State awards 133 second-round Maine 200 bicentennial grants
Photo / Maureen Milliken
Friends of Fort Western, in Augusta, is one of 133 organizations to be awarded Maine 200 bicentennial grants in the second round of funding. Another round closes June 1.
The Maine Bicentennial Commission has awarded its second round of Bicentennial Community Grants, and there's still optimism about the year-long statewide celebration despite COVID-19 restrictions.
The grants support bicentennial festivals and projects throughout Maine, from an extensive calendar of events at Fort Western, in Augusta, to recording oral history in Harpswell and Grand Lake Stream, to installing a fish ladder in North Haven.
In the round that closed Feb. 1, the state disbursed $432,290 to 133 organizations and municipalities, bringing the total grants to $574,545 for more than 160 applicants. Another round closes June 1. For a list of grant awardees, visit the Maine 200 website.
Grant amounts range from at least one "large grant" of $10,000 to each of the state's 16 counties, and smaller grants ranging from $500 to $4,500.
“While the current emergency situation requires postponing some bicentennial events, we are confident that these grant awards will enable continued planning and will soon serve to bring us all together in celebration when it is safer to do so,” said state Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham, chairman of the Maine Bicentennial Commission.
“The interest for our second round of grants was incredible and far exceeded our expectations,” he said. “We are so pleased to see the excitement around Maine’s 200th anniversary of statehood.”
The Bicentennial Community Grants program provides funding for bicentennial-themed projects that benefit the public, such as festivals, historic preservation efforts, lectures and curriculum. The Maine Arts Commission is administering the grant program on behalf of the Bicentennial Commission.
The commission encourages grant applications from Maine community nonprofit organizations, such as historical societies and libraries, government entities and schools. Private individuals and for-profit corporations are also welcomed to apply in partnership with nonprofits.
A state celebration
The first round of grants, awarded in October, included 30 projects, receiving a total of $142,255.
The Maine Legislature appropriated initial funding of $375,000 for the grant program, up to 10% of which will be used for grants of $500 or less.
Goals of the celebration, according to the state, include:
- Allow the state's residents, particularly its youngest ones, to come together over challenges experienced, and contributions made by, a diversity of the people — racial/tribal, geographic, gender, and socioeconomic — who make Maine what it is today;
- Have long-term value for imparting historical information, and creating conversations that strengthen individuals, communities and their connections.
- Spotlight artwork and products of the past, while showcasing and providing market access for the emerging next generation of artists, makers and innovators;
- Enhance and broaden community leadership to drive commemorations at a local level;
- Allow residents to better understand key sustainability issues for Maine’s future, including demographics, environment, energy, and more.
All commemoration activities must involve a public component for participation, and recipients must provide a photo of their activity, which will be shared on the Maine200 social media channels and other bicentennial promotional materials.
Reflecting themes of living in Maine, the business of Maine and the Maine character are encouraged.
The money must be spent by March 2021.
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