The mission of the Betterment Fund focuses on the improvement of the welfare of residents in Maine through education, health, conservation, and community support. It aims to foster educational quality, access to healthcare, environmental conservation, and economic development, targeting broad-based policy initiatives and systemic approaches that enhance the overall well-being and economic independence of Maine's residents.
The Betterment Fund grants support a range of initiatives within Maine, with grants typically ranging from $10,000 to $35,000. Focus areas include education, health, conservation, and community support, alongside cross-sector areas such as economic development and early childhood. In education, the emphasis is on broad-based educational policy initiatives, adult and arts education, and higher education aspirations. Conservation efforts target the preservation of natural habitats and support for sustainable agriculture and recreation in Western Maine. Health-related grants focus on public health policy, oral health, health career education, community health projects, and substance use disorders. The fund also supports economic development activities that stimulate Maine's economy, including entrepreneurship, agricultural capacity, tourism, broadband access, and the creative economy. Additionally, early childhood and community health initiatives are prioritized, focusing on the well-being of young children and community-scale health promotion. The Fund is also interested in philanthropic collaboration to enhance grant-making and support charitable activities within the state.
Our funding priorities are primarily focused on the Western Mountains area, followed by the rural areas extending from the state's northern border to Washington County. This focus is instead of urban locations like Portland or the southern and mid-coast regions of Maine. Although we do engage in select statewide or regional initiatives. The Betterment Fund predominantly supports proposals aimed at enacting enduring, systematic change over those that concentrate on isolated, service-based local projects.