2024 Grants - Sam L. Cohen Foundation

Responsive grants are awarded semi-annually in response to proposals submitted through the Foundation's grant application process. The Foundation accepts requests up to $50,000. In 2024, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation awarded 74 responsive grants totaling $1,583,600. In total, the Foundation considered 143 proposals requesting $3,362,670. The average grant award was $21,400; the smallest grant was $5,000; the largest grant was $50,000.

Foundation-initiated grants are awarded to projects identified by directors and staff. Applications are accepted only at the invitation of the directors. Grant amounts have no limit.

Responsive Grants

Organization/Location	Project/Funding Category	Amount
317 Main Community Music Center Yarmouth	Greater Portland Music Education Partnership Arts and Culture	$ 15,000
American Civil Liberties Union Portland	Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 35,000
American Red Cross Portland	Red Cross Disaster Services Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
ArtVan Brunswick	General Operating Support Health and Human Services - Youth Development	$ 7,500
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine Portland	Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 40,000
Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake, Inc. Casco	Camp Sunshine Family Program Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
Caring Unlimited Corp Sanford	Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 25,000
Catholic Charities of Maine Portland	Immigration Legal Services Civic and Community	$ 15,000
Classical Uprising Portland	Portland Bach Experience 2024 - Shalom/Peace Arts and Culture	$ 5,000
Commonspace Portland	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 30,000
Community Dental Portland	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 30,000
Congregation Etz Chaim Biddeford	General Operating Support (Multi-year) Jewish Culture and Traditions	$ 75,000
Cross Cultural Community Services Portland	Community Led Needs Assessment Civic and Community	$ 30,000
EqualityMaine Foundation Portland	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 35,000
Finding Our Voices Camden	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 10,000
Frannie Peabody Center Portland	Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 20,000
Furniture Friends Westbrook	Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 20,000
Goodwill Industries of Northern New England Gorham	Camp Sunshine Family Program Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
Greater Portland Family Promise Portland	Homelessness Prevention and Housing Stabilization Health and Human Services	$ 25,000
Hope Squad Ocean Park	Program Expansion in Portland Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
In Her Presence Portland	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 20,000
Jewish Community Alliance of SoME Portland	Volunteer Coordination and Programmatic Support Jewish Culture and Tradition	$ 50,000
Ketcha Outdoors/Portland Gear Hub Portland	Bikes for All Mainers Program Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
Lake Region Senior Services Bridgton	Healthcare Access Transportation Program Health and Human Services	$ 12,000
LearningWorks Portland	General Operating Support Education	$ 15,000
Locker Project Portland	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 20,000
Maine Academy of Modern Music Portland	General Operating Support Arts and Culture	$ 10,000
Main Access Immigrant Network (MAIN) Portland	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 30,000
Maine Boys to Men Portland	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 15,000
Maine Center for Economic Policy Augusta	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 35,000
Maine Council on Aging Brunswick	Increasing Financial Stability for Older Mainers Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Maine Family Planning Augusta	Improving Access to Abortion Care in Rural Maine Health and Human Services	$ 41, 600
Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets Freeport	Portland Farmers’ Market Nutrition Incentives & Senior Farmshare Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Augusta	Advocacy Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Maine Immigrants' Rights Coaltion Portland	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 45,000
Maine Youth Justice Portland	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 10,000
Mainely Smiles Portland	Oral Health Care in Cumberland/York Counties Health and Human Services	$ 20,000
New Ventures Maine Augusta	ReEntry and ReEmployment Civic and Community	$ 15,000
Northern Light Mercy Hospital Portland	Integrated Behavioral Health Program Health and Human Services	$ 20,000
Oasis Free Clinics Brunswick	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 20,000
Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute Portland	Operating Support Health and Human Services - Youth Development	$ 15,000
People Plus Brunswick	Meeting Essential Needs for Older Adults Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Pihcintu Chorus Windham	Operating Support Health and Human Services - Youth Development	$ 5,000
Planned Parenthood of NNE Vermont	Southern Maine Sliding Fee Scale Program Health and Human Services	$ 50,000
Portland Ovations Portland	Expanded Arts Access for Young Mainers Arts and Culture	$ 20,000
Portland Public Health Division/City of Portland Portland	Vision Care Support Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
Portland School of Ballet Portland	Community Ballet Arts and Culture	$ 5,000
Portland Stage Company Portland	K-12 Education Programs Arts and Culture	$ 20,000
Portland Symphony Orchestra Portland	"Clarinet Genius" David Krakauer Arts and Culture	$ 25,000
Preble Street Portland	Preble Street Food Security Hub Health and Human Services	$ 50,000
ProsperityME Portland	General Operating Support Education	$ 40,000
Reentry Sisters Standish	Supporting Women Leaving Incarceration Civic and Community	$ 10,000
SailMaine Portland	City Sailors Health and Human Services - Youth Development	$ 10,000
Safe Families for Children Topsham	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
Seeds of Peace New York, NY	Maine Seeds Program Health and Human Services - Youth Development	$ 15,000
Senior Needs Committee of Wells & Ogunquit Wells	Capital request - new generator Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Shalom House, Inc. Portland	Basic Needs Fund Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Somali Bantu Community Association Lewiston	Culturally Relevant Food Access - Cumberland County Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Spurwink Portland	Expanding Behavioral Health Care in York County Health and Human Services	$ 30,000
Tedford Housing Brunswick	Case Management & New Emergency Housing Health and Human Services	$ 30,000
The Center for Grieving Children Portland	Intercultural Program Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness Portland	General Operating Support Civic and Community	$ 10,000
The Iris Network Portland	Low-Income Fund for Tools Health and Human Services	$ 5,000
The Opportunity Alliance South Portland	Creating a Stronger East Bayside Neighborhood Health and Human Services	$ 25,000
The South Portland Food Cupboard South Portland	Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
The Telling Room Portland	General Operating Support Arts and Culture	$ 15,000
United Way of Southern Maine Portland	United 4 Child Care Education	$ 35,000
Valo Yarmouth	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Wayside Food Programs Portland	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 25,000
Women United Around the World Portland	Maine Stitching Academy Civic and Community	$ 15,000
Woodfords Family Services Westbrook	K- 5 Transportation Program Education	$ 12,500
York County Community Action Corporation Sanford	Acclimating New Mainers in York County Health and Human Services	$ 35,000
York County Shelter Programs Alfred	Street Outreach Program Health and Human Services	$ 50,000
Youth Full Maine Biddeford	General Operating Support Health and Human Services	$ 30,000

Foundation-initiated Grants

Organization/Location	Project/Funding Category	Amount
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine Portland	A Place of Growth Capital Campaign Health and Human Services	$1,000,000
Education Funders Network Portland	Education Funders Network 2024 membership Education	$ 500
Habitat for Humanity York County Kennebunk	Weatherization/Aging in Place Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
Jewish Community Alliance of SoME Portland	Addressing Antisemitism Jewish Culture and Traditions	$ 25,000
Jewish Community Alliance of SoME Portland	Director of Community Relations Jewish Culture and Traditions	$ 375,000
Maine Children's Alliance Augusta	Right from the Start Coalition Education	$ 65,000
Maine Early Childhood Funders Group Portland	2024 Membership Education	$ 6,000
Maine Initiatives Portland	Maine Asylum Seeker Crisis Support Civic and Community	$ 20,000
Maine Jewish Film Festival Portland	MJFF Operating Support 2025 - 2028 Jewish Culture and Traditions	$ 60,000
Maine Jewish Museum Portland	The Delet Program Jewish Culture and Traditions	$ 50,000
Maine Oral Health Funder's Group Statewide	MOHF Consultant 2024 Health and Human Services	$ 3,000
The Opportunity Alliance Portland	Heating Assistance and Weatherization Health and Human Services	$ 15,000
United Way of Southern Maine Portland	Keep ME Warm! 2023 Health and Human Services	$ 10,000
WindowDressers Lewiston	General Operating Support - Southern Maine focus Health and Human Services	$ 7,500
York County Community Action Corp Sanford	Heating Assistance Health and Human Services	$ 7,500