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Cancer Prevention

Cancer remains a leading cause of death in Maine, impacting thousands of Mainers each year. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce cancer risk and prevent certain types of cancer, ultimately reducing the burden of the disease in our state.

To support cancer prevention efforts, Maine Cancer Foundation is now accepting applications for evidence-based interventions to reduce the risk of cancer in Maine.

Cancer Prevention Focus Areas that will be considered:
•  Alcohol Use
•  Arsenic
•  HPV Vaccinations
•  Obesity Prevention
•  Radon
•  Sun Safety
•  Tobacco Use Prevention and/or Treatment

Deadline: May 30, 2025

View the complete grant guidelines.

Apply

Cancer Screenings in Maine

Screening is a cornerstone of cancer control. Cancer screening tests increase the chance of finding cancer early, when treatment is likely to work best. With some cancers, including colorectal and cervical, screening can even prevent the occurrence of cancer.

Maine Cancer Foundation is now accepting applications for evidence-based interventions to increase the number of and/or improve the quality of cancer screening in Maine. Screenings that will be considered in this Request for Proposals include breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, prostate, and skin cancer screenings.

Proposals should utilize evidence-based practices endorsed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. We encourage you to visit The Community Guide (www.thecommunityguide.org) website and What Works fact sheet as a reference.

Deadline: March 14, 2025

View the complete grant guidelines.

Apply

In addition to publishing topic-based Requests for Proposals, discretionary grant opportunities are available for projects that contribute to one or more of Maine Cancer Foundation's three goals:

Foster Prevention Practices: The best cancer is the one that never occurs. Prevention strategies have a proven impact on reducing cancer incidence rates. 

Increase Cancer Screening: Early detection saves lives. Cancer screening tests can detect cancer in its earliest stages, when it is most treatable. 

Improve Patient Outcomes: Maine Cancer Foundation supports efforts to improve patient outcomes by increasing access to care and ensuring the best cancer care is available for all Mainers.

Application Process for Discretionary Grants

To start the application process, you must create or log into our online grant platform to create a one-page Letter of Interest (LOI) to introduce us to your project. The LOI serves as a brief overview of your organization and project idea and allows us to assess its alignment with MCF’s funding priorities. Click the "apply" button in our online platform's Discretionary Grant Application section once logged in.

Letters of Interest may be submitted on a rolling basis throughout the year and discretionary applications are considered based on available funds. If discretionary grant funds are no longer available, we will post a update to this webpage. For questions regarding the discretionary grant application process, please email Tricia Jamiol, Program Coordinator at tricia@mainecancer.org.

Maine's Impact Cancer Network's Task Forces are charged with carrying out the objectives and strategies as outlined in the Cancer Network’s Community Plan to address cancer in Maine. Task Forces will include at least two individuals or organizations from different sectors. They will be time limited based on the nature of their objectives and strategies. Task Forces will focus on specific action items as designated in the Community Plan and will evolve their work as necessary to reach end goals.

Work of the Task Forces may include programs and activities that are currently being implemented by members of the Task Force or may be new programs and activities needed to fill gaps in reducing cancer.

In order to carry out this work, grants of up to $10,000 will be considered for Task Force projects. Requests will be accepted on a rolling basis. Grants must be awarded to a qualifying 501c3 organization.

Please contact dani@mainecancer.org to learn more.

Applications are accepted online only through our grant portal.

Open Requests for Proposals can be found on this page under Open RFPs (above) and on the grant portal.

Completed applications will be reviewed by a grant review committee and applicants may be contacted for additional information.

All interested applicants are encouraged to contact Maine Cancer Foundation by emailing Tricia Jamiol at tricia@mainecancer.org with all eligibility questions and to discuss your proposal prior to submission. 

Review Process

Grants are peer-reviewed by a committee of Maine-based experts in the field and MCF staff and board members. Reviewers read and score each application based on criteria from the Request for Proposal guidelines. The Committee then meets to discuss each application and prepare its recommendations for funding. Those recommendations are submitted to Maine Cancer Foundation's Executive Committee for final review and approval.

Before application review, reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest including financial or professional relationships with an applicant, a financial benefit resulting from a funding decision, or a perception of conflict. All sensitive application and organizational information will remain confidential by Maine Cancer Foundation and any review committee the Foundation assembles.

What We Will Not Fund  

- Organizations that are not a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization, educational institution, government entity or other public, non-profit entity (e.g. health department, university);
- Direct support to individuals for cancer prevention, detection or treatment services, equipment or supplies
- Capital campaigns
- Business investments or loans
- Programs that do not benefit the people of Maine

Additional Information

- Geographic distribution of grants will be considered and multiple grants to the same institution may be limited.
- Maine Cancer Foundation will not knowingly support projects that discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation.
- A grant recipient’s work must support MCF’s mission. Funds may not be diverted to benefit any individual. The results or benefits of any Foundation supported initiative or program are required to remain in the public domain for the benefit of Maine people.

Contact 

If you have any questions about grant eligibility or would like to discuss a proposal prior to submission, please contact Tricia Jamiol, at tricia@mainecancer.org or 207.773.2533.