Islanders helping islanders.
Since 2003, the Peaks Island Fund has been providing invaluable funding for island organizations. In that time we’ve distributed more than $1,100,000 — underwriting early childhood education and the Island School, culture and the arts, social services, health care, historic and environmental preservation, affordable housing — the list goes on (and on!) The support we offer touches every islander, enriches our community, and protects the things we treasure about our home.
The generous contributions of islanders like you makes all of this possible. Every gift makes a crucial difference.
Over 500 island residents have participated by contributing to the Peaks Island Fund
Thanks to our donors, the Fund has given more than $1,100,000 to island organizations
The Fund has supported 46 different island organizations across a broad range of services
Initiated by a group of islanders in 2003, the Fund has become an essential part of island life
Over 400 island residents have participated by contributing to the Peaks Island Fund
The Fund has given more than $900,000 to island organizations, and has an endowment of $1 million
The Peaks Island Fund has supported more than 43 different island organizations
Initiated by a group of islanders in 2003, the Fund has become an essential part of island life
Over 400 island residents have participated by contributing to the Peaks Island Fund
The Fund has given more than $900,000 to island organizations, and has an endowment of $1 million
The Peaks Island Fund has supported more than 43 different island organizations
Initiated by a group of islanders in 2003, the Fund has become an essential part of island life
This year
This year, the Peaks Island Fund has a lot to celebrate!
First, 2025 marked our most successful fundraising effort to date. We raised over $128,000, with nearly half of all island households contributing. Gifts from $25 to $10,000 reflect a remarkable breadth of participation.
Second, we introduced new purpose, mission, and vision statements to guide our work. Based on your input, we’re working to foster deeper collaboration among island nonprofits, provide more opportunities to contribute beyond financial giving, and create new ways to support promising new initiatives.
And finally, we built our endowment and awarded nearly $100,000 in grants to eleven outstanding organizations. Each one reflects our commitment to sustaining and uplifting the island community while advancing our shared vision of a thriving, diverse, and adaptable Peaks Island.
Whatever you cherish most about Peaks Island, the Peaks Island Fund provides a great opportunity to nourish and protect it.
This year’s grantees
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Fifth Maine | Regiment Museum
The Fifth Maine hosts over 4,000 visitors annually as well as numerous special events open to the community. This grant will support completion of a Building Condition Report from an architectural firm to address a variety of needed improvements to the building. Awarded: $9,000.
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Illustration | Institute
The Illustration Institute hosts exhibitions, workshops and residencies on Peaks Island. This grant will support their free public programs for people of all ages and abilities. In 2026, the Institute will continue to diversify programs that directly serve the Peaks Island community. Awarded: $10,000.
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Island | Compost
After three years of operation, Island Compost has diverted more than 80 tons of food waste from the island's trash stream. This grant will fund fencing and signage for their new on-island site, and a power liftgate for their truck so material can be transported more safely and easily. Awarded: $6,401.17.
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Island Transportation | System
The Island Transportation System (the "Taxi") makes as many as 9000 trips a year. After years of documenting each ride on paper, the Island Transportation System will utilize this rapid response grant to upgrade to a software-based documentation system using a shared iPad. Awarded: $1,000.
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Peaks Environmental | Action Team
For years, PEAT has worked to create a lighter human footprint on our island's environment. This grant will support the installation of an outdoor StoryWalk exhibit – a literacy and physical activity tool that will engage families in reading children's books in Trott Littlejohn Park. Awarded: $6,750.
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Peaks Island | Children's Workshop
Since 1972, the Workshop has been critical to keeping the island viable for young families. This grant will support the Workshop's general operations as they strive to provide excellent services to island youth while keeping rates reasonable for families and offering competitive wages. Awarded: $10,000.
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Peaks Island | Community Collaborative
The Community Collaborative will utilize this capacity-building grant to co-brand the Pipeline calendar with the Peaks Island News, providing the Pipeline with a permanent online presence at peaksislandnews.org. Additionally, the partnership will assume publication of the popular island directory. Awarded: $10,000.
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Peaks Environmental | Action Team
This grant will enable the purchase of a comprehensive fitness system located within Trott Littlejohn Park, available for all ages and fitness levels. These efforts continue PEAT’s ongoing stewardship of this unique island resource. Awarded: $7,884.
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Peaks Island | Children’s Workshop
This grant provides general support for the operations of the Peaks Island Children's Workshop. The Workshop strives to provide excellent services to island families while keeping rates affordable and offering competitive wages for staff. Awarded: $10,000.
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Peaks Island | Elementary School
This grant will fund an artist residency at the school through The Telling Room, and provide an opportunity for 4th and 5th grade students to collaborate with an artist and experience every aspect of creating and publishing an original book. Awarded: $9,100.
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Peaks Island | News
This grant will support the paper in a number of ways – providing a stipend for an advertising sales rep, purchasing a new computer to replace their current 2016 model, supplementing the salary of the paper's editor, and covering basic operational expenses. Awarded: $10,000.
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Peaks Island | Tax & Energy Assistance
PITEA will use this grant to partially fund a myriad of projects – including the facilitation of additional energy audits, expanding insulation services, adding heat pump and solar services, and several volunteer- and community-engagement projects throughout the year. Awarded: $10,000.
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Peaks Island Youth & | Community Recreation Partnership
This new community initiative will utilize their grant to engage a consulting landscape architect to develop a conceptual design for the Peaks Island Elementary School playground, in collaboration with the Portland Parks & Recreation and Portland School Departments. Awarded: $10,000.
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Portland Symphony | Orchestra
This grant serves as supplemental funding for the PSO educational KinderKonzerts program, to be offered to students at Peaks Island School. These interactive experiences feature PSO chamber ensembles and storytelling themes to engage students with music in new ways. Awarded: $1,000.