Capital Campaigns
Whenever it needs a large amount of funding for a particular project, the Trust undertakes a capital campaign to raise that money.
In 2002-2003, the Trust's Special Places Campaign raised $1.7 million to purchase the Skolfield Shores Preserve on Harpswell Neck and Johnson Field at Mackerel Cove on Bailey Island.
Permanent Home Campaign
In 2006, the Trust undertook a capital campaign to raise the $365,000 needed to provide a permanent home from which to meet its obligations in perpetuity to manage its preserves, monitor its easements, pursue new conservation projects, and expand its public education programs.
As of the end of 2007, the Trust had raised $222,000 and needed $143,000 more to finish paying for its Permanent Home and replenish its Special Places Fund. If you believe in the work of the Trust to conserve the natural environment of Harpswell, please consider making a gift to the campaign.
For the first 17 years of its existence, the Trust worked out of the homes of its trustees and volunteers. From 2002 to 2006, the Trust operated from small rented offices and prevailed upon the generosity of the Elijah Kellogg Church and others when it needed larger spaces for meetings and events.
The scarce rentable space in Harpswell is was no longer adequate to the Trust's growing needs as it manages, monitors, and conserves almost 1200 acres and 5 buildings in 29 places around Harpswell with additional projects in the pipeline. The Trustees determined the time had come for the Trust build a permanent home from which to meet its permanent obligations.
Toward that end, the Trust concluded an 18 month search for a site for its permanent home in early 2006 when it received a gift of 1.5 acres of land at 153 Harpswell Neck Road. As part of that search, the Trust contacted numerous landowners and looked at several older buildings in need of renovation. None of those other possibilities panned out.
Besides an office, workroom and ancillary facilities, the Trust's permanent home includes a meeting room for 45-50 persons. The meeting room allows the Trust to increase the number of public educational talks it sponsors, as well as provide meeting space for other community groups.
The Trust's permanent home enables it, for the foreseeable future, to meet its permanent obligation to manage its preserves and easements so as to preserve the natural and cultural character of Harpswell, to educate and promote the study and understanding of Harpswell's natural, architectural and cultural resources, and to use its preserves and easements for the benefit of all the inhabitants of Harpswell, now and forever.
If you wish to make only a one time cash contribution to our Capital Campaign, you may do so online. If you wish to make a pledge involving securities or more than one cash payment, please use the Print & Mail donation form.
Download the Print & Mail version of the Capital Campaign donation form.