News

Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Still Available

April 22, 2019By

United Midcoast Charities (UMC) is grateful to receive support from many local businesses, including a sponsorship from First National Bank for its July Learn With UMC workshop: How to Search for Grant Funding with FDO.

Pictured here (L-R), Necole Janczura, Business Development Officer with First National Wealth Management, Megan Williams, Executive Director of UMC, and Jake Miller, VP, Sr. Business Development, First National Bank.

Donations from First National Bank and other sponsors will help make possible the 2019 Learn With UMC series of free nonprofit workshops and other UMC community events. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available, but they are going quickly. Click here to view the opportunities and call us to sign up or donate online here.

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DIP team photoCapacity Building

Learn With UMC: Track Your Impact data workshop

April 5, 2019By

We are pleased to announce the next offering in our new free educational series for local nonprofits, Learn with UMC. Presenters from USM’s Data Innovation Project will offer a Track Your Impact workshop, designed to help nonprofits use data to achieve their intended impact, on May 8 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the United Farmers Market in Belfast.

Funders of all kinds increasingly expect nonprofits to demonstrate their impact through program data. As nonprofits are expected to take on more work previously funded by the public sector and competition for charitable dollars increases, effective data can give crucial strength to a nonprofit’s fundraising efforts. Effective use of data can improve every aspect of nonprofit impact, from guiding strategic direction and program development to dramatically improving fundability.

Learn with UMC: Track Your Impact will guide participants from Knox and Waldo county nonprofit organizations through the purpose and processes of developing a performance measurement approach. Attendees will define what they want to measure, set priorities, craft quality measurement objectives, and learn how to foster a data-informed culture in their organizations. Attendees will leave with a firm foundation in how to build a performance measurement plan, a clear next step, and a workbook to support them going forward.

There is no cost to participate, but space is limited so registration is required. Please register here.

About the presenters:

The Data Innovation Project was founded with support from the Maine Economic Improvement Fund and is housed within the Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy at the Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine. The Data Innovation Project improves Maine’s capacity for data-informed decision making by providing access to affordable information and instruction, skilled technical assistance, and open access to a growing body of resources.

SIGN UP FOR THIS WORKSHOP

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Nonprofit Marketing and Branding 101 & 102 Workshops Offered

February 11, 2019By

A Learn with UMC Event

We are pleased to announce the next offerings in our free educational series, Learn with UMC: Nonprofit Marketing and Branding 101 on March 8 and Nonprofit Marketing & Branding 102 on April 5. Presenters from United Midcoast Charities’ communication committee will offer an interactive and hands-on series of workshops, drawing on their 190 years of combined experience in the field to help address current marketing needs of local nonprofits.

Please join the United Midcoast Charities’ Communication Committee for a series of two workshops designed to help your organization develop a marketing plan or enhance your marketing efforts. Whether organizations don’t know where to start, or have started and would like some guidance as they take next steps, this workshop series can help.

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Gift Acceptance, Investment & Spending Policies Workshop Feb. 7

January 28, 2019By

First in Educational Series

United Midcoast Charities will offer a series of free educational opportunities on topics essential to nonprofit sustainability and impact throughout 2019. This series was developed in response to needs expressed by UMC’s nonprofit grantees and is made possible with support from donors and sponsors. Our goal is that attending nonprofits will emerge equipped to make a stronger impact than ever!

Midcoast nonprofit representatives are invited to register for UMC’s inaugural workshop in the series, Gift Acceptance, Investment & Spending Policies. Join us on Feb. 7 at 9 a.m. at Allen Insurance and Financial, 34 Elm St. in Camden to learn the hows and whys of developing your gift acceptance and investment policies with experienced gift planners, Abe Dugal and Sarah Ruef-Lindquist. This opportunity is open to nonprofit board members and executives who have a hand in developing organizational polices. Space is limited so registration is requested in advance. Call UMC at 236-2299 with any further questions.

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News

United Midcoast Charities named Top-Rated Nonprofit for Second Year

December 17, 2018By

UMC is pleased to announce its designation as a “2018 Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews of charities and nonprofits. The Top-Rated Nonprofit Award is  based on the rating and number of reviews UMC received from volunteers, donors and aid recipients. This is the second consecutive year in which UMC has received this honor.

United Midcoast Charities’ mission is to energize Midcoast Maine nonprofit agencies through finance and guidance, supporting a network of resources stronger than any single organization.

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Day of Giving in Belfast, Camden and Rockland to Support UMC

November 26, 2018By

The holiday spirit is thriving in the Midcoast, where businesses in the Belfast, Camden and Rockland area have set aside Saturday, December 8 to contribute to United Midcoast Charities (UMC) in support of the work of local nonprofit organizations.

Participating shops have committed to generously donate a portion of their sales to UMC, and all proceeds will be applied toward UMC’s grants – which help food pantries, health clinics, nursing services, homeless shelters and other providers of vital services in Knox and Waldo counties. The Day of Giving events are made possible through lead sponsorship from Allen Insurance & Financial and Horch Roofing with media sponsored by Courier Publications.

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UMC Executive Earns Nonprofit Management Certificate

November 9, 2018By

Megan Williams, executive director of United Midcoast Charities, has earned a certificate in nonprofit management through the Maine Association of Nonprofits in partnership with MindEdge Learning.

The online certificate program included key management topics for nonprofit organizations such as fundraising, board and volunteer development, budgeting, reading financial statements, leadership, marketing and setting strategic direction. The program offered insight into how nonprofit professionals apply key concepts in their own organizations.

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Wes Todd searches for grants for MCH, Inc. at UMC's office.News

UMC Joins Foundation Center’s Global Network

October 26, 2018By

UMC Now Provides Resources for Local Grantseekers

Nonprofit organizations and other grantseekers in Midcoast Maine now have access to a valuable new collection of resources at United Midcoast Charities.

In response to feedback from UMC’s Nonprofit Advisory Council and thanks to support from a generous donor, UMC has become a Funding Information Network partner with Foundation Center, the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide.

“As a Funding Information Network partner, we can now offer organizations and individuals free access to detailed information on grantmakers and how to apply for funding,” says UMC Executive Director Megan Williams. “These resources are open to everyone, not just the agencies that receive grants from us. People can make appointments to come to UMC’s office to search Foundation Center’s three online directories of more than 140,000 U.S. grantmakers, access foundation maps and find proposal writing guides.”

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