Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/872198
V O L . X X I I I N O. X X I I G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 7 – 2 0 1 8 48 BOARD OFFICERS Susan Morris Vice Chair Blueberry farmer, Storer Mountain Farm Henry Whittemore Treasurer Principal, Crow's Nest Collaborative Frank Miles Secretary Retired Educator BOARD MEMBERS William Bell Owner, Bell Associates, Inc. Neil Crane Potato Farmer, Crane Brothers Farm Walter Fletcher Dairy Farmer, Fletcher Farm Eleanor Kinney Environmental Activist James Lawrence Financial Consultant Steve Page Owner, Kousa LLC Jon Olson Former Executive Director, Maine Farm Bureau Established: 1999 Employees: 34.5 Annual revenue: $9,105,587 CONTACT 97 Main St., Belfast, ME 04915 (207) 338-6575 Southern Maine Office 48 Union Wharf, Portland, ME 04101 www.mainefarmlandtrust.org mainefarmlandtrust @mainefarms @mainefarms MISSION STATEMENT Maine Farmland Trust protects farmland, supports farmers and advances the future for farming. Since its founding, the Trust has helped to protect over 57,000 acres of Maine farmland and has provided critical services to over 550 farm families. SERVICE LOCATION(S) State of Maine Maine Farmland Trust 2018 GOALS We are looking forward to continuing to expand our work in 2018. In the next 10 years, about 1/3 of Maine's farmland will be in transition as farmers age and retire. What happens to that land will have a direct impact on the future of our economy, environment and food security. Our goal is to help protect more prime farmland throughout the state, and especially in places where that land is particularly vulnerable to development. We are also helping farmers get on that land and offer business and market development support so that farmers can be successful. ese are all ways to make sure that Maine's farmland stays in farm- ing and can continue to feed us for generations to come. FUNDRAISING EVENTS/OPPORTUNITIES f Farm Parties: Every summer we host a couple of farm parties to celebrate the growing success of farmland protection throughout the state. ey're casual and fun, on farms that we have recently protected with an agricultural easement. Farm parties are always free and open to everyone, and always include farm-fresh food, local beer and wine, and live music. f Maine Fare: Our signature food event has morphed from a festival to a col- lection of food-focused events held throughout the month of June. Maine Fare celebrates our state's diverse and abundant food system with delicious and hands-on educational workshops—like a cidermaking demonstration, an oyster farm tour and tasting, or a visit to a farmstead creamery. e month culminates in a grand dinner celebrating the taste of place. f Agrarian Acts: A late summer concert & dinner celebrating agricul- ture through music. e acts change each year – 2017 features e Mallett Brother Band in a hayfield in Sebec, Maine. GIVING OPPORTUNITIES Our work is made possible by our members. April is membership renewal month, and thousands of Mainers (and some folks from away, too) send in their annual membership fee to support our work. We make a push for new members every July, and send out an annual appeal in November to ask our supporters for a year-end gift. MFT has a growing cohort of business members who sup- port our work annually. Our business members are community-minded leaders who are committed to growing the future for farming in Maine, and include all sectors — from real estate to hospitality, law to architecture, marketing, food & beverage companies, and more. We are always excited to create new partner- ships with businesses that align with our values and mission. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES e best way to support MFT is by becoming a member (and encouraging your friends, family, co-workers to join as well). Groups can dig into our work by volunteering at our food bank farm, Veggies For All, in Unity. We are also always open to creative ideas for collaboration and have worked with volunteer photographers and artists on a variety of projects. Hosting a community pot- luck or house party is another great way to engage your community around our work to grow a bright future for farming in Maine. Foundation grants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80% Private donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16% Government grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4% TOP FUNDING SOURCES Amanda Beal President & CEO Taylor Mudge Board Chair, Co-owner, Ducktrap River Hops