How Nonprofits Spend Money in Maine

Nonprofit spending analysis for Maine: 84% goes to programs, 11% to administration, 4% to fundraising. Based on 3196 organizations.

9,992Total Nonprofits
3196Report Spending
84%Avg Programs
11%Avg Admin
4%Avg Fundraising
$26.8BTotal Revenue
84% Programs
11% Admin
4% Fund

Spending Analysis

Among 9,992 nonprofits in Maine, 3196 report detailed spending breakdowns. On average, 84% of expenses go directly to charitable programs, 11% to administrative costs, and 4% to fundraising activities.

Maine nonprofits demonstrate strong program efficiency, with the average organization directing 84% of spending to programs — above the widely-cited 75% benchmark used by charity watchdog organizations.

The 3196 organizations collectively manage $26.8B in revenue and $38.3B in assets, making spending efficiency a critical metric for the charitable sector in Maine.

Most Efficient Nonprofits in Maine

#OrganizationProgram %RevenueScore
1Southern Maine Womens Golf Association Scholarship Fund100%$060/100
2Hulls Cove Neighborhood Association100%$060/100
3Bangor Band100%$050/100
4Demerritt Cemetery Assoc100%$060/100
5North Auburn Cemetery Association Inc100%$050/100
6Oak Grove Cemetery Asso100%$705K95/100
7Pine Grove Cemetery Of Poland Maine Inc100%$050/100
8South Paris Riverside Cemetery100%$070/100
9Riverside Cemetery Association Of Brunswick Maine100%$070/100
10Maine State Credit Union100%$075/100
11Longfellow Garden Club Inc100%$070/100
12Dean Hill Cemetery Improvement Association100%$060/100
13Howard Hill Cemetery Corp100%$060/100
14Maple Grove Cemetery Corporation100%$050/100
15Piscataqua Garden Club100%$050/100
16Androscoggin Yacht Club100%$050/100
17South Blue Hill Cemetery Association Inc100%$060/100
18Lewiston Little League Playground100%$82K90/100
19Cushing Historical Society100%$070/100
20Fuller Cemetery Association Inc100%$050/100
21The Castine Womans Club100%$050/100
22Fort Fairfield High School Alumni Association100%$050/100
23Oakland Area Historical Society100%$060/100
24Garden Club Federation Of Maine Inc100%$085/100
25Lincoln Historical Society I100%$050/100
26Coopers Mills Volunteer Fire Department100%$070/100
27Bridgton Easy Riders Snowmobile Club100%$060/100
28Andover Historical Society100%$060/100
29Stockton Springs Historical Society Inc100%$060/100
30Maine Science Teachers Association100%$060/100
31Mount Desert Isle Chapter Of The National Society Of The Daughters100%$060/100
32Brownville Snomobile Club100%$060/100
33Palmyra Snowmobile Club100%$070/100
34Dresden Historical Society100%$050/100
35Acton Shapheigh Historical Society100%$050/100
36Mt Abram Cemetery Association100%$070/100
37Brewer Parents And Teachers United100%$050/100
38Poland Sno Travelers100%$050/100
39Harfords Point Association Inc100%$070/100
40Bowdoinham Historical Society Inc100%$060/100
41Limington Historical Society Inc100%$050/100
42Country Ramblers Snowmobile Club Of Chesterville100%$060/100
43Bustins Island Maine Historical Society100%$070/100
44Bates Morse Mountain Conservation Area Corporation100%$3460/100
45North Brooklin Cemetery Association100%$050/100
46Sweden Historical Society100%$060/100
47Gilbert And Sullivan Society Of Maine100%$070/100
48Harpswell Historical Society100%$050/100
49Bucksport Senior Citizens Club100%$060/100
50Freeport Womans Club100%$070/100

Least Efficient Nonprofits in Maine

#OrganizationProgram %Revenue
1Maine Government Finance Officers Association10%$13K
2Daniel Raymond Nickerson Foundation Inc10%$515K
3Cianbro Charitable Foundation10%$8.8M
4East Blue Hill Library Association18%$111K
5Maine Golf Course Superintendents Association20%$74K
6Francis Small Heritage Trust Inc21%$370K
7International Association Of Machinist & Aerospace Workers30%$82K
8Nine Wicket Foundation30%$454K
9St Joseph Healthcare Foundation35%$3.7M
10Project Opportunity Inc45%$388K
11Help Me Foundation50%$116
12Kennebunk Kennebunkport Youthfields Association50%$0
13Rosetta Foundation50%$126K
14Grafton Pond Land Trust50%$41K
15Anonimo Foundation50%$5.5M
16Fraternal Order Of Eagles60%$1.6M
17Harbor Foundation60%$73K
18M&J Company60%$939K
19Maine Association Of Professional Accountants60%$93K
20Penobscot Foundation For Developmental Services60%$1.4M

Related Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Maine nonprofits spend their money?

On average, Maine nonprofits spend 84% on programs, 11% on administration, and 4% on fundraising. This is based on IRS 990 data from 3196 organizations.

What is a good program expense ratio?

Most charity evaluators consider 75% or higher to be a strong program expense ratio. In Maine, the average is 84%.

How can I find the most efficient nonprofits?

The table above ranks Maine nonprofits by program spending percentage. You can also use our Rankings page to find the most efficient organizations nationally or by state.