Grants totaling $345,370 have been awarded through the Belvedere Historic Preservation and Energy Efficiency Fund of the Maine Community Foundation.

The Belvedere Historic Preservation and Energy Efficiency Fund supports the preservation, restoration, and retrofitting of historic buildings in Maine. An anonymous donor established the fund in 2007.

The next grant application deadline is June 1, 2021. The online application and guidelines are available at www.mainecf.org. For more information, contact Senior Program Officer Maggie Drummond-Bahl at (207) 761-2440 or mbahl@mainecf.org.

2020 Grants

Biddeford Historical Society, to protect the meetinghouse by reglazing three windows and painting two exterior walls: $7,075

Brick Store Museum, to add insulation to the attic and walls of the museum-owned, 19th-century Kimball House: $19,080

Carver Memorial Library Association, to replace the heating system, insulate the attic, and convert downstairs lighting to LED to increase energy efficiency and comfort, as recommended by 2019 energy audit: $19,500

Centre Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, to restore and protect stained glass window #14 (the Getchell Window) in the southeast corner of the church (installed in 1899): $20,000

Cherryfield Academy, to finish repairing, scraping, painting exterior trim, improving energy efficiency, and architectural planning of improvements to bell tower: $2,700

City of Rockland, to install energy-efficient destratification fans above the gymnasium at Flanagan Community Center: $7,680

Eastport Public Library Association, to repair and restore selected exterior masonry on Peavey Memorial Library, the 127-year-old Romanesque Revival treasure of Eastport’s downtown, using historic preservation standards: $20,000

Farmington Historical Society, Inc., to improve the energy efficiency of The Octagon House so its local and architectural history will be preserved and on view throughout the year: $19,200

Frances Perkins Center, to repair and reshingle the east and west roof slopes of the homestead barn to protect the integrity of the historic connected New England barn structure: $15,000

Freedom Historical Society, to complete Phase 3: total flooring construction, refinishing; garage wall construction and clapboard replacement, and painting: $16,796

Friends of Isle au Haut Lighthouse, to repoint and restore the damaged granite base of the Isle au Haut Lighthouse tower: $20,000

Friends of L.C. Bates Museum, to begin the first-floor window restoration project by restoring the three most deteriorated windows and using the project as a model for continued window restoration: $10,000

Friends of Liberty Hall, to continue restoration of Liberty Hall and return it to its original architectural splendor as a symbol of community spirit in the era of Covid-19: $20,000

Hampden Historical Society, Inc., to add heat pumps to protect archival documents: $8,840

Kezar Falls Circulating Library, to restore the 11 windows of the 95-year-old Kezar Falls Library: $7,300

Lincoln County Historical Association, for capital repairs of the 1839 carriage house at the Pownalborough Courthouse property: $5,000

Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, Inc., to advance recommendations of the 2017 historic structure report on Mechanics' Hall by retaining the authors to develop a roof master plan: $9,000

Porter Memorial Library Association, to pay for architectural drawings for an addition that will create library accessibility via an elevator, and to conduct an energy audit: $6,500

Quoddy Tides Foundation, to complete the critical next restoration step (threatened upper front masonry facade) to save and reuse the historic 1887 Masonic Building in downtown Eastport: $11,177

Robbinston Historical Society, to continue the preservation and maintenance projects for Grace Chapel: $20,000

St. Anne's Episcopal Church, to replace fuel tanks and restore the wood and batten sidings of the church, stained glass windows, and the bell strike mechanism: $16,922

Town of Cornish, to make Pike Hall safe and accessible for community use while maintaining the historic integrity of the building: $20,000

Town of Danforth, to fund proposed energy-efficiency improvements to reduce operating costs and expand the use of Union Hall: $20,000

Town of Fryeburg, to update and create a new library extension that will serve the community as an outdoor recreation library and meeting space: $10,000

Town of Swan's Island, to repair the foundations of two outbuildings, the Bell House and the Oil House of the Burnt Coat Harbor Light Station: $13,600

Headquartered in Ellsworth, with additional personnel in Portland, Dover-Foxcroft, and Mars Hill, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to provide strong investments, personalized service, local expertise, and strategic giving to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.