GRANTS AWARDED IN 2008

Responsive grants are awarded semi-annually in response to proposals submitted through the Foundation's grant application process. The Foundation accepts requests up to $50,000.

In 2008, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation awarded 52 responsive grants totaling $684,839. The Foundation received 102 letters of inquiry and 79 full applications. The average grant award was $13,000; the smallest grant was $2,000; the largest grant was $50,000.

The responsive grant funds were distributed among the program areas as follows:as follows:

Responsive Grants Awarded in 2008

Organization/Location	Project/Funding Category	Amount
Add Verb Productions Arts & Education Portland, Maine	"Cast Off" subsidy fund Arts and culture	$5,000
American Cancer Society New England Framingham, Massachusetts	Patient Navigator program at Maine Medical Center Health and human services	$10,000
Bates Dance Festival Lewiston, Maine	Scholarships for Maine youth Arts and culture	$5,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine Portland, Maine	York County mentoring programs Education	$10,000
Brain Injury Association of Maine Waterville, Maine	Operating support Education	$5,000
Catholic Charities Maine Portland, Maine	St. Louis Child Development Center Education	$15,000
Center for Grieving Children Portland, Maine	Multicultural Peer Support program Health and human services	$15,000
Collaborative Problem Solving Institute Newton, Massachusetts	Training Maine's juvenile corrections officers Health and human services	$10,000
Community Counseling Center Portland, Maine	Photo essay collaboration with Maine veterans Health and human services	$15,000
Congregation Bet Ha'am South Portland, Maine	Building Our Legacy capital campaign Jewish culture and tradition	$25,000
Counseling Services, Inc. Saco, Maine	Mental health services for children Health and human services	$10,000
Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness	Support an assistant to the director Health and human services	$45,000
Cumberland County YMCA Portland, Maine	Child Care Program at Noyes Street Education	$20,000
Dress for Success Southern Maine Portland, Maine	Operating support Education	$2,500
Ecology Education, Inc. Saco, Maine	Ferry Beach program for Biddeford students (2 years) Education	$20,000
Equest Therapeutic Riding Center Kennebunk, Maine	Program for disabled Veterans Health and human services	$8,500
Families and Children Together Westbrook, Maine	Maine Kids-Kin program Health and human services	$10,000
Family Planning Association of Maine Augusta, Maine	Support access to confidential reproductive health care services Health and human	$2,500
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Topsham, Maine	Community conversation on early education in York Co. Education	$5,000
Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, Inc. Portland, Maine	Free admission for youth Arts and culture	$5,000
Girl Scouts of Maine South Portland, Maine	A Place for Girls program Education	$12,500
Good Theater, Inc. Portland, Maine	Operating support Arts and culture	$2,000
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland Portland, Maine	Construction of Interfaith house Civic and community	$25,000
Immigrant Legal Action Project Portland, Maine	Operating support Civic and community	$20,000
Institute for Civic Leadership Portland, Maine	Board development for York County nonprofits Civic and community	$12,000
Iris Network Portland, Maine	Vision to Leadership project Health and human services	$10,000
Kids First Center Portland, Maine	Parents in High Conflict program Health and human services	$20,000
LARK Society for Chamber Music Portland, Maine	Residency program at Portland High School Arts and culture	$5,000
Maine Boys to Men Portland, Maine	Maine Boys Network program Education	$10,000
Maine Children's Alliance Augusta, Maine	Early Childhood Specialist position (2 years) Education	$50,000
Maine Humanities Council Portland, Maine	New Books, New Readers program Education	$15,000
Maine Jewish Film Festival Portland, Maine	Operating support Jewish culture and traditions	$10,000
Maine Public Broadcasting Network Lewiston, Maine	Lifelong learning program on website Education	$10,000
The Maine Way, Inc. Biddeford, Maine	Keeping Neighbors Warm Civic and community	$5,000
Maine Women's Policy Center Hallowell, Maine	Paid sick leave policy research Civic and community	$10,000
Nasson Center Redevelopment, Inc. Springvale, Maine	Little Theatre renovation project Arts and culture	$10,000
Northern York County Family YMCA Biddeford, Maine	Debt reduction campaign Health and human services	$50,000
Portland Chamber Music Festival Portland, Maine	Operating support (over 3 years) Arts and culture	$15,000
Portland Concert Association Portland, Maine	Model school pilot program Arts and culture	$10,000
Portland Conservatory of Music Portland, Maine	Noonday concert series Arts and culture	$4,500
Portland School of Ballet Portland, Maine	Creation of "Evangeline" ballet Arts and culture	$10,000
Portland Symphony Orchestra Portland, Maine	Training on interest-based bargaining Arts and culture	$25,000
Southern Maine Area Agency on Aging Scarborough, Maine	Meals on Wheels program in Portland Health and human services	$10,000
The Spurwink Institute New Gloucester, Maine	Assistive technology services for children with disabilities Health and human services	$13,350
The Summer Camp, Inc. Bridgton, Maine	Leadership Training program Health and human services	$5,000
Sweetser Saco, Maine	Prevocational training program Education	$5,000
UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine Biddeford, Maine	Nursing home residence program Health and human services	$4,999
University of New England Biddeford, Maine	College Community Mentoring program Education	$20,000
YAI Youth Alternatives Ingraham South Portland, Maine Biddeford, Maine	Parenting Education programs Education	$10,000
York County CAP Head Start Sanford, Maine	Electronic information system Education	$17,990
Waban Projects, Inc. Sanford, Maine	Construction of bathhouse at Camp Waban Health and human services	$10,000
Young Maine Readers Ogunquit, Maine	Books for York County Head Start children Education	$4,000

Discretionary grants are made at the recommendation of a Foundation director from limited funds reserved for that purpose. Unsolicited requests for support are not accepted. Discretionary grants fall within the overall grant-making guidelines with the exception that they are not limited to southern Maine. All discretionary grants are evaluated and voted on by the full board.

Discretionary Grants Awarded in 2008

Organization/Location	Project/Funding Category	Amount
Anti-Defamation League Boca Raton, Florida	Operating support Civic and community	$10,000
Bishop Museum Honolulu, Hawaii	Research and collections Arts and culture	$2,500
Cancer Community Center South Portland, Maine	Operating support Health and human services	$5,000
Congregation Etz Chaim Biddeford, Maine	Professional development for staff Jewish culture and tradition	$5,000
Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness Portland, Maine	Operating support Education	$2,500
Domestic Violence Action Center Honolulu, Hawaii	Operating support Health and human services	$2,500
Honpa Hongwanji Mission Honolulu, Hawaii	Project Dana Health and human services	$2,500
People's Regional Opportunity Program Portland, Maine	Keep ME Warm Health and human services	$5,000
Portland Symphony Orchestra Portland, Maine	Operating support Arts and culture	$20,000
Preble Street Resource Center Portland, Maine	Operating support Health and human services	$5,000
River of Life Mission Honolulu, Hawaii	Operating support Health and human services	$2,500
Ruth's Reusable Resources Portland, Maine	Operating support Education	$1,500
Scarborough Public Library Corp Scarborough, Maine	Operating support Arts and culture	$1,000
University of Hawaii Foundation Honolulu, Hawaii	Sam L. Cohen Fellowship in International Human Rights Education	$15,000

Foundation-initiated grants are made to projects identified by directors and staff. Applications are accepted only at the invitation of the directors. There is no limit on grant amounts.

Foundation-initiated Grants Awarded in 2008

Organization/Location	Project/Funding Category	Amount
The Choral Art Society Portland, Maine	Mendelssohn's "Elijah" Arts and culture	$2,500
Community Dental Portland, Maine	Biddeford Dental Health Care Clinic construction Health and human services	$100,000
Congregation Etz Chaim Biddeford, Maine Honolulu, Hawaii	Operating support (3 years) Jewish culture and traditions	$30,000
Maine Interfaith Youth Alliance Portland, Maine	Beloved Community youth event Civic and community	$2,500
Maine Philanthropy Center Portland, Maine	Energy Program for funders Civic and community	$2,000
Maine Philanthropy Center Portland, Maine	Continued funder coordination of energy crisis Civic and community	$5,000
The Mitchell Institute Portland, Maine	Sam L. Cohen Pioneer Scholarship at Thornton Academy Education	$125,000
People's Regional Opportunity Program Portland, Maine	Weatherization of homes in York County Health and human services	$50,000
Project AWARE Saco, Maine	Project AWARE Players Arts and culture	$2,500
Saco Food Pantry Saco, Maine	Van purchase campaign Health and human services	$2,500
Saco Food Pantry Saco, Maine	Operating support Health and human services	$5,000