The Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark in Newcastle. The center has been awarded a $750,000 grant by the Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Submitted photo

NEWCASTLE — The Frances Perkins Center has been awarded a $750,000 grant by the Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. The center is the first organization in Maine to receive funds from the grant program, that “supports a fuller, more complex telling of American histories and lived experiences by deepening the range of how and where our stories are told and by bringing a wider variety of voices into the public dialogue,” according to the Foundation’s Humanities in Place webpage.

Distributed over three years, the Mellon Foundation grant will enable the center to advance its mission through historic preservation, enhanced educational programming, and the creation of a robust framework for financial sustainability. A nationally recognized cultural institution based at the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark in Newcastle, the center aims to shine a light on Frances Perkins, the first woman to hold a U.S. Cabinet position. Perkins was the driving force behind New Deal and the policies she created have impacted the lives of millions of Americans. FPC endeavors to inspire current and future generations to understand and uphold the government’s role in providing social justice and economic security for all, according to a news release from the center.

“The Mellon Foundation’s support is a transformative catalyst for the Frances Perkins Center,” said Giovanna Gray Lockhart, executive director of FPC. “It elevates us from a volunteer led, emerging organization to a leader in local, regional, and national education and dialogue on American heritage, culture, social justice, and economic security. We are thrilled to receive this support and are excited about the far-reaching opportunities it brings to the Homestead.”

Funding two studies and supporting the hiring of five new staff members, the foundation grant will allow the center to create a place-based history and education center at the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark. To provide accurate historical interpretation, the center will conduct two essential studies as recommended by the Maine State Historic Preservation Commission: A Cultural Landscape Report and a Historic Structures Report. These studies will provide vital information to guide the interpretation and preservation of the Homestead, a site shaped by human activity for more than 12,000 years. Additionally, the grant will facilitate the hiring of a part-time archivist and a full-time curator.

To secure the long-term viability of the Frances Perkins Center, the Mellon Foundation grant will also support the establishment of a comprehensive fundraising and revenue-raising framework. This will include the hiring of three new full-time positions: a planned giving/major gifts officer, a database administrator, and a membership manager. These roles will significantly enhance FPC’s fundraising capabilities, cultivate major-level investments, and establish a membership program to generate additional revenue streams.

“We are pleased to provide this grant to the Frances Perkins Center to ensure Perkins’ story continues to be shared widely today, and to aid in sparking productive conversations about social justice and economic security that encourage a wider variety of voices,” said Justin Garrett Moore, program director for the Humanities in Place program at the Mellon Foundation.

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