Public voting is open for the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation’s annual Community Matters More grant-making initiative. Through this charitable program, Maine residents decide the 40 nonprofit recipients of more than $100,000 in grants to organizations throughout the state.

Community Matters More voting is open through the month of February and ends on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Voting can be completed online at www.bangor.com/cmm. Paper voting ballots are available at all Bangor Savings Bank branches and at each of the 32 nonprofits listed on the ballot. Grant winners are announced in April.

For the program’s 10th anniversary, the top two vote-getters in eight regions of the state, including write-ins, will each receive a $5,000 grant. Twenty-four other nonprofits will receive a $1,000 grant. In 2016, Mainers voted for 3,000 unique nonprofits located in every Maine county.  

Since its inception, Community Matters More has provided nearly $900,000 in total grants to hundreds of Maine nonprofits.

“Each year we love seeing communities around the state rally for their favorite nonprofits,” said Bangor Savings Bank President and CEO Bob Montgomery-Rice, in a press release. “We are fortunate to be able to support so many nonprofits that play an important role in towns and cities throughout Maine.”

Community Matters More not only provides financial support to the nonprofits, it also generates substantial exposure for the work the organizations do to enhance the quality of life in Maine.

Last year York County Shelter Programs received a $5,000 grant as the top vote recipient in York County.

“The York County Shelter Programs are committed to ending homelessness and helping people reach their fullest potential,” said Chief Operating Officer Diane Gerry. “The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation’s Community Matters More program invites communities to support nonprofits by voting for their favorite organizations to receive a grant while bringing awareness to their missions.”

Community Matters More is a program of the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation with generous support from WLBZ-2, WCSH-6, WGAN 560 Newsradio, and Blueberry Broadcasting.