Our 12-Step Grant Process

1. Application Period – Applications open for about a month, with coaching and support available to applicants.

2. Call for Reviewers – We invite community members to serve on grant review panels.

3. Staff Review – Our team checks applications for eligibility and completeness.

4. Reviewer Selection – We select a diverse panel of reviewers representing different disciplines, locations, and perspectives.

5. Reviewer Orientation – Panelists attend a one-hour training on the review process, grant system, and bias awareness.

6. Review Period – Reviewers independently score and comment on their assigned applications. Scores and comments are based on the review criteria outlined in the grant guidelines. Each application receives three reviews.

7. Review Meeting – Panels meet publicly via Zoom to discuss applications and adjust scores if needed.

8. Award Decisions – Staff aggregates scores and recommends awards based on available funding.

9. Commission Approval – The full Commission reviews and approves the award process in a public meeting.

10. Award Notifications – Applicants are notified of award decisions.

11. Contracts – Contracts are issued once funding (including from the NEA) is confirmed.

12. Fund Dispersal – Funds are processed by the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services and sent to awardees.