About Us
The Maine Women’s Giving Tree (MWGT) is a group of women dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities by collectively serving women, children, and families. We are active in the Midcoast region of Maine serving towns from Wiscasset to Freeport.
What Is The Maine Women’s Giving Tree? (MWGT)
We are:
- A grant-making, tax-exempt organization of women working to improve the lives of women, children and families living in mid-coast Maine communities from Freeport to Wiscasset
- Recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity
- Funded through annual contributions from members and non-members: the minimum annual contribution for members is $365
Since 2012 MWGT has awarded approximately $600,000 in grants to dozens of local organizations.
How is MWGT Organized?
- MWGT is governed by officers elected by the entire membership and an executive board that includes the chairs of standing and ad hoc committees and at-large members selected by the President
- Standing committees include Communications, Education, Events, Finance and Audit, Grants, and Membership
- The distribution of funds is a collective decision voted on by all members
- Every MWGT member is encouraged, but not obliged, to join a committee
What is a Giving Circle?
A giving circle is a philanthropic group whose individual members pool their dollars and decide how to distribute those dollars through grants to non-profit organizations that align with their mission..
Giving circles provide members with opportunities:
- to learn more about their community
- to become involved and strengthen their community connections
- to reach out and give back to the community in which they live.
The Maine Women?s Giving Tree now includes about 80 members who live in communities stretching from Freeport to Wiscasset. Since 2012, we have contributed more than $600,000 to non-profit organizations serving the women, children and families of Midcoast Maine.
To read more about giving circles please read this New York Times article.
