Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor Conservation Fund

Summary –  Deadlines – Application Criteria –  Allowable Costs

Summary

The Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor Transaction Fund provides financial assistance for land conservation projects in the 5 million-acre Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor (see map). The fund supports transaction costs associated with land conservation projects that will advance ecological protection or restoration. Transaction costs may include surveys, appraisals, legal fees, title searches, closing services, deed preparation, baseline documentation, initial management plans.

This program provides grants up to $15,000 for a non-profit conservation organization to cover all or a substantial portion of these transaction costs. Up to 10% of the grant may be used for staff time associated with the transaction portions of the project.

The Transaction Fund was most recently supported in late 2022 by a generous $100,000 gift from an anonymous foundation, primarily to help with early transaction costs. Previous funding was provided by a $250,000 grant from the EJK Foundation in 2021 to facilitate projects that provided specific “ecological lift.” The program began in 2017 with funding from the Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust ($100,000) and an anonymous donor ($100,000). The Fund is administered by the Maine Mountain Collaborative and is available for non-profit (501c3) organizations who are working to conserve forestland with notable ecological, recreational, or forestry values in the Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor. Preference will be for projects more than 500 acres, but lands with exceptional values of a smaller size will be considered.

The Maine Mountain Collaborative’s (MMC) mission is to innovate and accelerate land conservation in the Maine Appalachian Corridor. The MMC is a coalition of statewide, regional, and national conservation and forestry organizations bringing a shared focus and innovative financing to accelerate the pace and scale of conservation in one of the world’s most intact temperate forests. This includes increasing philanthropic support and conservation-minded investment through traditional and innovative approaches.

About Applying:

Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis (first come, first-serve) until funding is depleted, with an estimated 30-day turnaround for funding decisions.

Please contact Bryan Wentzell for more information and application materials.

Projects must meet these criteria to be considered:

  1. Project must be within or closely linked to the Maine Appalachian Mountain Corridor.
  2. Projects must intend to permanently protect natural resource values and prohibit activities that would be contrary to the primary easement purpose of protecting ecologically significant land and water.
  3. Eligible grantees must be 501c(3) organizations.

The following factors will be weighed for grant decisions:

  1. Ecological, recreational, forestry, and community values that the project would likely conserve.
  2. Acreage (size) of the protected property (500 acres + preferred)
  3. Adjacency to conserved lands
  4. Landowner donation value, if any.

Allowable Costs

Allowable costs are as follows: surveys, appraisals, and appraisal reviews; attorney services to applicant related to the acquisition of easements or land; title searches, closing services, deed preparation, timber cruise, baseline documentation, mapping, easement and deed recording, initial management plans. Up to 10% of the grant may be used for staff time associated with the transaction portions of the project.  Preference is given to early due diligence costs such as appraisals, title review, timber cruise.  If mutually agreed, the grant may be given in two installments pending a signed purchase and sale agreement or other contract.  

Non-Allowable Costs

Costs that will not be covered by the fund are as follows: payment for the value of the land or easement; media, marketing and communications costs; on-site cleanup or mitigation, stewardship costs or endowment.