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 2018, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation awarded 71 responsive grants totaling $1,067,365. In total, the Foundation considered 159 letters of inquiry and 75 full applications. The average grant award was $15,033; the smallest grant was $2,000; the largest grant was $50,000.
Foundation-initiated grants are awarded to projects identified by directors and staff. Applications are accepted only at the invitation of the directors. Grant amounts have no limit.
Responsive Grants
| Organization/Location | Project/Funding Category | Amount |
| 317 Main Street Community Music Center Yarmouth, Maine |
Partnership program with Portland Schools Arts and Culture |
$ 7,500 |
| A Company of Girls Portland, Maine |
After-school programming Health and Human Services- Youth development |
$ 12,500 |
| Access Health - Leavitt's Mill Free Clinic Buxton, Maine |
Mental health collaborative with USM Health & Human Services |
$ 10,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Maine Playwrights Festival High School Writers Initiative Arts and Culture |
$ 2,000 |
|
African Woman Development Portland, Maine |
Women "Making Their Way" Civic and Community |
$ 2,000 |
|
American Red Cross of Southern Maine Portland, Maine |
Volunteers for York County Health and Human Services |
$ 10,000 |
| Biddeford Food Pantry Biddeford, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 8,500 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine Portland, Maine |
Operating support Health & Human services - Youth Development |
$ 20,000 |
|
Camden, Maine |
Camden Conference in the Classroom in Portland Civic and Community |
$ 5,000 |
| Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake Casco, Maine |
Bereavement program Health & Human Services |
$ 17,500 |
|
Sanford, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 20,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
SEARCH Health and Human Services |
$ 7,500 |
| Center for Grieving Children Portland, Maine |
Intercultural peer support program Health & Human services |
$ 18,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Indoor Therapy-Motor Room Education |
$ 10,500 |
| Community Bicycle Center Biddeford, Maine |
Operating support Health & Human services -Youth development |
$ 20,000 |
|
Falmouth, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 30,000 |
| Consumers for Affordable Health Care Augusta, Maine |
Consumer assistance program support Health and Human Services |
$ 20,000 |
| Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness Portland, Maine |
Programming in rural Maine schools Civic and Community |
$ 10,023 |
| Frannie Peabody Center Portland, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$20,000 |
|
Friends of the Saint Lawrence Church Portland, Maine |
Website Development Arts and Culture |
$ 5,000 |
|
Westbrook, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 15,000 |
| Good Shepherd Food Bank Auburn, Maine |
School pantry support in Southern Maine Health and Human Services |
$ 30,000 |
|
Cape Elizabeth, Maine |
Operating support Arts and Culture |
$ 5,000 |
| Goodwill Industries of NNE Portland, Maine |
Job Connection Greater Portland Health and Human Services |
$15,000 |
| GrowSmart Maine Gardiner, Maine |
Making Headway in Sanford Civic and Community |
$ 7,500 |
| Gulf of Maine Research Institute Portland, Maine |
Sam L. Cohen Center Education |
$50,000 |
|
Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine Topsham, Maine |
Weatherizing and repair Health and Human Services |
$ 15,000 |
| Historic New England Boston, Massachusetts |
Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum School Arts and Culture |
$ 7,500 |
| Intercultural Community Center Westbrook, Maine |
Power School Education |
$20,000 |
| Jobs for Maine's Graduates Augusta, Maine |
Operating support Education |
$ 25,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Curriculum for York and Cumberland Counties Education |
$ 10,000 |
| Kids Free to Grow Kennebunk, Maine |
Healthy Relationships Civic and Community |
$ 3,000 |
|
Nobleboro, Maine |
RSU 23 expanded programming Health and Human Services |
$ 7,820 |
|
Lake Region Senior Service, Inc. Bridgton, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 12,000 |
|
Boston, Massachusetts |
Let's Get Ready Portland Education |
$ 10,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Financial Aid Assistance Jewish Culture and Traditions |
$ 7,500 |
|
Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation Newry, Maine |
Access pilot program Health and Human Services |
$ 5,000 |
| Maine Association of Nonprofits Portland, Maine |
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion resources Civic and Community |
$ 10,000 |
| Maine Audubon Falmouth, Maine |
Portland Youth Stewardship program Civic & Community |
$ 15,000 |
| Maine Boys to Men Falmouth, Maine |
Operating support Civic and Community |
$ 15,000 |
| Maine Center for Economic Policy Augusta, Maine |
Advancing policy solutions to promote economic opportunity Civic and Community |
$30,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Community Conversations Civic and Community |
$ 11,522 |
|
Augusta, Maine |
MFP abortion aid fund Health and Human Services |
$ 10,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Maine's First People: Resources for teachers and students Arts and Culture |
$ 10,000 |
| Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition Portland, Maine |
Building organizational capacity Civic and Community |
$ 15,000 |
| Maine Jewish Museum Portland, Maine |
Executive Director Funding Jewish Culture and Traditions |
$ 10,000 |
| Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program Brunswick, Maine |
Food Pantry Health and Human Services |
$17,500 |
|
Bath, Maine |
Operating support Education |
$ 10,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
HOME Team Health and Human Services |
$ 25,000 |
| Multilingual and Multicultural Center of Portland Public Schools Portland, Maine |
Parent University Education |
$ 10,000 |
| My Place Teen Center Westbrook, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 20,000 |
|
Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute Portland, Maine |
Programming in York County Health and Human Services |
$ 15,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of NNE Portland, Maine |
Southern Maine Charity Care program Health and Human Services |
$35,000 |
|
South Portland, Maine |
Cultural Sensitivity Training Health and Human Services |
$ 10,000 |
| Portland Chamber Music Festival Portland, Maine |
Operating support Arts and Culture |
$10,000 |
| Portland Ovations Portland, Maine |
School-Time Performance Series Arts and Culture |
$ 15,000 |
| Portland Stage Company Portland, Maine |
K-12 Education programs Arts and Culture |
$ 15,000 |
| Preble Street Portland, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 40,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Community engagement initiative Civic and Community |
$ 10,000 |
|
Standish, Maine |
Nonprofit Internship Opportunities Education |
$ 10,000 |
|
Saco, Maine |
Interactive White Boards Education |
$ 10,000 |
| The Ecology School Saco, Maine |
Biddeford-Saco's Environmental Community Center Education |
$ 15,000 |
|
Brunswick, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 5,000 |
|
Brunswick, Maine |
"What Binds Us Together" Arts and Culture |
$ 4,500 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Operating Support Arts and Culture |
$ 15,000 |
| United Way of York County Kennebunk, Maine |
Healthy Pre-school project Education |
$ 10,000 |
| University of Southern Maine Foundation Portland, Maine |
Promise Scholarship program Education |
$ 25,000 |
| Waynflete School Portland, Maine |
West End-Parkside Mentoring program Health and Human Services - Youth development |
$ 5,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Operating support Health and Human Services |
$ 25,000 |
Foundation-initiated Grants
| Organization/Location | Project/Funding Category | Amount |
|
Biddeford, Maine |
Operating Support (3 years) Jewish Culture and Traditions |
$ 37,500 |
|
Count ME In Portland, Maine |
Portland Public Pre-k programs Education |
$ 15,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity York County Kennebunk, Maine |
Keep York County Warm! Health and Human Services |
$ 10,000 |
|
Wells, Maine |
No Small Matter Education |
$ 200 |
| Maine Children's Alliance Augusta, Maine |
Strengthening Maine's Early Childhood System Education |
$ 50,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative Civic and Community |
$ 1,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Operating and Project support (3 years) Jewish Culture and Traditions |
$ 45,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Capital Campaign Health and Human Services |
$500,000 |
|
Maine Oral Health Funders Portland, Maine |
Consultant's fee Health and Human Services |
$ 2,000 |
| Maine Philanthropy Center Portland, Maine |
2018 conference support Civic & Community |
$ 2,500 |
|
Manchester, Maine |
Infant Morality in Maine Health and Human Services |
$ 10,000 |
| Mercy Hospital Portland, Maine |
One Mercy - capital campaign Health and Human Services |
$100,000 |
|
Portland ConnectED Portland, Maine |
Operating support Education |
$ 25,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Operating support Education |
$ 20,000 |
|
Portland, Maine |
Susan T. Goldberg Fund Jewish Culture and Traditions |
$ 10,000 |
| The Opportunity Alliance South Portland, Maine |
Weatherization and heating assistance for Cumberland County Health and Human Services |
$ 17,500 |
| United Way of Greater Portland Portland, Maine |
Keep ME Warm! Health & Human Services |
$ 15,000 |
| York County Community Action Corp. Sanford, Maine |
Heating assistance Health and Human Services |
$ 7,500 |