Giving in Maine: A Report on Philanthropy - Maine Philanthropy Center

A project of the Maine Philanthropy Center and the Maine Community Foundation

“Everyone needs to know how giving changes lives in Maine.” That’s one of the conclusions of Giving in Maine: A Report on Philanthropy 2008. Co-produced by the Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Philanthropy Center, the report seeks to start a conversation around the impact and potential of philanthropy in Maine. Click here to read report. The report has since been updated (2009 and 2010) by the Maine Philanthropy Center.

New! Giving in Maine - 2010 Update

MPC's annual look at the status of Giving in Maine has just been released, This past year has been challenging for both foundations and nonprofits, and we have attempted to capture the strength of our philanthropy despite the economic downturn. Click here to download a PDF copy.

Giving in Maine - 2009 Update

This update on the status of Giving in Maine was released at the 2009 convening of the State of Maine Philanthropy: Philanthropic Leadership in Challenging Times. Click here to download a PDF copy.

Giving in Maine (2008)

Giving in Maine: A Report on Philanthropy in 2008 by the Maine Philanthropy Center and the Maine Community Foundation was released at the 2008 Philanthropy Partners Conference. Click here to read report.

Highlights from the 2008 report:

Philanthropy in Maine is accelerating rapidly.

Foundations have grown in number, from 110 foundations in 1983 to 289 in 2005. Foundation assets have nearly doubled over the last five years, from $800 million to $1.5 billion, while giving has increased by 74%. Of the state’s largest 20 foundations, 18 were created in the past 25 years.
Individuals in Maine are giving more generously. Individual giving has multiplied more than 7 fold in 22 years (from $67 million to $482 million). In the last five years both total giving and average giving have increased by 25%.

Individual donors are the key to giving in Maine.

Individuals account for most of the charitable giving in Maine. Around 80% of all charitable gifts in Maine come from individual donors. Over 165,000 or 27% of households filing taxes in Maine claim a charitable deduction.
Mainers give less during their lifetimes than the average American. Maine is among the ten states with the lowest average income and is also among the lowest in terms of average charitable deductions.
Mainers give more generously upon their deaths than national averages (27% of Maine estates include a charitable bequest versus 20% nationally).
The United Ways of Maine, using funding from individual donors, contributed $17,175,909 in 2007 to issues areas across the state. In 2005, the United Way of Eastern Maine worked with the Eastern Maine Funders to provide either fuel or weatherization for more than 1,000 homes.

Foundations fund Maine nonprofits

In 2005, Maine nonprofits attracted both national and state funding of $118 million.
Maine foundations direct more funds to the environment and health and human services than do their national counterparts. This focus reflects the interests and needs of Maine.

Foundation spending cannot replace public funding

Philanthropy complements and enhances government spending. The total annual grantmaking of Maine foundations could run the state government for 5.3 days.
In 2005, state and local governments spent $2.3 billion on health and welfare while 20 of Maine’s largest foundations spent only a fraction of that: $21 million. Maine foundations could run the health and human services department for 11.2 days if it received all their grants.