Friday, May 1, 2015
MPC staff posed these five questions to Jay Espy of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, and here's what he said:
Why do you do the work you do? What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
I love Maine. I love the people I work with and the new folks I meet every day. I love the landscape – not only our magnificent forests, farmlands, mountains, rivers, lakes and coastline but also Maine’s mix of small towns and cities. Maine retains a unique identity and I believe it is this identity or “sense of place” that is key to the future prosperity of the state and the health of its people. Helping Maine change and adapt in ways that are nurturing for people, communities and our natural environment is what gets me out of bed.
What is something about your work that would surprise people reading this interview?
Giving away money is more rewarding than spending it, more interesting than investing it and less stressful than raising it! That said, I didn’t really understand when I first started this job that the Foundation is essentially a no or low interest banker to charitable organizations, providing them with the capital they need to create value – “social profit”, if you will – for society.
When you call a colleague for advice--what questions do you ask?I’m generally seeking advice on how others assess their impact. How do they know when the grants they are making have a substantial positive benefit to people’s lives. What organizations in Maine are making the greatest difference? Where do gaps exist? Who is being underserved or left out? What new ideas or approaches could be game changers if given a chance?
What's the biggest challenge for the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation right now? What keeps you up at night?
We are in the midst of the first grant cycle of the Sewall Foundation’s new Healthy People Healthy Places program. In designing this program, the Board chose not to prescribe too strictly the types of activities that might qualify for funding, instead favoring creativity by grant seekers to help us all learn. I am convinced this will lead to better outcomes in the long run but the breadth of possibilities does make the task of reviewing and selecting a limited number of grants all the more daunting.What's next for the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation?
The Sewall Foundation is committed to learning and envisions playing a more active role in convening interested parties around topics and issues. Providing space and time for folks to meet each other, share ideas and, hopefully, work together on shared interests is something we’d like to offer in the future. Advancing this activity in a way that doesn’t feel like a mandate from the funder but, instead, provides something that is truly valuable for all involved, is the trick we’re pondering now.
What does success look like for the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation? What's your endgame? 
I suppose I could quote Garrison Keillor and say our endgame is to insure that all Mainers are above average. But, alas, change is inevitable and I think it is more realistic to hope for resiliency in the face of adversity and wisdom in the face of prosperity. Maine and Maine people will always have needs and my hope is that the Sewall Foundation will use its resources to address these needs in a way that builds social equity, strengthens communities and enhances the health of Maine’s people and environment.
The Mission:The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation supports work in Maine to improve the well-being of people, animals and the environment while fostering relationships that strive for social equity and community resilience.
(Photos Top to Bottom: Maine Coast Heritage Trust; Penobscot River Restoration Trust; Skowhegan Food Hub; Kitchen Gardeners International; Animal Welfare Society)
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