Mainely Character

Overview

Mission

Our mission is to recognize and reward Maine high school seniors of exceptional character. Since 2001 we have awarded 115 educational scholarships totaling $447,500. Our scholarships are awarded based on an applicant's character. We do not consider academic achievement, athletic prowess, musical ability, artistic talent or financial need. Four aspects of student's character are considered when making an award. Courage: Persisting through difficulty, distress, or fear in order to achieve something important. Integrity: Being truthful and trustworthy to oneself and others. Responsibility: Conveying an attitude of commitment and conviction. Concern: Demonstrating compassion and caring attitude towards others, and helping them achieve their best. Mainely Character awarded fourteen $5,000 scholarships in 2025 and plans to award fourteen $5000 scholarships in 2026. Some scholarship payments are deferred to subsequent semesters at the request of scholarship recipients.

What it reported doing in 2025

Our mission is to recognize and reward Maine high school seniors of exceptional character. Since 2001 we have awarded 115 educational scholarships totaling $447,500. Our scholarships are awarded based on an applicant's character. We do not consider academic achievement, athletic prowess, musical ability, artistic talent or financial need. Four aspects of student's character are considered when making an award. Courage: Persisting through difficulty, distress, or fear in order to achieve something important. Integrity: Being truthful and trustworthy to oneself and others. Responsibility: Conveying an attitude of commitment and conviction. Concern: Demonstrating compassion and caring attitude towards others, and helping them achieve their best. Mainely Character awarded fourteen $5,000 scholarships in 2025. Some scholarship payments are deferred to subsequent semesters at the request of scholarship recipients.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Cannot be determined from the filing. The filing does not provide enough consistent spending detail to tell whether the nonprofit works directly or through others.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
010536795
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2023–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2022
Headquarters
Portland, ME, USA
Phone
2077493347
Rating
47
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Scholarships, Student Financial Aid Services, Awards

Official website

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue has grown recently. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 4
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 41
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 3.5%; rating input score 4
  • Program expense ratio: 3.4%; rating input score 3

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -3.5%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.44; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.93; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -132.1% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 23.1% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 3.5% of revenue deployed · 3.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 15 people listed
  • Consistency: 8 of 9 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 3 annual filings from 2023 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

15 people listed

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: FY2025.