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 2022 Grantees
In 2022, 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 |
| AIO | $20,000 | Food, energy and diaper assistance to families within Knox County. |
| Belfast Soup Kitchen | $20,000 | Nutritious meals 5 days/wk, all year for the most vulnerable. |
| Come Spring Food Pantry | $20,000 | Providing nutritious food to the underserved population in Western Knox County. |
| Knox County Gleaners | $10,000 | Connect and collaborate with farmers to share the work of bountiful harvests. |
| MCH Inc Meals on Wheels | $25,000 | Hot, nutritious meals to Knox County seniors and disabled adults. |
| No Greater Love Food Pantry | $3,800 | Provides at least three well-balanced meals to over 1,800 individuals in Waldo County. |
| St. Bernard’s Soup Kitchen | $6,000 | Feeding the hungry 5 days a week in Rockland. |
| The Kindness Programs | $5,000 | Meeting the basic food needs of children and families without other resources. |
Housing
| Name of Organization | Amount | Purpose |
| Coastal Opportunities | $5,000 | Assists adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to become participating members of their community. |
| Knox County Homeless Coalition | $22,000 | Helping homeless families and at-risk youth find homes and lasting stability. |
| Midcoast Habitat for Humanity | $16,000 | Affordable housing/home-ownership for a low to moderate income Knox County residents in need. |
| Mid Coast Recovery Coalition | $20,000 | Provides supervised group housing to individuals addressing the challenges of addiction. |
Health & Safety
| Name of Organization | Amount | Purpose |
| Belfast Public Health Nursing Association | $8,000 | Safety net services to support health and safety for vulnerable Waldo County community members. |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine | $10,000 | Increase positive outcomes for 126 at-risk children using technology-enhanced mentoring. |
| Camden Area District Nursing Association | $20,000 | Steadfast mission to provide care to all in need, regardless of their ability to pay. |
| Coastal Family Hospice Volunteers | $8,000 | Provides non-medical volunteer support to MaineHealth Care at Home’s hospice patients and their families. |
| Finding Our Voices | $7,500 | Helping to keep women and children safe from domestic violence. |
| Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County | $5,000 | Improving quality, education and comfort at end of life and support fo bereaved people. |
| Knox County Health Clinic | $20,000 | Increased access to care, reduced ER visits, and improved community health. |
| Maine Family Planning | $17,500 | Excellent, affordable, and accessible reproductive and sexual health and wellness for all Mainers. |
| MaineHealth Care at Home | $5,000 | Provides free home health/hospice care to qualifying patients in Knox and Waldo counties. |
| Maine Youth Alliance | $12,200 | Promoting compassionate youth and public-spirited communities in Waldo County through mentoring and volunteer opportunities. |
| New Hope Midcoast | $20,000 | Advocacy, prevention and education services to support those affected by domestic violence. |
| OUT Maine | $15,000 | Build resilience and improve the lives & futures of at-risk LGBTQ+ youth in Knox & Waldo counties. |
| Rockland District Nursing Association | $16,000 | In-home nursing services for seniors living independently in Rockland and nearby communities. |
| Sexual Assault Services of Midcoast Maine | $20,000 | Supports and advocates for people affected by sexual violence in Midcoast Maine |
| Soap Closet | $3,000 | Personal hygiene products not covered by food stamps to low-income families and individuals. |
| Waldo County Dental Care | $16,000 | High-quality affordable dental care for 425 low-income children and adults in Waldo & Knox counties. |
| Waldo County Woodshed | $5,000 | Provides quarter-cord allotments of seasoned firewood to families in need throughout Knox and Waldo counties. |
Economic Security
| Name of Organization | Amount | Purpose |
| Belfast Area Child Care Services Inc. | $11,000 | Affordable access to high quality child care for 70 children and 63 families in Waldo County. |
| Penobscot Bay YMCA | $20,000 | The Y creates economic security for working families by providing safe & supervised Childcare & Camp. |
| Penquis CAP, Head Start | $5,000 | Early childhood care and education for children 6 weeks to 5 years of age. |
| Restorative Justice Project | $20,000 | Adult/Young Adult Community Conferencing to reduce criminal convictions & retain employability. |
| Trekkers | $5,000 | Equips youth with the confidence, resiliency, and support network they need to graduate high school. |
| UMA Rockland Center | $5,000 | 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 | $21,000 | Year round childcare for ages 3 to grade 8. |
| Waterman’s Community Center | $5,000 | Provides child care during the academic year for island youth, ages one year to teenage. |
| Wayfinder Schools: Passages Program | $12,000 | Enable at-risk youth and teen parents in midcoast Maine to achieve high school completion. |