100% of UMC’s donations are applied to our Grant Program. UMC’s grants are funded through individual and private foundation contributions. Click here to donate so we can award more dollars to local agencies.
UMC offers an open competitive grants process which supports nonprofit agencies in Knox and Waldo counties working in the areas of food, housing, health & safety and economic security. For more information about our grant program, click here.
Our 2021 Grantees
In 2021, UMC’s regular grants cycle funded the following proposals from organizations making an impact in UMC’s focus areas:
Food
| Name of Organization | Amount | Purpose |
| Belfast Soup Kitchen | $16,000 | Nutritious meals 5 days/wk, all year for the most vulnerable. |
| MCH Inc Meals on Wheels | $30,000 | Hot, nutritious meals to Knox County seniors and disabled adults. |
| No Greater Love Food Pantry | $2,500 | Provides at least three well-balanced meals to over 1,800 individuals in Waldo County. |
| St. Bernard’s Soup Kitchen | $5,000 | Feeding the hungry 5 days a week in Rockland. |
Housing
| Name of Organization | Amount | Purpose |
| Knox County Homeless Coalition | $30,000 | Helping homeless families and at-risk youth find homes and lasting stability. |
| Midcoast Habitat for Humanity | $15,000 | Affordable housing/home-ownership for a low to moderate income Knox County residents in need. |
| Mid Coast Recovery Coalition | $22,500 | Provides supervised group housing to individuals addressing the challenges of addiction. |
| Waldo County Woodshed | $5,000 | Free firewood for households in need in Waldo County (and some of Knox County). |
Health & Safety
| Name of Organization | Amount | Purpose |
| Belfast Public Health Nursing Association | $9,000 | Safety net services to support health and safety for vulnerable Waldo County community members. |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine | $2,750 | Increase positive outcomes for 126 at-risk children using technology-enhanced mentoring. |
| Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County | $2,250 | Improving quality, education and comfort at end of life and support fo bereaved people. |
| Knox County Health Clinic | $25,000 | Increased access to care, reduced ER visits, and improved community health. |
| Maine Family Planning | $15,000 | Excellent, affordable, and accessible reproductive and sexual health and wellness for all Mainers. |
| Maine Youth Alliance | $12,500 | Promoting compassionate youth and public-spirited communities in Waldo County through mentoring and volunteer opportunities. |
| New Hope for Women | $25,000 | Advocacy, prevention and education services to support those affected by domestic violence. |
| One Less Worry | $6,250 | Tens of thousands of pads, tampons, toilet paper, soaps & toothpaste delivered monthly to 1,500+. |
| OUT Maine | $11,000 | Build resilience and improve the lives & futures of at-risk LGBTQ+ youth in Knox & Waldo counties. |
| Parent Program of Mid-Coast Maine | $5,000 | Injury prevention and safety education to parents of children birth to three through home visits. |
| Rockland District Nursing Association | $15,000 | In-home nursing services for seniors living independently in Rockland and nearby communities. |
| Sexual Assault Services of Midcoast Maine | $22,500 | Supports and advocates for people affected by sexual violence in Midcoast Maine |
| Soap Closet | $4,000 | Personal hygiene products not covered by food stamps to low-income families and individuals. |
| Trekkers | $5,000 | Long-term youth mentoring program supporting the social and emotional health of 200 students in Knox County. |
| Maine Healthcare At Home | $10,000 | Provides free home health/hospice care to qualifying patients in Knox and Waldo counties. |
| Waldo County Dental Care | $16,000 | High-quality affordable dental care for 425 low-income children and adults in Waldo & Knox counties. |
Economic Security
| Name of Organization | Amount | Purpose |
| Belfast Area Child Care Services Inc. | $10,000 | Affordable access to high quality child care for 70 children and 63 families in Waldo County. |
| Penobscot Bay YMCA | $29,000 | The Y creates economic security for working families by providing safe & supervised Childcare & Camp. |
| Penquis CAP Inc - MPRN | $5,000 | Trains social workers, mentors, correctional staff on financial coaching for recent incarcerated. |
| Restorative Justice Project | $28,500 | Adult/Young Adult Community Conferencing to reduce criminal convictions & retain employability. |
| Station Maine | $5,000 | Provides supervised rowing program for teens to strengthen resiliency and widen aspirations. |
| UMA Rockland Center | $10,000 | UMC Scholarship Awards: one class for 10 first-time or returning students. |
| Waldo Community Action Partners | $20,000 | Utilize and mobilize public and private resources to assist low-income Waldo County residents in the alleviation of poverty and address its underlying causes. |
| Waldo County YMCA | $30,000 | Year round childcare for ages 3 to grade 8. |
| Watermans Community Center | $5,000 | Provides child care during the academic year for island youth, ages one year to teenage. |
| Wayfinder Schools: Passages Program | $10,000 | Enable at-risk youth and teen parents in midcoast Maine to achieve high school completion. |