11-1SG Sustain Mid Maine Coalition
Grant Round:
2011 February
Grant Program:
Small Grants
Grant Type:
Other Grants
Grant amount requested:
1,600.00
Grant amount awarded:
$0.00
Attachments
Please provide a brief description of the project for which you seek funding.
We are seeking funds to promote ourselves in a variety of ways. First, we need funding for the expenses associated with our annual meeting. Since we rely exclusively on grants and donations, we have limited funds. As the name implies, the annual meeting occurs once a year and showcases the accomplishments of each of our five teams. These are Education; Energy; Grow and Support Local Foods; Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; and Transpitation. This meeting is also a way to recruit new volunteers through the advertising and outreach used for this event. This year we used a facilitator to assist each team with brainstorming potential projects for 2011. Using a facilitator helped with team building as well. The estimated cost for the annual meeting is $1000 which will cover expenses as well as advertising. Funds will also be used to publish a paper copy of our quarterly newsletter, which is distributed at area businesses. We will use the additional funds as part of the stipend for the part-time coordinator. She serves as the hub of our group by attending each team's meetings and disseminating information to each team. The coordinator supervised all aspects of the annual meeting.
Primary Issue Area:
Climate Change & Energy
Please break-down/categorize the program expenses:
| Proposed Item | Estimated $ Amount | Would grant funds be used for this item? | Type Of Expense |
|---|---|---|---|
| facilitator | $300.00 | Yes | Materials |
| coordinator | $600.00 | Yes | Materials |
| advertising | $200.00 | Yes | Materials |
| refreshments | $200.00 | Yes | Materials |
| supplies | $100.00 | Yes | Materials |
| newsletter | $200.00 | Yes | Materials |
Whom does your group need to make this project happen?
Please explain how your group will engage members from your community in this project.
Sustain Mid Maine Coalition is comprised primarily of volunteers (with one part-time coordinator). Members of the community are engaged in projects of interest through their connection with a team. Several people are members of more than one team. The Coordinator sends regular e-mails that outline various activities and state meeting dates. Interested citizens respond when they are available and interested to assist. All events are listed on the web site, Facebook, and in the local paper. We engage members of the community who are not affiliated with Sustain Mid Maine Coalition by holding public events which are well publicized. For example, the Grow and Support Local Foods Team held a Food and Garden Series that was very popular. Approximately thirty community members attended. To invite community members to attend our annual meeting, we advertised in the local paper as well as in several key community locations. The coordinator sent an e-mail invitation as well as posting the meeting on our web site and Facebook.
If your group receives a NEGEF Grow grant, how do you plan to pay for remaining expenses?
| $ Amount | Source |
|---|---|
| $1,600.00 | NEGEF Grants |
Please list these materials or services
Please describe what changes will occur in your community and its environment when your group's project is successful.
Even though Sustain Mid Maine Coalition has completed a variety of worthwhile accomplishments since its creation in January 2009, there are still multiple areas for potential growth. We were fortunate to receive an EECBG grant that is being used to offer rebates to residents for energy audits. Prior to our inception, there were no community gardens in this area. Through the dedication of our Grow and Support Local Foods Team, there will be four community gardens in our three-town area. During the annual meeting, each team had a two-hour session to brainstorm potential activities. I can not accurately predict what changes might occur as a result of this meeting, but I can guarantee you that this group of dedicated volunteers will work to accomplish great things. Most of these changes will be visible and, therefore, measurable; however, intrinsic changes will occur as people learn more about ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
Please list how many people in your community your group expects to actively engage in this project.
200
What relevant skills does the group need (but does not currently have access to) to help move the initiative forward?
As indicated above, our volunteers have the requiste skills to complete the tasks. Additionally, we have access to a variety of helpful organizations to support us in our various endeavors. What we need the most to support our initiatives is funding.
What relevant skills do current members of the group have to help move the initiative forward?
The skills associated with our Coalition are impressive. One member of the Board of Directors is a retired Executive Director of Kennebec Council of Governments. The Energy Team is comprised of men with backgrounds ranging from a former Director of Maine Office of Energy Resources to a nationally known carbon expert, several energy auditors, a retired state legislator, and college professors. The team leader of the Transportation Team is employed by Kennebec Community Action Program, and the leader of the Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Team is the president of the Maine Resource and Recovery Association . A member of the Grow and Support Local Foods Team has a degree in soil science and certifies gardens as organic through MOFGA.