Green Grants
Click here to apply for a Green Grant.
If you’ve got an idea to make our region greener, we’ve got $100 to $2,500 to help make it a reality!
We give preference to projects that impact the community directly and are of benefit to many. Greendrinks will accept and award small Green Grants, of up to $500 on a rolling basis. In addition to small Green Grants, we will accept applications and consider awarding up to two large grants, less than or equal to $2,500 per year
Green Grants Awarded in 2019
2nd Edition of the Bangor Area Trail Map, $3,225
Greendrinks partnered with Bangor Savings Bank and Community Center for GIS to update our trail map of recreation trails in the Greater Bangor Area and release another 6,000 copies available for free.
City of Brewer – Fish Bike Rack – $2,485
Greendrinks purchased a fish bike rack for the Brewer Children’s Garden on the Riverwalk.
Penobscot Region New England Mountain Bike Association – $2500
Greendrinks awarded $2,500 to PR NEMBA to continue their efforts to build sustainable mountain bike trails in Essex Woods for all ages and experience levels. Part of the funding will go towards creating a new access trail to Essex Street from the Veazie Railroad Bed across land donated to the City of Bangor by the Bangor Land Trust.
Green Grants Awarded in 2018
Community Connector – Transit Bike Racks, $2500
Greendrinks awarded $2,500 to the Community Connector, Greater Bangor’s transit system, to purchase two transit bike racks that will hold 3 bikes, instead of currently only 2. This will increase the bike carrying capacity on 2 of the 11 routes by 50%, allowing bus riders to more reguarly transport their bikes.
Food and Art Garden Labyrinth, $2,500
Greendrinks awarded $2,500 to the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine for materials to construct a Food and Art Garden Labyrinth at UMA Bangor. The garden will supply vegetables to six Bangor food pantries, shelters, and food security programs. K-12 student groups will be included in planting and harvesting, teaching gardening and community service. To be completed by May 2019.
Green Grants Awarded in 2017
Bangor Area Trail Map, $7,250
Greendrinks partnered with Heart Of the Penobscot (HOP), Community Center for GIS and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine to create a map of existing recreation trails in Bangor, Brewer, Orono, Veazie, Old Town, and Bradley. It is the first comprehensive map of the trails in our community and will help to promote the use of these incredible resources.
Bangor Walkability Forum, $500
$500 to help fund the planning and execution of a Bangor Walkability Forum and to support need-based registration scholarships and travel stipidens to ensure all people can attend the event.
Greater Bangor Solarize, $500
We gave $500 to help fund and promote Greater Bangor Solarize, a solar photovoltaic (PV) group purchasing program that works to lower installation costs and provide a cost-effective way for communities to increase the number of residential and small business solar installations.
Bangor Farmer’s Market, $750
We have $750 to help food insecure individuals be able to buy healthy and local food at the Bangor Farmer’s Market.
Penobscot Region New England Mountain Bike Association, $2,000
We gave PR NEMBA $2,000 to help build mountain bike trails in Bangor’s Essex Woods that will be suitable for riders of all ages and levels of experience. By creating these trails, they hope to inspire beginners to mountain biking to explore the many miles of trails our community has to offer.
Green Grants Awarded in 2016
City of Bangor Public Bike Repair Station, $1,300
We purchased a public bike repair station for Downtown Bangor. Folks visiting cycling to town will be able to perform basic bike repairs and maintenance!
Bangor Public Library Bike Rack, $2,700
We purchased a bookworm shaped bike rack named Lowly for the Bangor Public Library. Lowly will double the bike parking in Downtown Bangor while encouraging kids and adults to ride their bikes.
Friends Of Kenduskeag Stream Trail (FOLKS), $2,400
First we provided a $2,000 grant to purchases benches, dog waste bag dispensers, and trash barrels for the Kenduskeag Stream Trail. Then we held a benefit event at Explore Bangor that raised another $400 for further trail improvements.
Garden Beds for Seniors, $1,000
We provided $1,000 to a professor from the University of Maine to build raised bed gardens at a low-income assisted living facility in Brewer as part of a research project examining the effect of gardening on maintaining older adults’ cognition and nutrition. Science and soil!
City of Bangor, $2,500
We joined with Downtown Bangor Partnership and the City to purchase six new zero-sort recycling bins (and four additional trash bins) for downtown Bangor.
Earth Day Festival, $175
We provided $175 to purchase twenty copies of The Wheels On The Bus, which were given to children at the Earth Day Festival held in Pickering Square.
Bangor CSA Fair, $270
We gave $270 to sponsor the Bangor CSA Fair, including paying for live music (Tough End String Band), compostable tableware, and other assorted expenses.
Green Grants Awarded in 2015
Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, $2,000
We provided a Green Grant to the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter to assist with purchasing an industrial-grade dishwasher. This purchase helps the shelter avoid 170,000 units of plastic dinnerware from entering the landfill each year while also saving about $5,000 in operating expenses each year for not having to purchase disposables.
City of Bangor, $2,000
We gave a Green Grant to the City of Bangor to support the installation of two public water fountains on the Bangor Waterfront. One fountain also includes a water bottle filling station, allowing pedestrians, picnickers, and other waterfront patrons to stay hydrated and help reduce the use of disposable bottles.
Bangor Community Garden, $570
We provided a Green Grant to the Bangor Community Garden to purchase an electric lawnmower and string trimmer for grooming and maintaining their shared garden spaces on Essex Street. The community garden provides garden space for members, and also offers volunteer-led programming for local kids to learn all about growing their own food.
Downtown Bangor Adopt-A-Garden, $425
We held a special event to raise funds for a Green Grant to help Downtown Bangor Adopt-A-Garden expand their programming to even more downtown sites. The adopt-a-garden initiative brings community members and businesses together to beautify our public spaces with flowers and occasionally edible vegetation.
Maine Forest & Logging Museum, $250
We joined the Maine Forest & Logging Museum to support a screening of In the Blood, a locally-made film tracing the history of Maine’s timber industry with a live soundtrack performed by the filmmaker, Sumner McKane.
City of Bangor, $200
We provided a Green Grant to purchase four cigarette disposal receptacles to be placed in high traffic areas downtown, including Westmarket Square and the Waterfront. These bins help keep cigarette butts off the sidewalk and look great in the process!
Green Grants Awarded in 2014
Bike Rack Project, $500
We provided funding for two shiny green bike racks located in high-traffic spots in downtown Bangor. These racks encourage cyclists to come downtown, and help make sure bikes are both secure and out of the sidewalk.
Downtown Bangor Adopt-A-Garden, $100
We supported a large plot of edible vegetables and flowers as part of the adopt-a-garden initiative, helping to make downtown Bangor greener and healthier.
La Leche League, $1500
We conducted a contest where Facebook fans chose Le Leche League to receive $1,500 to fund their breast feeding support library.
Launchpad Gallery, $360
We held an event to help weatherize Central Gallery.
Green Grants Awarded in 2013
Lundy Family, $515
We contributed all proceeds from our Holiday Party to help the Lundy’s pay for medical expenses related to their newborn daughter, Mabel.
Rudnicki Family, $110
We contributed $110 to help long time Greendrinkers, the Rudnicki’s, with medical expenses related to their daughter.
Champion The Cure, $500
We provided $500 to EMMC’s Champion the Cure and volunteered to provide recycling for their event.
Bangor YMCA, $250
We provided $250 to help the Bangor Y purchase bike racks for their high adventure program.
Green Grants Awarded in 2012
River City Cinema, $100
Bangor Greendrinks sponsored River City Cinema’s showing of Betting a the Farm, a movie on organic milk farmers in Maine.
Camp Jordan, $140
Bangor Greendrinks purchased a composter for Bangor Y’s Camp Jordan to reduce their food waste.