Downeast Maine
Mission: To encourage Downeast Maine communities to work together to preserve their local cultural heritage, improve
their quality of life, adapt to a changing environment, and achieve a sustainable economy.
The C. F. Adams Charitable Trust primarily supports nonprofit organizations based in the targeted coastal region of
Maine from Schoodic Peninsula to Eastport. It wants its grantmaking to reflect local values, to develop local community
leadership and to help local voices be heard. Its work falls within two broad categories:
Changing Environment and Sustainable Economy
Cultural Heritage and Quality of Life
I. Changing Environment and Sustainable Economy
The accelerating real estate pressures in coastal Maine combined with the declines in the natural resource-based economy
of fishing, logging and blueberries make it important to address both the need for sustainable jobs and the preservation of
what had been traditionally public access to the coast, rivers and forests. The Trust supports the work of the following
organizations:
Downeast Lakes Land Trust
The mission of the Downeast Lakes Land Trust is to ensure the long-term economic and environmental well-being of the
Downeast region through the conservation and exemplary management of its forests and waters.
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C.F. Adams Charitable Trust made a major capital grant for the acquisition of Farm Cove Community Forest to develop sustainable forestry
management and to preserve habitat and resources for local fishing and hunting guides and lodges to maintain their businesses.
"The C. F. Adams Charitable Trust's significant gift to DLLT helped us to complete the acquisition of the 27,000-acre Farm Cove Community
Forest and the protection of 62 miles of undeveloped shoreline on six pristine lakes.The forest will be green certified with an emphasis
on wildlife habitat protection. The Adams support helped us to realize our vision of conserving a forest that will be an economic benefit
to local residents and will provide outdoor recreation for future generations."
Stephen Keith, Executive Director
Downeast Lakes Land Trust
P.O. Box 75
4 Water Street
Grand Lake Stream, ME 04637 
Phone:(207)796-2100
Phone:(207) 796-2727
FAX:(207) 796-2100
http://www.downeastlakes.org/
Downeast Salmon Federation
Downeast Salmon Federation's mission is to conserve wild Atlantic salmon and its habitat, restore
a viable sports fishery and protect other important river, scenic, recreational and ecological resources in eastern Maine.
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C.F. Adams Charitable Trust has provided program and administrative support that has been consistently
matched by public sector grants for restoration of wild Atlantic salmon habitat, river corridor
protection and public awareness of water quality and land conservation. Special grants for high
visibility land acquisition projects and development of an award-winning website have helped to
raise the organization's profile and broaden its member and donor base.
"Our work in partnership with the Adams Trust is building an enduring legacy in Washington County that will
maintain and improve the quality of life for many generations to come. The consistent and generous support provided
by the C.F. Adams Charitable Trust has been a critically important stimulus for major advancements in our programming
and organizational development - particularly for our relatively new land trust program. The tremendous conservation
opportunities that we are working to address are of national, regional and local significance. Local capacity to
seize these opportunities is seriously limited which means that the investment by the Adams Trust has been very, very
important and allowed us to raise many thousands of additional dollars that would not have otherwise been available to
the region. Working with the Adams Trustees has been a wonderful experience that has enriched our organization in many,
many ways. We have built a true working and personal relationship based upon mutual interests, respect and creativity -
just the way all relationships in our lives should work!"
Dwayne Shaw, Executive Director
Downeast Salmon Federation
187 Main Street
PO Box 20
Columbia Falls, Maine 04623
http://www.mainesalmonrivers.org/
Eastport for Pride
The role of Eastport for Pride is to strengthen, preserve, and enhance the commercial historic district in Eastport,
while maintaining its small town quality of life.
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C. F. Adams Charitable Trust provides administrative support for Main Streets economic revitalization
effort for downtown Eastport to generate volunteer civic involvement and to attract new businesses
and tourism.
"The C.F. Adams Charitable Trust has been been a real mentor to us, not only offering critical financial support,
but also providing us the opportunity to meet with other regional non-profits on a regular basis, participate in
state-wide non-profit conferences, and perhaps most importantly engaging us in a thoughtful year-round dialogue
about what it means to be a small non-profit in Washington County."
Lora Whalen, Executive Director
Eastport for Pride
93 Water Street
PO Box 122
Eastport, ME 04631-0122
Ph: 207-853-2400
http://www.eastportforpride.org/
Frenchman Bay Conservancy
Frenchman Bay Conservancy promotes conservation of the distinctive landscapes and natural resources of
the Frenchman Bay and Union River watersheds for the benefit of wildlife and people.
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C. F. Adams Charitable Trust's capital support helped to complete the Tidal Falls acquisition.
Its support of the organization's administrative and programmatic efforts have fostered membership
growth and expanded protection of the Union River
corridor and wildlife habitat from Schoodic Mountain to Schoodic Peninsula.
Frenchman Bay Conservancy
P.O. Box 150
71 Tidal Falls Road
Hancock, ME 04640
http://frenchmanbay.org/
Quoddy Regional Land Trust
The mission of the Quoddy Regional Land Trust is to conserve and enhance the open space, wildlife and natural
resources heritage of eastern Washington County for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.
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C. F. Adams Charitable Trust supported two capital campaigns for coastal land acquisition that
highlighted membership growth potential and raised organizational capacity challenges. Subsequent
grants for organizational assessment and professional development led to a collaborative capacity
building project to share land protection and administrative resources with the Great Auk Land Trust
and the Downeast Rivers Land Trust.
"Through its leadership support, the C.F. Adams Charitable Trust helped jump-start our first two capital campaigns
that secured the protection of 154 acres and 2.6 miles of spectacular coastal shorefront 'way Downeast.' By taking a
long-term and comprehensive view of our development needs, the C.F. Adams Charitable Trust has become a valued partner
in our efforts to sustain, strengthen and grow our organization and to enter into a creative collaboration with our
neighboring land trusts. In our experience, the C.F. Adams Charitable Trust is unique in its commitment to a range of
non-profits in our region and to making a lasting difference to its recipients."
Alan Brooks, Executive Director
Quoddy Regional Land Trust
P.O. Box 49
Whiting, ME 04691
Ph: 207-733-5509
http://www.mltn.org/trustdetails.asp?id=1261
Sunrise County Economic Council
Sunrise County Economic Council (SCEC) focuses on initiating and facilitating the creation of jobs and prosperity in
Washington County, Maine. SCEC's mission covers three overarching components: assist existing, emerging, and start-up
businesses; assist communities with locally initiated, capacity building and community development projects that position
them to take advantage of opportunities when they arise; and build strong, capable leadership empowering the people of
the region.
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C. F. Adams Charitable Trust supported economic development initiatives for job development and retention
in Washington County. It also helped to create a staff position to assist local community governments
involved in coastal access issues.
"The C.F. Adams Charitable Trust is one of our most valued partners in economic, community and leadership
development. We have worked together to build meaningful programs that address long term economic conditions in
Washington County. They are more than another supporter; they are concerned and active partners helping address
our many opportunities and complex challenges that face our region. They care about people and life Downeast,
and recognize that there are no simple answers."
Harold Clossey, Executive Director
Sunrise County Economic Council
PO Box 679
Machias, ME 04654
Ph: 207-255-0983
Fax: 207-255-4987
http://www.sunrisecounty.org/
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II. Cultural Heritage and Quality of Life
The economic and environmental pressures in Downeast Maine affect the quality of life of the
residents and heighten their interest in preserving the region's cultural heritage. The Trust
supports the following organizations engaged in addressing these issues:
Cobscook Community Learning Center
The mission of the Cobscook Community Learning Center is to enhance the lives of local community members
through grassroots collaboration using the arts, the rich social heritage and the natural surroundings as the medium.
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The C. F. Adams Charitable Trust provided early administrative support to encourage the grassroots development of a
multi-generational educational and community center and subsequently provided capital funds for the
construction of two buildings and general operating support for program development.
"Creating a vision for a healthy community - for new options - is an invigorating experience. Standing behind that
vision is another thing all together - a daunting commitment to an unlikely goal. Securing support to work towards success
requires true partnerships. The Trustees of C. F. Adams Charitable Trust understand that it takes more than money to be a
partner in a successful venture. Cobscook Community Learning Center exists today, to a large degree, because the Trustees
took the time to understand our vision, to recognize our strengths, and help us articulate our challenges. They have
provided essential funds to help fuel our efforts - our success, but just as importantly, perhaps more so, they have partnered
with us to strengthen the business end of non-profit operations without compromising - in fact, enhancing - our ability to work
within our mission towards our goal of firmly establishing a vibrant community learning center in this rural corner of Maine.
C. F. Adams Trust is unique it its commitment to whole systems thinking and action in their philanthropic work.
"In my work with C. F. Adams Charitable Trust, I have found solid and timely mentorship - guidance which has helped our
organization identify and articulate the strategies that would take us through the next growth stage of our organization. With
that information we worked to leverage their financial contribution to maximize its benefit to the Center. I have valued that
guidance as much as we have been sustained by the Trust's generous financial support.
"C. F. Adams Charitable Trust is a bridge building philanthropic organization, unique in its supportive and strategic
partnership with the non-profits it supports. It has helped convene and sustain a group of Directors of Non-Profit Organizations
from our region to support one another's work and strengthen our collective impact on the Downeast Region. C. F. Adams Trust
listens and 'steps in' with great skill - into relationship to forward a mission."
Alan Furth, Executive Director
Cobscook Community Learning Center
10 Commissary Point Road
Lubec, ME 04652
(207) 733-2233
http://www.thecclc.org/
Maine Sea Coast Mission
The Maine Sea Coast Mission serves as a source of hope, encouragement and strength for individuals,
families and communities in island and coastal communities in Downeast Maine.
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The C. F. Adams Charitable Trust helped to launch the Telemedicine Program aboard the Sunbeam V to provide health
care services to island residents. The Trust annually renewed its support of the nurse's position as
the program has evolved into the Sunbeam Island Health Services and expanded the number of islands served
from four to nine.
"The Maine Sea Coast Mission launched an initiative in 2002 to improve access to quality health care for island
residents by outfitting its boat, the Sunbeam V, with telemedicine equipment, including an interactive TV unit connected
to mainland health care facilities through high speed ISDN phone lines. The continued support of the nurse's position
by the C.F. Adams Charitable Trust has been critical to the Mission's ability to provide islanders with greater access to
high quality health care, which now includes mental health counseling as well as clinics.
"Sharon Daley, the nurse on the Sunbeam V, is the glue that holds this effort together as Island Health Services becomes
more and more credible with the islanders. Sharon makes the appointments for islanders for various medical specialists via
telemedicine and visits with islanders who are not able to get down to the Sunbeam V, addressing their health needs and concerns.
She also schedules all of the various clinics and educational programs that take place on the boat and brings experts to the
islands via the Sunbeam V to cover health and safety issues as diverse as lyme disease and how to improve the safety of lobstering,
the primary vocation on the islands."
Gary DeLong, Executive Director
Maine Sea Coast Mission
127 West Street
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-5097
1-888-824-7258
http://www.seacoastmission.org/
Schoodic Arts for All
Schoodic Arts for All brings together and provides opportunities for people of all ages to experience and appreciate the arts.
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The C. F. Adams Charitable Trust initially supported hiring the first part-time director to administer the
2-week summer festival that draws upon local artists as instructors for a wide array of
classes open to all ages. As the organization has grown into a year-round effort housed in an
historic hall, the Trust has provided capital support and professional development assistance.
"The C. F. Adams Charitable Trust is the moving force behind the prodigious growth of Schoodic Arts
for All, a Downeast arts nonprofit. Schoodic Arts for All has invigorated the Schoodic Peninsula in the face
of the loss of the Navy base, and has strongly influenced the greater Downeast community. This success is due
in part to the financial support and expert guidance from the C. F. Adams Charitable Trust to a young nonprofit
experiencing rapid growth without the infrastructure and financial backing necessary for success. The Trust
offered generous financial support along with kind and directed guidance toward expanding our programming and
becoming financially self-sufficient.
"Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the relationship between the Adams Trust and Schoodic Arts for All is
the mutual respect that exists between the two organizations. When the trustees visit us during our summer festival,
we feel they truly admire what we are doing and we are very grateful for their insight and generosity."
Cynthia Thayer, Former Board President
Schoodic Arts for All
427 Main Street
Winter Harbor, ME 04693
207-963-2569
http://www.schoodicarts.org/
The Tides Institute and Museum of Art
The Tides Institute and Museum of Art builds and exhibits collections, creates new art works
and strengthens cultural ties within the greater Passamaquoddy region, between New England and the Atlantic
Provinces and to the wider world.
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The C. F. Adams Charitable Trust provided capital support for the restoration and transformation of an historic Eastport
bank building into the Tides Institute and assisted with operating support during the start-up period.
"The C.F. Adams Charitable Trust has played a defining role in the launching of the Tides Institute & Museum of Art.
The Trust's support is helping to propel the Tides Institute to become a cultural institution of significance during the
most critical time of transition for the downeast region in a century. Through its wide ranging collaborative efforts,
both within the region and elsewhere, the Tides Institute has become a model of cultural development."
Hugh French, Director
The Tides Institute and Museum of Art
P.O. Box 161
Eastport, Maine 04631
http://www.tidesinstitute.org/
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