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Foundation Lookup

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 04-6626994

Libra Foundation

A private foundation in Portland, ME. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 56 grants and $4.3 million paid in grants.

See which foundations fund work like yours Matching by cause, place and grant size

Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Accepts applications

The return gives an application contact and rules, as below.

Contact
Jere G Michelson
PO Box 17516
Portland, ME 04112
(207) 879-6280
Form and materials
The foundation requires that a formal application be submitted including organization name, address, charitable project, amount requested, purpose of project, geographic area and number of people to be served by project.
Deadlines
None
Restrictions
Applicant must be a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) and not a private foundation under section 509(a). The foundation limits its grants to charitable organizations, activities, operations or purposes which only take place within the state of maine.

Assets and giving by year

8 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.

  • Tax year 2025

    $4,260,000

    Grants listed
    56
    Assets, end of year
    $156,547,414

  • Tax year 2024

    $5,201,471

    Grants listed
    67
    Assets, end of year
    $161,557,671

  • Tax year 2023

    $6,062,723

    Grants listed
    65
    Assets, end of year
    $170,023,543

  • Tax year 2022

    $6,318,580

    Grants listed
    80
    Assets, end of year
    $174,993,751

  • Tax year 2021

    $6,371,938

    Grants listed
    88
    Assets, end of year
    $194,515,715

  • Tax year 2020

    $6,424,386

    Grants listed
    87
    Assets, end of year
    $199,450,345

  • Tax year 2019

    $8,577,354

    Grants listed
    88
    Assets, end of year
    $202,681,986

  • Tax year 2018

    $10,383,041

    Grants listed
    91
    Assets, end of year
    $201,686,769

Grants paid in 2025

56 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. Pineland Farms IncNew Gloucestr, ME

    Develop, operate and staff pineland farms, inc. For agricultural promotion, education and research in maine

    $3,845,000
  2. Fort Kent Outdoor CenterFort Kent, ME

    General operating support

    $50,000
  3. Farnsworth Art MuseumRockland, ME

    General operating support

    $20,000
  4. Portland Museum of ArtPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $20,000
  5. Portland Stage CompanyPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $20,000
  6. Portland Symphony OrchestraPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $20,000
  7. Good Shepherd Food BankAuburn, ME

    General operating support

    $10,000
  8. Island InstituteRockland, ME

    General operating support

    $10,000
  9. Maine Historical SocietyPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $10,000
  10. Maine Maritime MuseumBath, ME

    General operating support

    $10,000
  11. Maine PublicLewiston, ME

    General operating support

    $10,000
  12. Peregrine Corporation DBA StriveSouth Portland, ME

    General operating support

    $10,000
  13. Salvation Army - Northern New England DivisionPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $10,000
  14. American Red Cross of MainePortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  15. Autism Society of MaineWinthrop, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  16. Bangor Symphony OrchestraBangor, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  17. Bay Chamber ConcertsCamden, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  18. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean SciencesEast Boothbay, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  19. Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern MainePortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  20. Center for Grieving ChildrenPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  21. Center for Maine Contemporary ArtRockland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  22. Childrens Museum & Theatre of MainePortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  23. Coastal Maine Botanical GardensBoothbay, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  24. Cromwell Center for Disabilities AwarenessPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  25. Downeast Community PartnersPortsmouth, NH

    General operating support

    $5,000
  26. Forest Society of MaineBangor, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  27. Gulf of Maine Research InstitutePortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  28. Home IncOrland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  29. Hurricane Island FoundationRockland, ME

    Scallop aquaculture workforce development

    $5,000
  30. Iris NetworkPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  31. Lakes Environmental AssociationBridgton, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  32. Legal Services for the ElderlyAugusta, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  33. Maine Adaptive Sports & RecreationNewry, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  34. Maine Association of NonprofitsPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  35. Maine AudubonFalmouth, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  36. Maine Center for Public Interest ReportingHallowell, ME

    Fitzgerald public policy & outreach fellowship programs internships

    $5,000
  37. Maine Children's Home for Little WanderersWaterville, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  38. Maine Discovery MuseumBangor, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  39. Maine Farmland TrustBelfast, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  40. Maine FFA AssociationAugusta, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  41. Maine Media WorkshopsRockport, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  42. Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners AssociationUnity, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  43. Maine State BalletFalmouth, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  44. Maine State Music TheatreBrunswick, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  45. Maine State Society for the Protection of AnimalsSouth Windham, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  46. Monhegan Historical & Cultural Museum AssociationMonhegan, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  47. Northern Forest Center - MaineConcord, NH

    General operating support

    $5,000
  48. Ogunquit Museum of American ArtOgunquit, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  49. Ogunquit PlayhouseOgunquit, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  50. Penobscot Marine MuseumSearsport, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  51. Penobscot Theatre CompanyBangor, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  52. Penquis Community Action Program IncBangor, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  53. Portland BalletPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  54. Portland Conservatory of MusicPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  55. Portland OvationsPortland, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000
  56. YMCA Camp of MaineWinthrop, ME

    General operating support

    $5,000

Approved for future payment

1 grant

Approved in 2025 and not yet paid.

  1. Fort Kent Outdoor CenterFort Kent, ME

    General operating support

    $100,000

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Arts and culture17 grants $3,970,00097% of the total
  2. Environment4 grants $20,000<1% of the total
  3. Food and agriculture3 grants $20,000<1% of the total
  4. Education2 grants $15,000<1% of the total
  5. Human services3 grants $15,000<1% of the total
  6. Youth development3 grants $15,000<1% of the total
  7. 6 other causes7 grants $35,000<1% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. Maine55 grants $4,255,000
  2. New Hampshire1 grant $5,000

Officers, directors and trustees

8 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • Owen W WellsTRUSTEE Hours 30Pay $100,351
  • Craig N DenekasCHAIRMAN/CEO Hours 50Pay $421,472
  • Jere G MichelsonPRESIDENT/COO/CFO Hours 50Pay $426,728
  • Erik HaywardEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Hours 50Pay $321,360
  • Pendred E NoyceTRUSTEE Hours 10Pay $0
  • William J RyanTRUSTEE Hours 10Pay $0
  • Paul PietropaoliEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Hours 50Pay $321,360
  • Rhianon R LiuTRUSTEE Hours 10Pay $0

The return

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