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Peter Alfond Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.1M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.5M

Peter Alfond Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,059,093 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $500,000
  • Median Grant: $30,000 (2022 data)
  • Total Assets: $75.4 million
  • Geographic Focus: New England (Maine, CT, MA, NH, RI, VT) and Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic)

Contact Details

The Peter Alfond Foundation

Overview

The Peter Alfond Foundation was established in 1993 by Peter Alfond, son of Dexter Shoe Company founder Harold Alfond. After Peter's passing, his four children and three non-family trustees continue to guide the foundation's mission. With total assets of $75.4 million and annual giving of approximately $4 million, the foundation invests in innovative educational and wellness opportunities that strengthen communities in New England and Puerto Rico. Since 2019, the foundation has distributed $76.7 million across 252 grants. The foundation's approach is adaptive, disruptive, and innovative, seeking new ideas to address community challenges while maintaining a humble, community-centered focus. Peter believed philanthropy required active involvement, combining "the wisdom of the heart and the reasoning of the mind."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through strategic focus areas rather than named grant programs:

Youth Thriving (Maine & Puerto Rico): Multi-year grants ranging from $30,000 to $500,000 supporting community-based youth development for middle and high school students. Includes anchor partnerships with peer learning models.

Food and Nutrition Security (Puerto Rico): Grants supporting sustainable agriculture initiatives and infrastructure for ecosystem collaboration.

Integrated Health: Grants supporting holistic wellness approaches, including major endowments (e.g., $40 million to MaineGeneral Medical Center).

Disaster + Crisis Response: Flexible funding allocated annually for timely response to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

Application Method: Inquiry-based system (no unsolicited applications). Organizations submit inquiries through online form; foundation reaches out to aligned organizations.

Priority Areas

Education

  • Youth development programs fostering mattering and belonging
  • Social-emotional learning initiatives
  • Two-generation school models
  • Academic enrichment programs

Health & Wellness

  • Community-based prevention programs
  • Nutrition and fitness initiatives
  • Mental wellness services
  • Holistic, multi-angle approaches to well-being

Community Development

  • Organizations serving marginalized communities
  • Local leadership development
  • Collaborative, cross-sector initiatives
  • Programs intersecting education, health, and community strengthening

Geographic Priorities

  • Maine: Youth Thriving, healthy living programs (60+ partner organizations)
  • Puerto Rico: Youth Thriving and Food/Nutrition Security (50+ partner organizations)
  • Other New England: Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island
  • Limited International: Dominican Republic, Israel, Ukraine

What They Don't Fund

  • Grants to individuals
  • Religious organizations for religious purposes
  • Start-up funding for new organizations
  • Political or lobbying purposes

Additional Requirement: Major grants typically require grantees to raise matching funds from other sources.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by Peter Alfond's four children and three non-family trustees.

Known Leadership:

  • Barbara Crowley, MD: Foundation Trustee and former Peter Alfond Foundation Endowment Leader at MaineGeneral Health

Leadership Philosophy (from Barbara Crowley): "We lost Peter Alfond — visionary, friend and philanthropist — nearly three years ago. Peter believed passionately in disease prevention and healing through access to good nutrition, exercise, stress management and mindful living."

On the foundation's endowment approach: "We'll take five percent a year, and if we're good stewards of this money, it will go on for generations. So what we start here today will matter for three and four and five generations."

Recent Strategic Hire: In July 2024, the foundation hired Adam Burk to advance their Northeast strategy, demonstrating continued expansion and professionalization of their Maine and New England work.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Peter Alfond Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Organizations cannot simply apply for funding. Instead, the foundation uses an invitation-based inquiry system:

  1. Review Focus Areas: Organizations should first review the foundation's current grantmaking priorities on their website
  2. Submit Inquiry: If your mission aligns with their focus areas (education, health & wellness, community development in New England or Caribbean), complete the online inquiry form at https://peteralfondfoundation.org/en/inquiries/
  3. Foundation Response: Due to time constraints, the foundation notes "you may not receive a reply from our staff" unless there is strong alignment
  4. Invitation to Apply: If the foundation sees alignment, they will reach out to request a full proposal

Getting on Their Radar

Anchor Partner Model: The foundation identifies strategic "anchor partners" that serve as hubs for broader ecosystem development. Recent anchor partners (Tree Street Youth, OUT Maine, Rural Youth Institute) provide facilitation and mentorship to 25 other organizations through peer learning arrangements. Organizations working with these anchor partners may gain visibility with the foundation.

Geographic Strategy: The foundation works with 60+ organizations in Maine and 50+ in Puerto Rico. Building connections within these existing grantee networks may provide pathways to foundation awareness.

Strategic Hire for Outreach: The foundation's 2024 hiring of staff specifically for Northeast strategy work suggests they are actively building relationships in Maine and New England, potentially through sector events and collaborative initiatives.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation makes grants throughout the year rather than on a fixed schedule.

Success Rates

The foundation made 71 grants in 2023 and 88 grants in 2022. Success rates and total inquiry numbers are not publicly disclosed. The inquiry-based system (rather than open applications) suggests a relatively targeted and selective approach.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only model, organizations would need to maintain relationships with foundation staff and submit new inquiries aligned with evolving priorities.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Stated Values (critical for alignment):

  • Adaptive, Disruptive & Innovative: The foundation explicitly seeks "new ideas to address global challenges." Peter believed philanthropy should be innovative and willing to take risks.
  • Community-Centered & Humble: The foundation is "attentive to self-reported community needs" rather than imposing external solutions.
  • Collaborative: They position themselves as "bridge builders, connectors, and collaborators" across sectors.
  • Local Leadership: Strong emphasis on investing in local leaders and marginalized communities.
  • Balanced Risk: The foundation maintains "a healthy level of risk in its portfolio" while exercising discipline.

What the Foundation Says About Their Approach: "Peter believed philanthropy should be adaptive, disruptive, and innovative, looking to new ideas to address the world's challenges."

Peter's guiding principle: "Making a donation is a rite of passage. It marks your transition from being a child of the world – a recipient of care and support – to being an adult who wants to contribute to the positive side of the ledger."

Evidence-Based and Long-Term: The foundation values "innovative, evidence-based programs" and makes substantial multi-year commitments (e.g., $40 million endowment, anchor partner models).

Holistic Wellness Approach: Reflecting Peter's beliefs, projects are stronger when they approach "health and well-being from multiple angles" rather than single interventions.

Recent Funding Examples:

  • Tree Street Youth (Lewiston): Anchor partner for youth development
  • OUT Maine: Statewide organization creating welcoming communities for diverse queer youth
  • Rural Youth Institute: Youth development incubator
  • Hearty Roots: Purchase of 400-acre campus for mindful adventure (Bremen)
  • Mano en Mano: Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare Center (Milbridge)
  • Portland Community Squash: Campus expansion including café and commons space
  • Vimenti (Puerto Rico): Charter school with integrated case management addressing education, health, and financial stability
  • Teaching Kitchen Collaborative: National network using kitchen-based health interventions

Common Themes in Funded Work: Youth development, holistic approaches to wellness, community infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, prevention-focused health programs, organizations serving marginalized populations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Alignment is Essential: Don't submit an inquiry unless your work genuinely intersects education, health/wellness, and community development in New England or the Caribbean. The foundation has a clear geographic and programmatic focus.

  • Demonstrate Innovation and Risk: The foundation explicitly values "adaptive, disruptive, and innovative" approaches. Show how your work tries new solutions or takes calculated risks rather than replicating conventional programs.

  • Show Community Roots: Emphasize how your work is "attentive to self-reported community needs" and led by local voices, especially from marginalized communities.

  • Think Holistic and Long-Term: Proposals addressing multiple dimensions of well-being (education + health, nutrition + youth development) align with the foundation's belief that challenges are "more achievable when approached from multiple angles."

  • Build Ecosystem Connections: The anchor partner model demonstrates the foundation's interest in catalytic organizations that strengthen broader networks. Show how your work connects with and strengthens other organizations.

  • Matching Funds for Major Grants: Be prepared to demonstrate capacity to raise matching funds from other sources if seeking a substantial grant.

  • Be Patient and Strategic: Without unsolicited applications accepted, building awareness takes time. Focus on doing strong work in their priority areas, building connections with existing grantees, and submitting thoughtful inquiries when alignment is genuine.

References

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