In 2006, an anonymous donor approached Maine Preservation and Maine Community Foundation about setting up a fund for churches across the state. As a sailor, the donor had noted that from the water, church steeples marked the location of village centers, and wished to help preserve them. Maine Steeples Fund was formed that year as a partnership among these three entities and has been striving to preserve Maine’s iconic church steeples ever since. Because of the administrative complexity of running this program, in 2019 the Maine Steeples Fund was reestablished independent of Maine Community Foundation, while Maine Preservation remained in partnership along with two other advisory board members. Over these years, from Aroostook County to York County, Maine Steeples Fund has been at the forefront of ensuring the continued stability of over 75 steeples and counting.
The expense associated with ongoing maintenance of church steeples is often daunting for a small congregation or civic organization to afford. Given the scale and height of the towers, and architectural details requiring specialized craftspersons, materials and custom millworks, the logistic and financial difficulties in taking on restoration efforts often give congregations pause before even getting started . Maine Steeples Fund has helped church congregations and non-profit groups bridge the often-significant gaps between enthusiasm, professional guidance, demonstrated need and available funding.
Maine Steeples Fund provides two types of assistance: help with assessing the condition of the steeple and the overall the church building; and restoration funding. Preassessments and full assessments of condition provide critical planning and guidance, which form the basis of successful steeple restoration projects. Pre-assessments are provided at no cost to qualified applicants while full assessments are made possible through a generous 90% matching grant of up to $5,000. The Fund has enabled numerous groups across the state to perform fundamental assessments that identify deficiencies that may not be immediately evident and establish the framework and priorities of needed interventions. These in turn define the scope of work, cost estimates, scheduling and fundraising goals needed to begin the process of steeple restoration.
Upon successfully completing assessments, selected applicants are invited to apply for a Steeple Restoration Grant. These 50% matching grants up to a maximum of $60,000 are applied to the stabilization and restoration of steeples within the scope of work identified during the Conditions Assessment. Maine Steeples Fund also maintains a list of best practices which help grant recipients in materials selection, design, and construction strategies using the Secretary of the Interior Standards as guiding principles. The critical importance of this program is indicated by the amount of matching funding that small congregations, some numbering in only the teens and twenties, are able to raise.
Over the course of the last 14 years Maine Steeples Fund has awarded more than $1.1 million in grants to aid in the restoration and preservation of these vital contributors to the cultural landscape of the entire state. Maine’s church steeples are irreplaceable reminders of our state’s rich architectural and social heritage and without the preservation-minded Maine Steeples Fund these architectural treasures would be of imminent danger of being lost to future generation to enjoy in all but photographs. For outstanding dedication, focus, and impact on a critical, highly visible feature of the historic built environment, Maine Preservation is please to honor the Maine Steeple Fund with the Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. Preservation Champion Award.
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