In 1871 Byron Greenough of Portland, Maine bequeathed $10,000 to an investment trust fund, which was subsequently incorporated as the Greenough Church Edifice Association, and administered by nine Trustees.

For more than 140 years, careful investments and compassionate judgement have allowed Greenough Trustees to distribute over $2 million to assist American Baptist Churches of Maine to buy, build or improve meeting houses.

Grant Conditions

Grants from the Greenough Church Edifice Association are to be used solely for capital outlay.

• This means that grants may be used for purchase of land and/or buildings, building construction costs, major renovation costs and major equipment costs.
• Qualifying renovation grants include, but are not limited to, such items as
  • furnace replacement
  • re-roofing a building
  • re-siding a building
  • new parking lot
  • major foundation work
  • steeple renovation or replacement
• If a project is to be completed in phases, it is necessary to submit a new request annually.
• General operation expenses (heat, utilities, salaries, etc.) are NOT eligible for grant reimbursement.

Awards

There is no set amount for any grant. The dollar amount awarded is subject to several factors, including the funds available, number of requests received, and purpose of the grant. For example, emergency furnace replacement or renovations to stop further water damage have a higher priority than furniture replacement.

Trustees use a Cost Sharing approach in determining the amount of an individual grant:

• Churches are expected to raise the major portion of the project cost.
• A Greenough award is designed to supplement project funding, and provide incentive to reach the goal and complete the project.

It is expected that most projects will be completed within the same calendar year. For larger projects that are completed in phases, or extend over several years, a new request must be submitted annually.

Grant Proposals

Grant Application Forms are available at http://www.greenough.org for downloading, completion, and return by U.S. Mail; the completed form must be posted to the Secretary of the Association.

You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to view and complete these forms.

All forms must be submitted by January 15th, for consideration at the Annual Meeting in mid-May.

Applications received after the deadline must wait until the following year for consideration.