Funding Opportunities
Information and resources
The Maine Downtown Center shares information, tools and grant opportunities for communities engaged in downtown revitalization. For Main Street and Affiliate Communities, the Maine Downtown Center regularly seeks funding that will benefit those communities whether it be for historic preservation, training, technical assistance to small downtown businesses, or many other opportunities as they arise. In some cases, Maine Downtown Center serves as a sub-granting entity.
Downtown Improvement Funding Opportunities
Grants, RFPs, and other opportunities available to help support downtown revitalization projects
Service Provider Grants
Grants to service provider organizations to assist communities to prepare for and enroll in the Community Resilience Partnership and then apply for grant funds to undertake priority projects.
Due: 02/02/2024
Energy Efficiency Priorities Grants
This is a special, one-time grant offering through the Community Resilience Partnership to distribute federal funds to disadvantaged communities for projects that improve energy efficiency and implement clean energy systems. GOPIF anticipates making 10 awards of approximately $100,000 each to eligible communities through a competitive Request for Applications (RFA) process. To be eligible, communities must be enrolled in the Partnership AND be designated as “disadvantaged” by the federal EPA CEJST tool. See RFA for full eligibility requirements.
Due: 02/16/2024
Community Action Grants
The Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) is excited to announce the opening of three grant opportunities for municipal and tribal governments and unorganized territories through the Community Resilience Partnership. Community Action Grants (up to $50,000) Enables eligible communities to implement projects that reduce energy use and costs, transition to clean energy, and make communities in Maine more resilient to climate change.
Due: 03/29/2024
Levitt AMP Grant Awards
The Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards is an exciting, multi-year matching grant opportunity bringing the joy of free outdoor concerts to small to mid-sized towns and cities with a population of up to 250,000 people. For the 2023–2025 grant cycle, the Levitt Foundation has expanded the Levitt AMP program from an annual matching grant of $25K into a three-year matching grant of $30K per year, for a total grant award of $90K.
Due: 06/30/2022
Maine Community Foundation Grants
Maine Community Foundation competitive grant programs support work being done in Maine and benefitting people and communities in Maine.
Project Canopy Assistance Grants
Project Canopy Assistance Grants are available to state, county, and municipal governments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations for developing and implementing community forestry projects and programs.
Maine DOT Community-Based Initiatives
Maine DOT offers funding to communities through four partnership initiatives investing in core infrastructure needs.
Tactical Urbanism Lightning Grants
Build Maine is excited to be able to offer a series of “Lightning Grants” for planning and implementing Tactical Urbanism demonstration projects in Maine. Rolling application process.
AARP Community Challenge Grants
The AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to fund quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages.
T-Mobile Hometown Grants
Focusing on revitalizing community spaces in towns with 50,000 people or less
Maine CDBG Downtown Revitalization Program
The Downtown Revitalization Program will provide funds to communities to implement comprehensive, integrated, and innovative solutions to the problems facing their downtown districts. These community revitalization projects must be part of a strategy that targets downtown service and business districts and will lead to future public and private investment.
REvitalizeME Gen 2
REvitalizeME Gen 2 is a grant program administered by Maine Downtown Center in partnership with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. It is supported through a grant from the Historic Preservation Fund, Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program, as administered by the National Park Service, Department of Interior.
Maine Historic Commercial District Revolving Fund (HCDRF)
The Historic Commercial District Revolving Fund (HCDRF) provides 0% interest loans for façade improvements and COVID-19 response up to $10,000. This opportunity is now open to business and building owners of commercial or mixed-use buildings in all current Main Street or Maine Downtown Affiliate districts. Loan applications are open until September 30, 2021. For more information or to request an application, please contact Lindsey Wallace at the National Main Street Center: lwallace@savingplaces.org.