Explore the impactful programs and projects fueled by Heart of Maine United Way’s strategic funding mechanisms. Guided by the Opportunity 2028 Bold Goals, our Strategic Investment Grants empower organizations across our six-county region—Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington Counties.

With a focus on transparency and multi-year support, these grants drive positive change. The Innovation Fund serves as a hub for critical collaborations and initiatives outside the traditional grant cycle, supporting innovative solutions aligned with our core Opportunity 2028 Bold Goals. Swiftly responding to unforeseen challenges, our nimble Response Fund ensures immediate support for existing nonprofits.

The programs funded range from innovative initiatives addressing Substance Use Disorder to projects promoting early learning experiences for all children. These initiatives embody our commitment to dismantling barriers and building a future where everyone has equal access to opportunities. Discover how, through strategic funding mechanisms, we foster positive and lasting change across our region.

In addition to our funding efforts, Heart of Maine United Way continues its own impactful projects and initiatives, further serving and enhancing positive and lasting change across our region.

At Heart of Maine United Way, the Innovation Fund is our beacon for critical collaborations, initiatives, and programs outside of the three-year Strategic Investment Grants cycle. Designed to support innovation aligned with our mission to mobilize the caring power of people and communities, the Innovation Fund focuses on our core Opportunity 2028 Bold Goals: ensuring all children have quality early learning experiences, preventing, treating, and supporting recovery from Substance Use Disorder, and meeting basic needs to promote self-sufficiency for all. This fund allows us to pioneer creative solutions, fostering collaboration and pushing the boundaries of conventional approaches. As we strive for positive and lasting change, the Innovation Fund stands as a testament to our commitment to building a future where everyone has equal access to opportunities.

In response to the pressing need for heating and utility assistance in our six-county service area – Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington Counties – Heart of Maine United Way has established the Fuel Assistance Fund. Donations to this fund are directly channeled to organizations supporting local residents in need of extra help during the winter months. Recognizing the difficult choices individuals must make between heating their homes and meeting basic needs, HoMEUW collaborates with United Ways of Maine partners and NEWS CENTER Maine for the annual Project Heat Telethon.