Foundation’s children’s health grant honors program champion

FAIRFIELD — This 16th year of the Sadie and Harry Davis Foundation’s Children’s Health Small Grants program holds particular significance, since the program was recently renamed in honor of program champion Pat Klingenstein.

Klingenstein, who died in February at age 93, was born and raised in southern Maine and once said, “We want to help the children of Maine, particularly those most in need. Our Small Grants program is an important way we do that,” according to a news release from Emilie Knight, director of the program.

Updated guidelines and requirements for the Patricia D. Klingenstein Grants Program are available at klingenstein.org. The application will close at midnight Wednesday, May 31.

The foundation’s mission is to advance the health of Maine’s children. The program annually awards multiple grants ranging from $3,000 to $15,000.

Since inception in 2007, the program has awarded over $1.2 million to more than 150 projects. Projects must advance Maine children’s health and ensure access to needed services for underserved populations.

The foundation has made the following changes to the Small Grant application process:

• A two-year waiting period has been reinstated (2021 and 2022 recipients must wait until 2024 and 2025 to reapply, respectively);

• An optional proposal budget form is available for download from the website; and

• The photo upload is now optional.

The Patricia D. Klingenstein Grants Program is not applicable to oral health proposals. But if organizations recognize oral health needs that they could help address within their broader children’s health work, they are encouraged to connect with the Children’s Oral Health Network.