We are pleased to announce that our 2023 Direct Services Grant Program (DSGP) is now open! Applications will be accepted through 5:00 PM EST on Monday, April 3.
This year, the program will award a total of $1.5 million in grants to non-profit organizations who provide supports and services that address the immediate basic needs of people in Maine who are experiencing the adverse effects of poverty. While the work of the Foundation’s initiative grantmaking focuses on ensuring that Maine’s children are resilient and ready to succeed, the DSGP welcomes applications from organizations who are serving any population of people in Maine.
For the purposes of the 2023 Direct Services Grant Program, eligible programs and organizations are those that address or connect people in Maine experiencing poverty to basic needs supports (e.g.: food, shelter, clothing, physical and mental health, transportation, English language classes, case management support, etc.).
The DSGP awards both program/project funding and general operating support. The Foundation will consider programmatic requests that support the direct provision of client services and will not consider programmatic requests to address organizational infrastructure needs (e.g.: database creation, strategic planning, staff training, organizational evaluation, etc.). Applicant organizations applying for unrestricted general operating support must have a mission that centers on serving Maine residents who are experiencing poverty. They should also have a successful track record of providing services to address immediate basic needs. Organizations who are exclusively serving people in Maine who are experiencing poverty are encouraged to apply for operating support to access the most flexible source of funding.
The Foundation will consider grant requests of up to $25,000 from a broad spectrum of non-profit organizations who provide direct services under existing programs over a 12-month period. Applicant organizations may submit only one request for DSGP funding per year.
_____________________________________________________________
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
- Before starting an application via the link below, please print (or open in a separate tab) and carefully review the 2023 DSGP Eligibility Criteria and Application Instructions.
- We’ve also created a List of Narrative Application Questions for applicants who prefer to have this information on hand before beginning an application.
- Please save your work often by clicking the “Save and Next” button at the bottom of each page. Web applications CAN and DO time out after a period of non-use. We also encourage applicants to cut and paste their narrative responses from a word processing application (Word, Google Docs, etc.) to ensure work isn’t lost should there be an internet connectivity glitch.
_____________________________________________________________
TO BEGIN YOUR DSGP APPLICATION:
For one-time access to start a NEW DSGP application, please click here.
- If you already have a John T. Gorman Foundation applicant account, please log in using your established email address and password.
- If you are a first-time applicant, please use the “New Applicant” link located below the email address field to create an account.
Once you have created your application via the link above, please use this link to access your in-process or submitted applications for all subsequent visits.
_____________________________________________________________
The John T. Gorman Foundation encourages applicants to contact our staff with any questions they may have as they apply for DSGP funding:
To ask questions about organization eligibility or to discuss your planned funding proposal (to include if you should apply for programmatic or general operating support), connect with Lauralee Raymond, Program Associate. Set up a 15-minute call. Send an email.
To ask technical questions about applying (to include webform or application portal support), connect with Erin Clark, Grant Manager. Set up a 15-minute call. Send an email.
A recorded webinar sharing programmatic information and application process is also available below.