Priority Area: Young Children

14% of Maine children live in poverty

Priority Area: Older Youth

12% of Maine young adults age 20-24 are out of school and out of work

Priority Area: Families

27% of Maine children's parents lack secure employment

Priority Area: Seniors

Maine is the nation’s oldest and most rural state

25th Anniversary

2020 was clearly a monumental year fueled by unforgettable events.
For the John T. Gorman Foundation, 2020 also marked a momentous milestone: It was our 25th anniversary.

While we weren’t able to celebrate in person, we’d be remiss if we didn’t take a moment to acknowledge the enormous generosity of Tom Gorman and his decision to leave his considerable legacy to the Foundation he created in 1995.

Click below for reflections on this important milestone and an interactive timeline of key events in the Foundation’s evolution.
We hope you enjoy it and we look forward to adding to it with you in the years ahead.

Looking Back On Our First 25 Years

IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN MAINE

The John T. Gorman Foundation is a private foundation based in Portland, Maine. We advance and invest in innovative ideas and opportunities that improve the lives of Maine’s most vulnerable people.

We have four priority areas: improving educational achievement for young children; promoting successful transitions to adulthood for vulnerable older youth; helping struggling parents support their families and enabling low-income seniors to age in place. Research shows that successfully achieving these key objectives predicts future success. If they are not achieved, the consequences can be dire for current and subsequent generations.

Young Children

Improving educational achievement

Older Youth

Promoting successful transitions to adulthood

Families

Helping struggling parents support their families

Seniors

Enabling low-income seniors to age in place

Our Strategies for Maximum Impact

To best improve results for vulnerable children, youth, families and seniors we focus our efforts and grant funding on four key strategies we believe have the greatest chance at creating long lasting change:

Place-Based Initiatives

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Two-Generation Solutions

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Innovation & Replication

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System Reform Support

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John T. Gorman Fellowship

The John T. Gorman Fellowship is designed to strengthen the capacity of leaders to make changes that can improve the lives of vulnerable people in Maine with measurable results. Fellows work within the Foundation’s priority areas of young children, older youth, families, and seniors.

Making up three cohorts, 32 John T. Gorman Fellows have gone through the program so far, with leaders from the nonprofit, advocacy, and government sectors. The Foundation looks forward to adding to this distinguished network of committed and talented leaders with an additional cohort in 2022!

Featured Fellows

Stephanie LeBlanc

Oxford County Mental Health Services

Stephanie is leading Oxford County Mental Health through an ongoing process of continuous quality improvement, strategic planning, clinical program expansion and maintaining collaborative community partnerships. Prior to joining OCMHS in May 2014, Stephanie served as the Manager of Adult Clinical Services & Quality Management at Tri-County Mental Health Services. Stephanie lives in Bethel, Maine and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern Maine and a Master of Social Work from the University…
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Featured Fellows

Dan Coyne

United Way of Greater Portland

In his role at United Way of Greater Portland (UWGP), Dan provides oversees community impact efforts tied to United Way’s education, financial stability, and health related goals.  Prior to this position, Dan served for two years as Director of Financial Stability & Public Policy at UWGP, developing and implementing strategies with respect to financial stability, public policy, and advocacy related work. Before coming to UWGP, Dan was Legislative Director and a financial policy analyst at…
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Featured Fellows

Catherine (Cat) Myatt

Boys & Girls Club of Bangor

Cat joined Bangor Housing in 2012 as the Director of Community Outreach, working to create and implement programs that would enhance the experiences and opportunities of families in the public housing community. In 2014, she opened the Boys & Girls Club of Bangor, a positive place for kids that has quickly become a second home, an extended family, and a life-changer for many. The club offers hope and opportunity to children and families who have…
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