Common Good Grant
Overview
Since 2001, an anonymous alumni donor has contributed $10,000 annually for Bowdoin students to allocate to local agencies looking for funding to start new initiatives and maintain existing programs. Acting much like a community foundation, students in the program solicit donations to augment the grant base and evaluate grant proposals to determine which local non-profits will receive the Common Good Grants each spring. The purpose of the program is to provide students the opportunity to learn about grants, foundations, and philanthropy while becoming familiar with local non-profit organizations.
Not only designed to strengthen the bonds between Bowdoin College and the greater Brunswick community by honoring local non-profits, the program also empowers students by helping them to make a difference in their community through an educational experience. Since its inception, the Common Good Grant program has distributed over $300,000 in grants to 160+ non-profit organizations in the community.
The 2023-24 Common Good Grant is now soliciting letters of intent from community organizations. We have decided to extend the deadline for letters of intent due to the recent tragic events in the greater Lewiston area. LOIs are now due on Monday, November 13th, 2023 at 12 PM and must be emailed to Sam Cogswell (s.collins@bowdoin.edu). For more information about the grantmaking details, see this document.
The 2023-2024 Student Common Good Grant Committee application is now closed. We will select the next cohort of committee members in fall 2024. Thanks for your interest.
Questions about the Common Good Grant application or student committee can be directed to Sam Cogswell, Associate Director of the McKeen Center for the Common Good.