Maine Working Communities Challenge: The John T. Gorman Foundation is proud to join the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, State of Maine, and other philanthropic partners in helping launch the Maine Working Communities Challenge. This challenge will make $2.7 million in grants available to drive economic growth while reducing inequity in Maine’s rural towns and small cities. More information on this exciting initiative is available here.

Support for Immigrant-Led and -Serving Organizations: The Foundation recently contributed $25,000 to a pooled fund that awards grants to Maine’s immigrant-led and -serving nonprofit organizations who are on the frontlines of the community response to COVID-19. Administered by our partners at Maine Initiatives, the fund provides general operating support to over 30 nonprofits so they can be responsive to the quickly changing needs of minority communities that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID pandemic.

Positive Results for Bangor Families: The Urban Institute has published an evaluation of the Enhanced Family Self-Sufficiency Program at Bangor Housing, an innovative initiative to help residents raise their incomes, build their savings, and accomplish personal goals. (The Foundation has long partnered with Bangor Housing to launch and supplement this program, which is now being replicated to other parts of the state.) The Urban Institute reported that residents have benefited greatly from financial gains and social supports, but that systemic barriers remain to their greater economic mobility.  The full report is available here.

Updated Resources and Data Glimpses: With the help of the Carsey School of Public Policy, the Foundation continues to post reports, briefs, and other helpful information on priority issues on our online Resource Library. We are also posting monthly Maine Data Glimpses, which explore important data with graphics and more. The latest have been on updated Census demographics for Maine and the state’s pandemic unemployment figures.