Commission Funded Grants
- "New" awards are made for a 3-year performance period with annual funding awarded by a Continuation Application process for year 2 and year 3.
- "Continuation" grants award funds for year 2 or year 3, whichever is applicable to the individual grantee.
Award information is posted after the Notice of Grant Award is issued to the Volunteer Maine by the federal AmeriCorps agency.
2023-2024 Program Year Awards
AmeriCorps Resilience Corps
The AmeriCorps Resilience Corps supports local government agencies, nonprofit agencies and regional cohorts in the Greater Portland area in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and planning efforts towards regional resilience. Fourteen Corps Members assist projects related to regional, community, or organizational resilience and help to accelerate civic innovation, climate action, racial equity, and digital equity for all Mainers. Corps members serve local government entities or support regional projects. They develop skills in data collection, analysis, and visualizations and they participate in AmeriCorps National Days of Service.
I Know ME AmeriCorps
The Game Loft hosts four AmeriCorps members to provide mentoring to RSU #3 students, age 12-15, in Waldo County, using the “I Know ME” curriculum. Each year the two AmeriCorps members are responsible for preparing 36 at risk students for success in the classroom, within their peer groups and beyond the school walls. Additionally, the AmeriCorps members engage local volunteers in developing new mentoring relationships with the students and develop the host agency’s capacity to better manage volunteers.
Lifelong Maine AmeriCorps
The mission of the Lifelong Maine AmeriCorps Program is to serve alongside local grassroots organizations on age-friendly, lifelong community development projects that will contribute to a more resilient, healthier, safer, and more engaged community. AmeriCorps members help to address challenges such as access to technology, food security, home repair, transportation, and social isolation. Members build local capacity by networking with partners, recruiting volunteers, and serving with the core team to develop sustainable and inclusive leadership. While the focus is on older residents, Lifelong Communities work for a time when residents of all ages, abilities, economic backgrounds, and lifestyles will have the opportunity to live safe, healthy, and rewarding lives.
Maine Conservation Corps Grantee: Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry
MCC has two AmeriCorps service options: Environmental Stewards and Field Teams. Environmental Stewards serve individually with non-profits and state and federal agencies to increase organizational volunteer capacity and aid in the development and implementation of host sites’ land management plans. They plan conservation projects and recruit, train and lead volunteers in creating and improving recreational trails. Field Team members construct and rehabilitate trails on public lands like Baxter State Park, the Appalachian Trail, and land owned by local communities and land trusts. Members are taught employment skills and create individualized plans for employment. Collaborative partnerships with workforce development organizations help create positive economic opportunity outcomes for members.
Skowhegan Outdoors AmeriCorps
Skowhegan Outdoors AmeriCorps Program offers connection to outdoor recreation for those in the Skowhegan community, including free outdoor programming, the implementation of a community gear library, the development of Run of River, and the expansion of the local trail network. Skowhegan Outdoors promotes use of common outdoor spaces and facilities, and catalyzes a shift toward a more active lifestyle for Skowhegan residents --a lifestyle that supports a healthy lifestyle and is accessible to everyone. AmeriCorps members organize and execute outdoor recreation programming. They also train additional volunteers to lead the programs, promote the programs in virtual and real spaces, create online content, and are tasked with establishing a gear library so residents can borrow outdoor recreation equipment free of charge.
Trekkers AmeriCorps Aspirations
Since 1994, Trekkers has been dedicated to helping young people thrive. Its mission is to cultivate the inherent strengths of young people through the power of long-term mentoring relationships. Trekkers is a unique six-year experiential learning program for students, starting in 7th grade and lasting through 12th grade. Throughout the school year, teams of up to 20 students meet to plan their annual expedition and participate in activities, like exploring the outdoors, volunteering, learning about new cultures, and more. Student voice and choice is essential, so every program looks a little different.
First4 AmeriCorps
The goal of the program is to support the social emotional development of the children in Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms as a means to reduce overall toxic stress, to boost resilience, and to improve school-readiness because it is known that approximately 80% of brain development happens in the first four years of life. Members provide direct support to children in KVCAP’s Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms; build strong relationships and secure attachments with the children; receive training to better understand trauma-informed teaching and social-emotional development; and collaborate with a team of like-minded people eager to impact children’s futures.
2022-2023 Program Year Awards
Kennebec Valley Community Action Program/Educare Central Maine
Contact: Abbie Giallombardo
agiallombardo@kvcap.org
101 Water St, Waterville ME 04901 - 6339
New Award: $265,896
First4 AmeriCorps, in partnership with the Department of Education's Child Development Services, has 25 AmeriCorps members who will directly support children in Head Start/Early Head Start/Child Development Services classrooms as they develop foundational social-emotional skills necessary for school readiness. The AmeriCorps members will be responsible for growth shown in children's pre- and post-assessments in the School Readiness Goals benchmarks, particularly in the social-emotional domain, using the child development assessment tools. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will recruit twelve (12) community volunteers who will add diverse skills and experience to the program. This program concentrates on the AmeriCorps focus area of Education, specifically improved school readiness for disadvantaged young children. The AmeriCorps investment of $265,896 will leverage $289,350 in Local/State funds.
Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry
Contact: Sara Knowles
sara.knowles@maine.gov
124 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0124
Continuation Award: $894,240
The Maine Conservation Corps has 88 AmeriCorps members who accrue marketable skills and experiences while completing vital environmental stewardship activities. The activities include trail rehabilitation and construction, aquatic and terrestrial habitat restoration and monitoring, and environmental education programming in all of Maine's 16 counties. The AmeriCorps members will be responsible for treating or constructing 200 miles of trail. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will recruit 600 community volunteers who develop skills to perpetuate the stewardship efforts of members. This program falls under the AmeriCorps focus area of Environmental Stewardship. The CNCS investment of $894,240 will leverage $1,056,397, in public funding and private funding.
Greater Portland Council of Governments
Contact: Julia B. Breul
jbreul@gpcog.org
970 Baxter BLVD, Portland ME 04103 - 5337
Continuation Award: $362,146
AmeriCorps Resilience Corps has 14 AmeriCorps members who increase capacity and impact of the municipalities and agencies throughout the greater Portland and Lakes region of Cumberland County. The AmeriCorps Resilience Corps members support resilience work in municipalities and local non-profits. In addition, the AmeriCorps members assist with data collection, planning, outreach, community engagement and project implementation. This program fits the AmeriCorps focus area(s) of capacity building. The AmeriCorps investment of $362,146 is matched with $124,744 in private funding.
Main Street Skowhegan
Contact: Kristina Cannon
kristina@mainstreetskowhegan.org
48 Court ST, Skowhegan ME 04976 - 1864
Continuation Award: $130,000
Main Street Skowhegan proposes to have 5 AmeriCorps members who will coordinate and execute no-cost outdoor recreation programming designed to improve the physical and mental health and wellness of residents of Skowhegan and Somerset County. The AmeriCorps program will increase participation rates in outdoor recreation programming by 9%. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will recruit 30 volunteers who will participate in and lead community outdoor recreation programming. This program falls within AmeriCorps’ Healthy Futures focus area. The AmeriCorps investment of $130,000 is matched with $83,000 in local public and private funding.
Maine Youth Alliance dba The Game Loft
Contact: Ray C. Estabrook
r.estabrook@thegameloft.org
78A Main St, Belfast ME 04915 - 6825
Continuation Award: $104,000
I Know ME AmeriCorps program has 4 AmeriCorps members who serve as mentors for youth in grades 7-12 in Waldo County, ME. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps program will have improved educational outcomes for economically disadvantaged youth and will improve educational and behavioral outcomes of students in area middle and high schools. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will recruit additional volunteers who to serve as youth mentors. The I Know ME Program fits in AmeriCorps’ Education focus area. The AmeriCorps ARP investment of $104,000.00 will be matched with $135,250.00 in private funding.
Trekkers
Contact: Amie L. Hutchison
amie@trekkers.org
325 Old County Rd, Rockland ME 04841 - 5507
Continuation Award: $72,670
Trekkers AmeriCorps proposes has 5 AmeriCorps members who provide mentoring to 7th -12th grade students, recruit volunteers and cultivate community partnerships in Knox County, Maine. The AmeriCorps program has increased the number of hours each Trekkers participant spends with a mentor, increased the number of Trekkers participants receiving other local supports, and the number participating in community service activities due to an increase in organizations partnering with Trekkers. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will recruit 60 volunteers who will serve as mentors. The program falls in AmeriCorps’ Education focus area. The AmeriCorps investment of $72,670 includes $22,360 in American Rescue Funding and will be matched with $109,158 in local public funding and private funding.
UMaine Center on Aging
Contact: Patricia Oh
patricia.oh@maine.edu
Camden Hall, 25 Texas Avenue, Bangor, ME 04401-4324
Continuation Award: $212,940
The UMaine Center on Aging has 18 AmeriCorps members who are expanding or enhancing services, programs, or activities in lifelong, age-friendly communities throughout Maine. As a result, multiple communities across the state are seeing increased and revitalized citizen engagement across the life span through age-friendly community initiatives. The AmeriCorps program will also (1) engage at least 18 new partners in lifelong/age-friendly community initiatives; and, (2) improve capacity for lifelong, age-friendly communities to deliver services and engage residents. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will recruit at least 30 community volunteers who will help implement service programs (e.g., volunteer transportation) developed by a local age-friendly, lifelong community initiative. The AmeriCorps investment of $212,940 will be matched with $55,000 in local public funding and private funding.