Waldo Theatre, Inc., in Waldoboro, is one of 16 Maine projects awarded a The 1772 Foundation historic preservation grant for 2020. The Waldo Theatre will receive $2,000 out of a total $100,000 allotted.
 
Maine Preservation is working in partnership with The 1772 Foundation to distribute a new historic preservation grant program for Maine. Maine Preservation is the statewide, nonprofit organization that promotes and preserves historic places, buildings, downtowns and neighborhoods, strengthening the cultural and economic vitality of Maine communities and The 1772 Foundation, based Providence, Rhode Island, plays a leading role in promoting historic preservation nationwide, according to Maine Preservation, in a news release.
 
In its most recent grant round, The 1772 Foundation worked with the six New England statewide historic preservation organizations, including Maine Preservation, to administer 1:1 matching grants of up to $10,000 for deserving projects. At their quarterly meeting, the trustees of The 1772 Foundation awarded $100,000 in grants to 16 Maine projects. Maine Preservation worked closely with The 1772 Foundation to select the awarded projects and will manage the grants. Overall, a total of $600,000 was awarded to 79 grantees across the six New England states.
 
The initial pool of 48 Maine applicants included libraries, theatres, museums, lighthouses, and community centers requesting more than $435,197 in capital repair projects. From these inquiries, organizations 28 organizations were invited to submit full applications, totaling over $235,000 in needed funds. The grants to Maine organizations are being provided for roof repair; exterior rehabilitation, including masonry repair and window restoration; foundation repair; fire/security systems; solar systems installation; painting; and the development of building condition assessments and maintenance plans.
 
The 2020 recipients are:
Eastport Public Library Association (Peavey Memorial Library $10,000)
Readfield Union Meeting House Corporation (Readfield Union Meeting House $10,000)
Friends of Seguin Island Light Station (Seguin Island Light Station $10,000)
Quoddy Tides Foundation (Masonic Block $10,000)
Washburn-Norlands Foundation, Inc. (Universalist Meeting House $10,000)
Historic New England (Castle Tucker $7,500)
Frances Perkins Center (Frances Perkins House $7,500)
Greater Portland Landmarks (Safford House $7,500)
Friends of the Greenville Depot (Canadian Pacific Depot $5,000)
Johnson Hall, Inc. (Johnson Hall $5,000)
Tate House Museum (Tate House $5,000)
Freeport Historical Society (Harrington House $4,500)
Schoodic Arts for All (Hammond Hall $2,500)
Wells Reserve at Laudholm (Laudholm Farm $2,500)
Waldo Theatre, Inc. (The Waldo Theatre $2,000)
Good Life Center (Forest Farm Homestead $1,000)
 
"Small matching grants for brick-and-mortar preservation projects have long played an important role in The 1772 Foundation’s grant making, as it was the passion of its founder, Stewart B. Kean,” said 1772 Foundation Board President B. Danforth Ely, in the release. “ However, this is the first year that we have opened the program up to all six New England states, and the expansion has been enthusiastically received. We have been fortunate to work with six fantastic statewide organizations, whose local community knowledge has proven invaluable. The vast response to this grant has also shown to the Foundation how necessary these brick-and-mortar grants are to keeping our historic structures standing."

Executive Director of Maine Preservation, Greg Paxton said, “We are honored to partner with The 1772 Foundation to deliver support to organizations across Maine as they seek to responsibly steward their historic buildings. These organization know the value these structures bring to their communities and we are thrilled to be able to help them in furtherance of their missions. We are grateful to The 1772 Foundation for making these funds to support preservation efforts available as in-state grant funding is extremely limited.”
 
Images and links to the recipient organizations' websites are available on the Maine Preservation website: https://www.mainepreservation.org/grant-programs-2020/2019/9/23/1772-foundation-grants-for-maine-historic-preservation-projects.
 
 
Maine Preservation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit member-based statewide historic preservation organization, that promotes and preserves historic places, buildings, downtowns and neighborhoods, strengthening the cultural and economic vitality of Maine communities.
 
The 1772 Foundation was named in honor of its first restoration project, Liberty Hall in Union, NJ, which was built in 1772 and is the ancestral home of the Livingston and Kean families. The late Stewart B. Kean was the sole benefactor to The 1772 Foundation. The 1772 Foundation works to ensure the safe passage of our historic buildings and farmland to future generations. More information about The 1772 Foundation may be found at www.1772foundation.org.