For 2026, the Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is inviting organizations, communities, farms, nonprofits, municipalities, and event organizers to submit public fall events for possible inclusion in Maine’s Weekly Foliage Reports.
DACF is looking for more activities that give residents and visitors another reason to get out and experience autumn in Maine, including:
Harvest festivals and agricultural fairs
Farm and food events
Outdoor recreation and nature-based activities
Arts and cultural events
Community festivals and celebrations
Other public events that complement the fall foliage experience
Events should take place during Maine’s fall foliage reporting season, generally mid-September through mid-October, and must be open to the public.
DACF will review events based on timing, location, relevance to the foliage season, and available space. Submitted information may be edited for length, clarity, and style.
Meet Maine’s Attorney General, Aaron Frey, and learn about scams, frauds, and consumer protection. This one-hour program will begin at 6:00 pm on September 17 and last about an hour, ending with a question-and-answer session. Hosted by our House Representatives for Districts 52 and 98, which cover Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Durham, Lisbon, Perkins Island Township, Pownal, and Richmond.
The Grange is non-partisan but works to keep people informed about what is happening around us.
FMI: Marilyn Stinson Enterprise Grange #48 is located at 15 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond, Maine.
With the disclaimer that I’m not a tax expert, I’m pleased to offer some general information regarding nonprofits, charities, and 501(c)3 status in response to a few recent questions. These are distinctions you need to understand, how they apply to the Grange, and here’s why creating your own foundation probably isn’t the simple solution you might imagine.
I’m also president of a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization (not affiliated with the Grange) that is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. I have some experience and familiarity with the topic.
Frankly, this topic gets complicated quickly. We start with some vocabulary. A nonprofit is not the same as a 501(c)(3) charity. All 501(c)(3) charities are nonprofits, but not all nonprofits are charities. Nonprofits also include social clubs, trade associations, and chambers of commerce.
Nonprofits are broad legal entities that pursue a mission without distributing profits. They are created under state law. The Grange is a nonprofit, but it does not qualify for 501(c) (3) status.
501(c)(3) status may be granted to charities by the IRS at the federal level. It means the organization is free (exempt) from paying federal income taxes. People who give money to these organizations can deduct those gifts from their own taxes. (There are limitations.)
An organization must meet strict requirements to be granted 501(c)(3) status. One important requirement is that the organization’s mission must be primarily charitable. Trying to change laws (lobbying) cannot be a main part of what the group does. Given the Grange’s legislative efforts, we do not meet the requirements.
Because we do often engage in charitable work, National Grange and some state Granges have established organizations that are separate and distinct from the Grange itself. The Maine Grange Foundation was set up primarily to allow for grants and tax-deductible donations. Both the Maine State Grange and National Grange Foundations allow for certain “pass-through” donations.
In other words, if someone wanted to donate money to a subordinate Grange in Maine, they might be able to donate to the Maine Grange Foundation (MGF). Because the MGF is a 501(c)(3) charity, the donor would be eligible for a tax deduction, and the MGF would pass the money along to the subordinate Grange.
Similarly, if a subordinate Grange learned of a grant that would help preserve its hall or certain programs, it might discover that eligibility requires 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. In that case, the subordinate Grange might be able to apply using the MGF as the recipient.
A question that often arises is “Would it make sense for our subordinate Grange to follow the example of national and state by setting up a separate foundation or organization?” The answer requires understanding the requirements. There is considerable paperwork, including filing fees and accounting costs. In addition, annual fees, including required audits, mean the idea is usually not practical or cost-effective for a single subordinate Grange.
If you are interested in exploring this further, some resources follow.
Resources Specific to Maine
Maine Philanthropy Center (MPC) is a membership organization for funders, nonprofits, and consultants that works to make philanthropy more effective and equitable by building relationships, providing valuable tools and resources, and creating opportunities to learn and move our sector forward.
Maine Association of Nonprofits (MANP) is a primary statewide network for the sector. They offer startup guides, toolkits, training webinars, and a business directory to find local attorneys and consultants specializing in tax-exempt
A somewhat dated video explores the creation of The Maine Grange Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) and how subordinate/community Granges can use it. Unfortunately, the Amazon Smiles program has been discontinued, but the included conversation about fundraising should be interesting!
The Foundation Group
Foundation Group provides nationwide nonprofit services ranging from starting a nonprofit to ensuring compliance with IRS and state regulations. Specific resources within the group include:
What is a 501(c)3? is an excellent article by the Foundation Group that overviews the various types of charitable organizations. It is extremely thorough but also an easy read.
Caroline Kleabean is a good starting contact at the Foundation Group. Her direct line is 407 274-9227.
Thanks to Kathy Ward (Winthrop Grange) and Tracey Alsop (East Madison Grange) for using the new Grange event submission form! This form was designed to make everyone’s life a lot simpler and capture all the information! We use that information to create a simple advertisement for your event.
This ad (post) reaches a wide audience through search criteria and regular site visitors. Site visitors can also easily share the post on social media and by email using the buttons at the bottom of the post.
The MSG Event Calendar includes a short summary of the event that links to the post.
The Maine State Grange Communications Department (of one) focuses on the Granges in Maine, proving that the Grange is alive and thriving in Maine! Submit your news and events today!
By Rick Grotton, Membership Committee Director 207 582-5915
Let’s do something a little different. In these next columns, let’s be interactive. Send in your success stories or ways you think we could attract more members (or even to prevent them from leaving). In a positive tone, sharing stories and opinions helps everyone, especially your Grange brothers and sisters. Actually, let’s make it competitive to see which Pomona area sends in the most suggestions by the end of the year! Membership increases are up to ALL OF US, so help me with your suggestions. I hope your summer activities have attracted new members, and Grange awareness has been happening. Send your stories and suggestions to ricti@aol.com and I will put them in future columns. Let’s work together to keep our Grange motor running smoothly so that our great organization will continue for many years to come. I have given you our success stories from Chelsea Grange and am looking forward to sharing yours! I know there are many stories out there as I do keep up an awareness of Grange happenings and want to thank those who have the devotion, loyalty, love and respect for the Grange. Your work is making a difference and is very much appreciated by your brothers and sisters!
The above paragraph was part of my column in August 2019, and I still have not heard from anyone concerning the request. That was seven years ago, and our membership has been declining since. Some Granges have been consistently increasing their membership over that period; however, many of you have not and do not seem to make membership gains your priority. The Membership committee could go out and schedule workshops and meetings, but will that help? We have done so in the past without much attendance or cooperation. Without cooperation and joint efforts, how are we to succeed? It is the duty of the Membership committee to provide you with tools and information to help, but what happens to that information? We all know what we must do, but most don’t take it seriously or are not interested.
As we prepare for the busiest time of the Grange year with agricultural fair exhibits, installations, and the reaping of our harvests, please keep in mind that membership gains are also important. The gains are not important just for your Grange, but for all who belong across this State. We are always looking for new ideas, new leadership, and direction. Please help us in our quest to boost membership numbers in every Grange!
One of the Communications Department’s functions is to strive to present our best face externally. One way we do that is with honesty and transparency. However, that honesty and transparency should be expressed positively.
Items posted on the website are immediately available to anyone, including members, prospective members, community partners, and members of the media. It’s too easy to forget that! A strength of fraternal organizations can easily become a weakness when the bonds we value create a sense of exclusion among others. We may be brutally honest with ourselves. (“We’re having trouble getting a quorum at our meetings.”) That doesn’t mean we need to announce that “fact” to the world. Putting our best face forward means we communicate using the “Three C’s.”
Clarity means stripping away jargon and keeping the message simple and direct. The message should also be complete (another C!). I remember a conversation with someone unfamiliar with the Grange. She thought that “Grange meetings” were for Grangers only. Grange programs were for everyone. Whether she was right or wrong is not the issue. The important fact is we need to be sensitive to what others think. When I first joined the Grange, I lobbied for some signage and including the location of the Grange in flyers. One member said, “Everyone knows where the Grange is!” When we start thinking that way, we are in danger of discouraging others. We are not putting our best face forward.
Confidence is about projecting belief in the values of the organization and the message being sent. Just remember that people don’t come to or join the Grange for your reasons. They come and join for their reasons. Be confident that their reasons are such that they will find value at your event or participating in your Grange.
Connection can be a result that includes empathy and engagement. When we list an event, it’s easy to focus on the fact we’re engaging in one-way communication. We can make a slight shift and focus on the fact that we’re trying to create a connection. This is the “show, don’t tell” approach that resonates well. If you’re having an event, show readers what is going to happen or what they’ll get if they attend. Write “you” messages, not “we” messages. “When you come to a bean supper at X Grange, you’ll…”
There could be a fourth “C,” credible. Wild, overstated claims (positive or negative) might be made clearly and confidently; they won’t create connection if they aren’t credible. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather visit the Grange that offers some “pretty good coffee” than listen to a Grange claim they serve the best coffee in the state.
These things may not always be easy, but they definitely are simple.
FACT: Since we migrated the site to a new server, we’ve had over 5,000 site visits! (Sharing that is putting our best face forward!)
Maine State Grange President Sherry Harriman recently announced that National Grange Pomona Barbara Foster will represent the National Grange at the Maine State Grange’s 152nd Annual Convention held in October. This is Barabara’s second visit.
Barbara Foster of Pennsboro, West Virginia, was elected as National Grange Pomona at the 157th Annual National Grange Convention in 2023. Barbara is the only daughter of Earlene & Jim Foster, former West Virginia State Grange President and National Grange Chaplain. She has three brothers. She was born in Tennessee, but grew up an “Air Force military brat” living in Delaware, South Carolina, Taiwan, and Japan before Jim retired and bought a farm in West Virginia, where they have lived for 49 years.
Barbara joined the Grange in 1985, and is a member of Oxford Community Grange #526 and Central State Pomona Grange. She has held several offices at the community, Pomona, and State levels. The Fosters were Grange Family of the Year in 2003.
Barbara is retired as a full-time teacher after 32 years, and a total of 44 years in education. She taught home economics and elementary students with learning disabilities. She is the former President (20+ years) of the West Virginia Professional Educators’ Association and works with the Doddridge County Community Education Outreach.
In addition to her other involvement, Barbara is a retired member of the Pennsboro Volunteer Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary, and a member of the Pt. Pleasant Baptist Church, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the South Side Baptist Church, where she is the assistant treasurer. She enjoys sewing & quilting and reading, and lives with her two dogs. Max & Ellie, and three cats. Strips, Frisky, & Runt.
