Grants of up to $20,000 are available through the Maine Community Foundation to help nonprofits implement energy efficiency measures in historic buildings they own. The community foundation’s Belvedere Historic Preservation and Energy Efficiency Fund typically awards approximately $250,000 per year for the restoration of historic buildings. The program will expand in 2018 to award an additional $100,000 each year for energy efficiency projects in historic buildings.
Grants are available for capital expenses related to restoration of historic buildings, including the cost of energy audits and energy efficiency upgrades recommended by an audit. The deadline for applications is June 1. For more information and to apply online, go to mainecf.org.
The energy efficiency-related grants are the result of a successful pilot program called Grants to Green, a three-year effort of the community foundation, Maine Development Foundation, and Efficiency Maine. Grants to Green funded 27 projects from 2014-2017 that allowed nonprofits to put cost savings toward programming, reduce energy use, and sustain their historic structures.
For more information on the grant program, contact senior program officer Maggie Drummond-Bahl, of the Maine Community Foundation, at mbahl@mainecf.org or 412-0839. For guidance with energy efficiency grant proposals, applicants are encouraged to contact Anne Ball, program director, Maine Development Foundation, at aball@mdf.org or 622-6345.
