Applying for a grant

The Peaks Island Fund offers two types of grants — Annual Grants and Rapid Response. Both are intended to support island organizations that enrich our community, but in different ways. Annual Grants are awarded in amounts of up to $10,000 with a yearly application deadline of March 1st. Rapid Response Grants provide funds for new or unexpected needs that do not fit the timeline of Annual Grants. The maximum award is $1,000.

The following information is common to both grant programs. For application information, please scroll down.

Required criteria

To receive a grant, an organization or project must:

Serve Peaks Island community members
Have potential for continuing impact on the community
Include clear financial documentation (purchases of equipment or services must include estimates provided by external contractors)

Eligible organizations

Nonprofit, charitable organizations tax-exempt under section 501-c-3 of the Internal Revenue Code
Municipalities
Public schools
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.

What we fund

Peaks Island Fund gives priority to projects or organizations that enrich the island community by:

Reducing economic barriers to living on the island
Supporting services that enhance medical and social needs of islanders
Providing enhanced access to educational and enrichment programs
Preserving and protecting the island environment

Without exception, we will not fund:

Expenses already incurred
Political campaigns
Lobbying
Religious activities, including but not limited to,religious services, promotion of religious beliefs, or activities that are restricted to church or religious group membership.
Endowments, capital campaigns, or annual appeals

Applying for an Annual Grant

Annual Grants are awarded in amounts of up to $10,000 per year. The application process opens January 1st, and completed applications must be received by March 1st. Types of funding include:

Capacity-building grants for activities designed to make an organization stronger, more successful, or more efficient such as improving financial management and development, acquiring technology to improve or expand services, strategic planning focused on achieving a specific goal, and training board, staff, or volunteers.
General support grants for the operation of organizations
Project grants for new or expanding projects
Equipment or renovation support needed to meet an organization’s mission. These renovations or equipment cannot be related to or part of a capital campaign.

When to apply

Application acceptance opens on January 1st. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications on or as soon as possible after that date.
Applications must be submitted online by 11:59 pm on March 1st. If March 1st falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will be 11:59 pm of the next business day.
Late applications will not be accepted.

What to submit

Submit only one proposal per organization
Requests should be for future expenses only
Requests should not exceed the maximum award available from the PIF
Please only send information and materials requested in the grant program guidelines. Additional materials will not be reviewed.

Required documents

A completed Annual Grant Application (see file downloads below)
A list of all members of your organization's board or advisory committee, including their town or city of residence and occupation.
If you are a 501-c-3 organization, you must submit your IRS certification letter, along with confirmation from your board that the organization remains in good standing with the IRS as a non-profit entity.
If you’re using a Fiscal Sponsor, submit a copy of their IRS certification letter, along with a completed Fiscal Sponsor Agreement (see file downloads below).
Quotes for cost of items/services (if necessary)
Use the following table to determine what additional documents are required with your application:

	
			If you are
			You must provide
		
			Applying for a project that includes working with a school
			A letter of agreement from a school representative that explains the school’s level of involvement.
		
			Applying for a project that includes working with a tribe
			A letter of agreement from a tribal representative that explains the tribe's level of involvement.
		
			Applying for a project that includes a partnership with another organization (other than a school)
			A letter of agreement from the partner organization that explains their level of involvement.
		
			A public school or school district
			A letter from the principal or superintendent agreeing to accept PIF grant funds for your project.
		
			A municipal library
			A letter from the Town or City Manager confirming your organization's municipal status (Note that libraries with separate 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity status do not need this letter.)
		
			A town, city, government or municipal agency
			A letter from the head of agency agreeing to accept PIF grant funds for your project.

Grant cycle timeline

Application: Applicants will have access to the Peaks Island Fund Grant Application on January 1st. Once the grant application has been completed, it needs to be submitted by email by the close of day on March 1st to executivedirector@peaksislandfund.org. We will confirm receipt of your application.

Intake: Administrative staff checks the legal name, address, required signatures and forms for each proposal, and determines if it meets the required grant program criteria.

Review: Applications are shared with Peaks Island Fund Trustees. At least one trustee is assigned to each applicant to follow up with any questions that need clarification.

Grant decision meeting: Assigned trustees present summaries and recommendations and discuss proposals. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, award decisions are made no later than April 1st.

Project progress report: Recipients should submit progress reports by December 31st.

Confidentiality

Proposals may be shared with interested parties, including donors and other funders, for potential funding.

Notification

Award and decline notifications will use all available communication means (email, letter, phone, in-person) until the status of the award/decline has been communicated to the organization’s primary contact. If you receive an award, you will receive an additional letter and check through regular mail.

If an applicant has a fiscal sponsor, the check will be sent to the fiscal sponsor and a copy of the award letter will go to the applicant.

File downloads

For best results, we recommend using Adobe Acrobat Reader to fill out these forms. Available here for free download. If you prefer a Word-based application, please contact us.

Applying for a Rapid Response Grant

Rapid Response Grants provide funds for new or unexpected needs that do not fit the timeline for Regular Grants. The maximum award is $1,000. They fund needs such as:

Software, equipment and/or fees that are needed for the organization to deliver services
Special training and professional development, such as attending conferences, or workshops that will improve skills or future professional opportunities
Programming
Building repairs
Community events

Ineligible expenses

Food, promotional materials, etc.
Paper, ink, or telephone contracts
Programs or activities that are continuing or have already occurred
Fees related to receiving nonprofit 501-c-3 status

Priorities

Priority will be given to requests that:

Have the greatest positive impact on Peaks Island
Are one-time expenses
Include clearly defined costs, services, and outcomes