Our Mission
Foundation 51 stimulates excellence in the MSAD 51 school district by:
- awarding grants and projects that enhance the curriculum,
- funding innovative ideas in teaching and learning, and
- partnering to remove barriers in accessing education.
Our story
51+ Families Raised Over $51,000!
Foundation 51 was established in 1998 by community members from Cumberland and North Yarmouth to direct private charitable resources toward the enrichment of educational opportunities for students in MSAD 51. The Foundation’s seed round of fundraising, intended to test whether there was community support for the new concept of private financial support for public schools, was a huge success! The goal was to raise $51,000 from 51 families and and we surpassed our goal by $4,000. In addition, a widespread community campaign raised $17,000!
The Endowment Fund
The great success of Foundation 51 has allowed us to create The Foundation 51 Permanent Fund, an endowment fund created for long term stability and security. It is administered by the Maine Community Foundation on our behalf.