Initiatives, 295 Water Street, Suite 100, P.O. Box 2248, Augusta, Maine 04338. No e-mail, fax, or online submissions, please.

Deadlines and process:

Harvest Fund applications must be received by the first Wednesday in April or the first Wednesday in November. Grants will be announced within sixty days.

For more information:

To discuss proposal ideas or the suitability of an application, call 207-622-6294 or e-mail info@maineinitiatives.org.