Mainebiz Giving Guide

GIVING GUIDE VO L . X X X I I N O. X X I I G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 2 6 – 2 0 2 7 12 H OW TO Navigate the nonprofit world with care, purpose and impact B Y K A T I E R O O K S , M & T B A N K B Y K A T I E R O O K S , M & T B A N K M y first exposure to nonprofit life was being placed at the feet of a large stuffed black bear with a coloring book as my mom went off to volunteer at the local historical society. As a child of parent whose primary life was working in the nonprofit world, I was "volunteered" for many tasks over the years — stuffing envelopes for campaigns, wearing a large bunny cos- tume for a Hare verses the Tortoise 5K (thankful my teenage face was covered for no one to see) and one disastrous but memorable canoe race fundraiser. I was destined to be in a nonprofit world. Anyone who has been involved with an organization knows how to share a story of their mission, be thankful for their volunteers showing up just at the right time and understand that there will always be plenty of different hats to wear maneuvering through the world of fundraising. Care, purpose, impact e current hat I wear is working for a foundation. Moving from fundraising to foundation work has been a mean- ingful transition. Managing many dif- ferent fundraising avenues to support a mission to now thinking about how funds can be guided with care, purpose and lasting impact. With so many foundations in Maine and throughout the country, it can be hard to find the right fit for nonprofits. A foundation grant application does more than request funding. It tells a clear, compelling story about a com- munity need, a thoughtful solution and an organization ready to deliver results. e best proposals feel both practical and purposeful, they help the reviewer understand why the work matters. Understand the foundation Before opening an application portal, take time to understand the foundation. Review its mission, funding priorities, geographic focus, eligibility require- ments, past grantees, average grant size and deadlines. e goal is not to bend your proj- ect to fit every opportunity, it is to find funders whose priorities genuinely align with your work. When the match is clear, the proposal becomes easier to write and stronger to read. e hat will fit better. Be clear and concise Foundations must understand the needs of your organization. Providing a clear and concise understanding of your mis- sion or specific project is also importing for the right fit. Explain what is happen- ing in your community, who is affected, what barriers exist and what could improve if the project is funded. When a grant proposal is well aligned, clearly written, financially realis- tic and grounded in measurable results, it provides the foundation with a reason to believe in the work and confidence that the investment will make a difference. A strong grant application helps a foundation see the connection between its mission and your impact. Katie Rooks manages charitable and community relations at M&T Bank and the M&T Charitable Fo u n d a t i o n f r o m Po r t l a n d . 1827 Giving Back Since 2,415 employee volunteer hours logged $500K donated t0 200+ local organizations ~ sbsavings.bank | 207.284.4591 Scan to learn more about SBSI's activities within the community. Katrina Desjardins, VP/Market Relationship Manager | Meg Palmer, Community Engagement Officer | Jeanette Garvilles, Commercial Loan Officer | Patrick DeCourcey, VP of Customer and Market Growth & Denise McIntyre, Residential Loan Officer at a KBIA beach cleanup event. *Statistics from 2025 A strong grant application helps a foundation see the connection between its mission and your impact. Move big ideas forward with cross-sector collaboration B Y D I A N A J A G D E B Y D I A N A J A G D E M aine's biggest challenges and greatest opportunities rarely fit neatly within the boundaries of a single sector. e challenges facing communi- ties are interconnected, as are the solu- tions. Solving them requires multiple, varied perspectives, expertise, resources, relationships and a genuine willingness to collaborate. That is where cross-sector col- laboration comes in. Maine's non- profits are already essential partners in H OW TO

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