Onion Foundation

Onion Foundation is a US private foundation based in Auburn, ME.

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Onion Foundation seeks to build a more equitable and healthy Maine by deepening people's connection to the arts and nature. Its Arts Program increases Maine residents' access to arts education and public engagement, supporting audience and maker experiences that expand expression, learning and inspiration. Its Environment Program supports equitable outdoor access, nature learning for Maine youth, and advocacy and movement building so residents can champion the environment. It focuses on Maine residents, especially those in rural areas, and supports nonprofit organisations expanding access to the arts, outdoor experiences and nature-learning programmes. Proposed work must be based in Maine and benefit Maine's people.

Themes

• Arts education
• Public engagement
• Equitable outdoor access
• Nature learning
• Environmental advocacy
• Arts sector capacity

Geographic Focus

Maine.

What They Don't Fund

• Capital projects (including capital campaigns, capital improvements, land purchases, or endowments)
• Scholarship funds
• Public and private schools or school districts (we do fund nonprofit organizations that partner with schools)
• Religious programs
• Arts Program only: Capital projects (including capital campaigns, capital improvements, land purchases, or endowments); Scholarship funds; Public and private schools or school districts (we do fund nonprofit organizations that partner with schools); Permanent public art; Film/media production; Publications/book projects; Exhibitions without significant public programming; Religious programs; Artists (we do fund organizations that pay artists for their work)
• Environment Program only: Fisheries; river restoration; dam removal; fish passage; Aquatic and terrestrial invasive plant mitigation (we do fund invasive aquatic species prevention)

Applicants enter their drafted application in the grantee portal and submit it by the deadline for that cycle.

• Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 82% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
• Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 705 grants to organisations were $12,500 or less.

What the foundation says:

• Arts education proposals should have clear, age-appropriate learning goals and skilled staff and teachers working from detailed curriculum plans.
• It prioritises arts education for people in rural areas with limited access to cultural programmes.
• It prioritises organisations with an equity-building orientation, especially work by or for historically marginalised groups.
• It prioritises multicultural curricula.
• It favours diverse student participation and equity-based, low-barrier opportunities such as sliding-scale tuition or periodic free programmes.
• It prioritises arts education programmes designed for children of Kindergarten age and above.
• It primarily supports arts-mission nonprofits offering ongoing events, particularly free or low-cost experiences for Maine residents.
• For public engagement, it favours strong engagement and meaningful consideration of host communities.
• It is particularly interested in public-engagement work by or for historically marginalised groups.
• It prioritises programmes that include artists from diverse identities and cultural backgrounds.
• It favours organisations that thoughtfully invite and include diverse audience members and participants.
• It encourages first-time applicants and applicants with a fiscal sponsor to speak with a Programme Officer before developing a proposal.
• Applications are assessed for alignment with its mission, strategies and priorities, and for fit with available resources.
• For project grants, it is unlikely to fund more than half the project cost.
• It requests a comprehensive project budget covering all costs.
• Project budgets should show other funding sources and grants allocated to the project.
• For equitable outdoor access, it values programme staff or expert partners able to lead participants outdoors.
• It values representation of people of colour and/or people with disabilities in programme development and implementation.
• It values durable, relevant partnerships that support participation by people of colour and/or people with disabilities outdoors.
• It values community integration through schools, social services and other networks, providing continuing outdoor opportunities and complementary support.
• It prioritises direct, meaningful and repeated experiences of nature and the outdoors over lectures or reading alone.
• It favours intentional programme and communications design that makes initiatives welcoming, inclusive and supportive of belonging.
• It values reducing barriers such as cost, transport and lack of accommodations.
• It favours programme designs that foster curiosity about and appreciation for nature.
• It values high-quality, transformative nature-learning curricula, pedagogy and learning experiences, preferably linked to national learning standards.
• It favours place-based, experiential nature learning.
• It favours programmes that help students understand natural systems.
• It values qualified educators leading the work.
• It favours thoughtful partnerships with schools and other networks that create continuous, complementary learning opportunities.
• It values durable, relevant partnerships that support targeted groups' participation.
• It expects a commitment to equity and accessibility.