Grant recipients
ACLU of Maine
"The ACLU of Maine is grateful for the Abbagadassett Foundation’s continuing partnership in developing our fellowship program. Your support has created the opportunity for dedicated early career professionals to develop and grow into the next generation of civil liberties and civil rights leaders in Maine. Your ongoing investment enabled us once again to provide paid, mission-based learning and growth opportunities to amazing people who are already making a positive impact across the state."
Maine College of Art & Design
"Funding for this proposal has allowed us to increase the number of paid internships in the Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2024. Funding for paid internships enables students to have access to increased financial support and expand the number and quality of the internships we can offer. Demand from both students and employers is high and continually growing."
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Support from the Abbagadassett Foundation has enabled us to increase our intern pay rate, expand our housing options, and enhance our intern program to include robust educational offerings. These significant improvements have made our intern positions more appealing to candidates from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, enabling us to attract quality interns from around the country. The Gardens' mission is to inspire meaningful connections between people and nature and promote plant conservation through horticulture, education, and plant science. Our interns contribute in diverse and meaningful ways and are integral to delivering on this mission. We are grateful for Abbagadassett's generous support of our work and our interns.
Spurwink
Spurwink utilized funds to establish the Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership Internship (Next Gen). Next Gen equips local Maine students with skills they can apply in their career explorations and is a testament to our shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of nonprofit leaders. Funds from Abbagadassett enabled Spurwink to offer expanded opportunities to students who would otherwise not be able to take advantage of career- and experience-building internships due to lack of compensation. Through Abbagadassett Foundation support, Spurwink launched an initial cohort of seven students in the summer of 2024 to receive first-hand experience in nonprofit mission-based work and explore careers in nonprofit operations in behavioral health care, culminating in a capstone project. Our Spring semester cohort is underway, which will be followed by a summer of 2025 cohort.
Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT)
The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust is grateful to use funding to support our Summer Stewards program, which hosts three, 12-week long, competitively paid positions in the Kennebec Estuary and Merrymeeting Bay region of Maine. Stewards gain experience in habitat conservation, stewardship, nature-based education, community science, and volunteer management by working closely with KELT staff, partners, and volunteers on projects that have genuine impact. Funding also supports the time of land trust staff members, who directly supervise and mentor the Stewards, and opportunities for professional development. Ultimately, this program aims to provide ample opportunities for budding conservationists to get on-the-job, real world experience in the conservation community and gain skills that can be carried forward throughout their careers.
Maine Historical Society
The Maine Historical Society’s mission is to preserve and share Maine’s story. Generous grant support from the Abbagadassett Foundation will fund three new internships during the summer of 2025. These include a Curatorial & Collections Internship for Indigenous Students, Architectural & Landscape Design Collections Internship, and a Historic Clothing Collections Preservation Internship. Supervised by experienced MHS curators and archivists, the internships will provide college students hands-on opportunities to learn about collections management and preservation, archival work, and digitization. Competitive pay will help MHS attract a broad range of students and bring much-needed equity to MHS and the museum field.
Maine Public
Maine Public is pleased to have partnered with the Abbagadassett Foundation to help fund The Emerging Voices Journalism Fellowship which is currently a 12-month, full-time, temporary, single position dedicated to mentoring underrepresented voices in the news industry. The program provides a fellow with tangible reporting experience and the opportunity to be a part of Maine Public news team, providing high-quality, accurate, and independent reporting for all of Maine.
Blind Industries and Services of Maryland
Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering blind and low-vision individuals through innovative rehabilitation programs, employment opportunities, and independent living services. With the generous support of the Abbagadassett Foundation, BISM has expanded its internship program, providing hands-on experience and mentorship to blind individuals. This initiative equips participants with the skills and confidence needed to excel in the workforce and live independent, fulfilling lives. The foundation's support has been instrumental in advancing BISM's mission to create an inclusive society where blindness is not a barrier to success.
Health Care for the Homeless (HCH)
At Health Care for the Homeless (HCH), we work to end homelessness through racially equitable health care, housing and advocacy in partnership with those of us who have experienced it.
Funding from the Abbagadassett Foundation helped to pilot a paid internship program aimed at mentoring future health care professionals and advancing HCH’s mission of ending homelessness through equitable care. The program currently offers three internships across key departments, including behavioral health, case management, and social work at Sojourner Place at Oliver, a permanent supportive and affordable housing building. Interns receive hands-on training, supervision, and mentorship, while supporting clients in their journey toward improved health and stability. The initiative is designed to provide students with valuable experience in trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and systems-level social work, all grounded in racial equity. This program is one way we are working to build a diverse, well-trained workforce and strengthen our organization’s mission to provide high-quality, community-driven care to marginalized populations.
Restorative Justice Project Maine
The Restorative Justice Project Maine has been serving the midcoast area of Maine since 2005.
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Restorative Justice is an approach to harm that focuses on the needs of those affected by the harm – including the person whose actions caused the harm, the person who was harmed, and the community where the harm occurred. It emphasizes repairing the harm, not through punishment and isolation, but through accountability, understanding the impact of the harm caused, and making amends. At its core, restorative justice is about fostering understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. ​
​​One of our focus areas is to provide restorative reentry to those who are leaving incarceration and returning to their communities. We recognize the stigma associated with incarceration and the lack of resources available to help people rebuild their lives. Recently released individuals face discrimination in housing, finding a job, or furthering their education. The odds are against them before they begin their reentry journey.
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Thanks to the generosity of the Abagadassett Foundation, we can offer a unique one-year internship opportunity to someone who has been incarcerated and has taken steps to accept accountability and repair the harm caused. The intern will receive training and skills to prepare them for a career in the RJ or nonprofit field so that they may help others facing the challenges of justice-impact involvement. We will offer a supportive environment, a liveable wage, full benefits (health and dental), and stability. Upon completing the internship, we will provide professional references and support for long-term employment.