Mitchell Institute

The Harold Alfond Foundation is a proud, long-time supporter of The Mitchell Institute and its important mission of helping Maine’s young people access and complete higher education. The Foundation‘s support includes a 2011 ”challenge grant” in celebration of the Institute’s 10th anniversary. This grant supported the organization’s institutional endowment by matching contributions to its scholarship endowment. In 2014, the Foundation awarded additional funds, which enabled the Institute’s annual scholarship amount to increase from $7,000 to $10,000 and partially-endowed support programs that help Mitchell Scholars persist in college and find meaningful work in Maine.

More information as provided by our partner:

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2020, we are fortunate to also celebrate 25 years of constant support from the Harold Alfond Foundation. Thanks to their generosity, we have provided more than $17 million in scholarships for over 3,000 hardworking students from Kittery to Madawaska. Their continued dedication has further enabled us to increase the scholarship to $10,000, beginning with the class of 2019. Together, we are proud to be cultivating the future leaders of this great state.

As Senator Mitchell once said, everyone should have a fair chance to succeed, and with the help of the Alfond Foundation, Mitchell Scholars have more than a fair chance. With a 30% higher graduation rate than their peers, Mitchell Scholars are given the key to a successful future—a college education. Combined with a suite of professional and personal development programs available to Scholars year-round, the Alfond Foundation funds more than a scholarship. They help enrich communities across the state of Maine by providing Mitchell Scholars the needed resources to unlock their potential, to thrive in college and beyond. As the Mitchell Alumni population grows, we are seeing positive impacts across the state; they are becoming community leaders and shaping the future of Maine as educators, lawyers, nurses, farmers, and engineers. Through this collaboration, we see tremendous hope for a bright future for these students, and a bright future for Maine. We at the Mitchell Institute are deeply grateful for our partnership with the Harold Alfond Foundation and for their lasting commitment to Mitchell Scholars.