Machias Savings Bank has opened the first round of voting for its year-round “YES!” Grant program, designed to support nonprofits and charitable organizations across the state that are helping to move Maine forward. Over the course of 2022, the “YES!” Grant will provide $100,000 to organizations that refuse to take ”no” as an answer to helping others succeed.
Each quarter, five $5,000 grants will be awarded to nonprofits in a designated region. From now through March 4, people from around Maine can vote for their favorite nonprofits in Washington and Aroostook counties. While the first round of voting is open to organizations in the Northern and Downeast Region of the state, Quarter 2 will feature organizations from Maine’s Coastal Region, Quarter 3 focuses on the Southern Region, and Quarter 4 is open to those in Central Maine.
“At Machias Savings Bank, we’re always focused on moving Maine forward, and we know that the best way to do that is by doing it together,” noted Melissa Denbow, VP, community experience manager at Machias Savings Bank. “Supporting these organizations around the state allows us to directly support our fellow Mainers and all the wonderful work they are doing in our communities.”
Participants can find nominated organizations online at http://www.movingmaineforward.com/yesgrant and vote for their favorite nonprofits once during each 24-hour period. The pre-selected organizations on the voting page each have a demonstrated history of improving lives of community members in their region, but participants are also invited to write in any unlisted organization that they’d like to vote for.
After the voting period has ended, the top-voted organizations will go to Machias Savings Bank’s Giving Committee, which will make the final decision about which organizations will receive funding. More information about the grant and voting can be found online at http://www.movingmaineforward.com/yesgrant.