GRANTS FOR MAINE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS

The 1772 Foundation generously grants funding to nonprofit organizations in the form of 1:1 matching grants of up to $10,000 for shovel-ready historic preservation projects. Maine Preservation is honored to partner with The 1772 Foundation to make these grants available in Maine.

The deadline for Letters of Interest has passed.

Not all letters of interest will result in an invitation to apply. Full applications will be due March 3, 2025. Please direct questions to brad@mainepreservation.org with “1772 Foundation” in the subject line.

Maine Preservation has announced the 21 organizations granted funds by The 1772 Foundation in 2024. Grants were provided for exterior work: painting; surface restoration; fire/security systems; repairs to/restoration of chimneys, porches, roofs, and windows; repairs to foundations and sills; and masonry repointing. Projects were evaluated by Maine Preservation field services staff, who also will manage the grants.

Read the Press Release

THE AWARDEES

View the grantees below and click on the images to visit the organizations’ websites to learn more about their missions.

Brooks Historical Society, Brooks

Falmouth Land Trust, Falmouth

Frances Perkins Center, Newcastle

Gayety Theatre, Van Buren

Friends of Greenville Junction Depot, Greenville

Indian River Community Association, Addison

Maine MILL, Lewiston

Northern Forest Center, Bethel

Old Bristol Historical Society, Bristol

Oxford Historical Society, Oxford

Patten Historical Society, Patten

Poland Spring Preservation Society, Poland

Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc., Bath

St. Albans Maine Historical Society, St. Albans

The Historical Society of Wells and Ogunquit, Wells

The Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro

Vassalboro Historical Society, Vassalboro

Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead

Victoria Mansion, Portland

Walpole Union Chapel Museum, South Bristol

Wilhelm Reich Museum, Rangeley

Read the Press Release

View the grantees below and click on the images to visit the organizations’ websites to learn more about their missions.

Araxine Wilkins Sawyer Foundation, Greene

Avesta Housing, Portland

Bangor Historical Society, Bangor

Bar Harbor Historical Society, Bar Harbor

Bearnstow, Mount Vernon

Colonial Theater, Augusta

Ellsworth Historical Society, Ellsworth

Farmington Historical Society, Farmington

Fifth Maine Regiment Museum, Peaks Island

Friends of West Durham Methodist Church, Durham

Laudholm Trust, Wells

Maine Art Gallery, Wiscasset

Mechanics' Hall, Portland

Norway Landmarks Preservation Society, Norway

Pejepscot History Center, Brunswick

Sagadahoc Preservation Inc., Bath

Tides Institute & Museum of Art, Eastport

Read the Press Release

THE AWARDEES

View the grantees below and click on the images to visit the organizations’ websites to learn more about their missions.

Poland Springs Preservation Society, Poland

Araxine Wilkins Sawyer Foundation, Greene

Bearnstow, Mt. Vernon

Old Berwick Historical Society, South Berwick

Educational Bureau of Ocean Park, Ocean Park

Chebeague Island Historical Society, Chebeague Island

Friends of First Congregational Church of East Machias, East Machias

Fifth Maine Regiment Museum, Peaks Island

First Amendment Museum, Augusta

Friends of the Greenville Depot, Greenville

United Society of Shakers, Sabbathday Lake Inc., New Gloucester

Friends of L.C. Bates Museum, Hinckley

Maine Art Gallery, Wiscasset

Old Bristol Historical Society, Bristol

Monson Historical Society, Monson

Farmington Historical Society, Farmington

Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland

Phippsburg Historical Society, Phippsburg

Swan’s Island Historical Society, Swan's Island

Tate House Museum, Portland

Readfield Union Meeting House Corp., Readfield

Wells Reserve at Laudholm, Wells

Maine Maritime Museum, Bath

Wilson Museum, Castine

Read the Press Release

The Awardees

View the grantees below and click on the images to visit the organizations’ websites to learn more about their missions.

The Brick Store Museum, Inc. - The Brick Store Museum

Wolfe's Neck Center - The Captain Greenfield Pote House

Augusta Colonial Theater, Inc. - The Colonial Theater

Frances Perkins Center - Frances Perkins Homestead

Friends of the Gingerbread House - The Gingerbread House

Greenville Junction Depot Friends - Greenville Depot

Historic New England - Hamilton House

Hubbard Free Library, Inc. - Hubbard Library

Percival P. Baxter Foundation - James Phinney Baxter Mansion

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Freedom Community Historical Society - Keen Hall

Bar Harbor Historical Society - La Rochelle

Old Bristol Historical Society - Mill at Pemaquid Falls

Eastport Public Library Association - Peavey Memorial Library

Philips Historical Society - Captain Joel Whiteny House

Readfield Union Meetinghouse Company - Readfield Union Meetinghouse

Swan's Island Historical Society - Swan's Island Methodist Church

Tate House Museum - Tate House

Vaughan Woods and Historic Homestead - Vaughan Homestead

The Awardees

View the grantees below and click on the images to visit the organizations’ websites to learn more about their missions.

Historic New England, Wiscasset

Pejepscot History Center, Brunswick

Francis Perkins Center, Damariscotta

Greenville Junction Depot Friends Inc., Greenville

Laudholm Trust, Wells

Tate House Museum, Portland

Peavey Memorial Library, Eastport

Greater Portland Landmarks, Portland

Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro

The Good Life Center, Harborside

Freeport Historical Society, Freeport

Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center, Gardiner

Friends of Seguin Island Light Station, Phippsburg

Tides Institute & Museum of Art, Eastport

Washburn-Norlands Foundation, Inc., Livermore

A FOUR-STATE INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PRESERVATION

About the Program

The Northeast Heritage Economy Program (NHEP) is a collaborative initiative of Maine Preservation, the Preservation League of New York State, New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, and the Preservation Trust of Vermont. This grant program is funded with a $1,000,000 grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) through their Regional Forest Economy Partnership program. The funds for this program, and all NBRC programs, are available thanks to the support of the Congressional Delegations of all four NBRC states: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.

The NHEP provides grants to community-driven preservation projects to address the negative economic shift produced by the decline of the forest products industry in the rural areas of the Northern Border Regional Commission region (Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont). Studies show that historic preservation investment supports small business and good-paying labor jobs, improves property values, keeps money circulating in local economies, catalyzes additional investment, and increases community pride.

Read the News Release Announcing the Awards

In April, Maine Preservation announced Maine’s Northeast Heritage Economy Progam awardees. Efforts to revitalize five historic buildings and uplift their communities’ economies in Dover-Foxcroft, Lille, Thorndike, and Belfast will get a boost thanks to the Northeast Heritage Economy Program grant awards. The funds for this program, and all NBRC programs, are available thanks to the support of the Congressional Delegations of all four NBRC states: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.

Read on to view a video from News Center Maine about the grants and see all of the awardees.

News Center Maine Coverage of the Grant Program, April 10, 2020

tHE Awardees

Center Theatre for the performing arts, Dover-Foxcroft

The Center Theatre, Inc. will receive $30,538 to support the creation of a second screen theatre at the Center Theatre, substantially increasing its outreach.

Learn more about the Center Theatre for the Perfoming Arts.

The Center Theatre’s executive director, Patrick Myers, talks about how they’ll use their grant to grow their community impact in the short video below.

Musée CUlturel du Mont-Carmel, Lille

L’Association Culturelle et Historique du Mont-Carmel will receive $78,480 for restoration of frescoed plaster and repairing the roof and sills of the Musée Culturel du Mont-Carmel. The Musée is on Maine Preservation’s Most Endangered Historic Places list as an especially important historic building. This work will provide for expanded visitation and use of the building.

Learn more about the Musée Culturel du Mont-Carmel.

The team provides a quick overview of their project below.

The Commons at Central Hall, Dover-Foxcroft

The Maine Highlands Senior Center will receive $17,582 to assist in its build out of the first floor of The Commons at Central Hall allowing it to expand its services to the community.

Learn more about The Commons at Central Hall.

The Farwell Project, Thorndike

Timelines Community, Inc. (Thorndike), will receive $80,000 for rehabilitation, including foundation, drainage, sills, joists, subflooring, and chimney work, in order to reopen the Thorndike Village General Store as a multi-use facility.

Learn more about the Farwell Project.

The Belfast Maskers, Belfast

The Belfast Maskers will receive $23,400 for heating and cooling and bathroom improvements at the former First Universalist Church, which will expand the use of its theatre facility throughout the year.

Learn more about the Belfast Maskers.