Our Mission

Foundation 51 is a volunteer, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide independent funding to promote innovative student development in MSAD51.  
By supporting the inventive use of existing and emerging teaching methods, Foundation 51 seeks to enrich the educational experience with programs that inspire creativity and passion, and encourage social responsibility.
2018 Spelling Bee Registration
Sign-up for our Annual Team Spelling Bee & Trivia Night! Help us raise grant money for MSAD51 at this friendly -- and humorous -- event on April 5, 2018 at 7:00pm at the Toddy Brook Golf Course and Cafe.


Announcements - 2017/2018 School Year
Foundation 51 is pleased to announce the following grants have been awarded for the Fall 2017 grant cycle. These grants total $7,400 and will benefit students in our community.
  • Better Chemistry Through Experimentation - Benefiting GHS students
  • Pedal While You Work – Benefiting GMS students
  • Connecting Trigonometry to Music/Sound – Benefiting GHS students
  • Sage Advice to Fledgling Narrative Writers – Benefiting GMS students
  • Games for Critical Thinking – Benefiting GHS students
  • Teaching Astronomy Through Building and Using Radio Telescopes - Benefiting GHS students
  • Swim with the School, Make GMS 4-5 the Best Place! - Benefiting GMS students
  • Integrated Learning Through Boat Building - Benefiting GHS students 
The spring grant deadline is March 8, 2018.  Please check out our website for additional information about the grant application process.

2017 Year-End Appeal

The holiday season reminds us of the generous spirit of our community. It is with awe, that we watch parents, teachers, business owners, grandparents, retirees, and students volunteer countless hours to a variety of causes throughout the year.

Established nearly 20 years ago, the Foundation 51 Board of Directors is comprised of a group of dedicated members who strive to promote educational excellence within our schools. It is on the shoulders of those who came before us that the board is energized to push on to new heights in 2018. Through educational, innovative, and often just simple, compassionate ideas brought to us by individuals like you, we are implementing amazing acts of change.

In these 20 years, we have funded over $500,000 in educational grants exclusively for MSAD 51 students. The STEM program was launched with funding support from Foundation 51. We have partnered with the PTO to support the Parent University program providing programs to educate parents on issues of importance ranging from technology, to anxiety, to bullying. Classroom equipment has been funded by various grants to aid children who struggle with focus allowing a more effective learning environment. Our pride and passion in this organization is palpable.

As you consider your year-end giving to non-profit organizations, we ask you to give some thought to Foundation 51, a 501(c)3 option. We are a 100% volunteer board, so your contribution goes toward supporting future opportunities and all it takes to make them happen. 

Our own little Shangri-La of 47 square miles and roughly 10,000 people has an overabundance of kindness, compassion, and generosity. 

Thank you for being part of this community.If you wish to give a tax-deductible contribution in any amount:

>>> Click here to donate online now <<<

Or, send a check, payable to “Foundation 51” to P.O. Box 545, Cumberland, ME 04021. 

You may e-mail questions or to ask for assistance to info@foundation51.org or to the Board President, Carla O’Sullivan, at Carla@foundation51.org. 

The entire Board of Directors wishes you a kind and gentle holiday season. May 2018 only see your hands reach out in friendship, never in need. 

Warm Holiday Greetings and Happy New Year,

The Foundation 51 Board


Dates To Remember
  • March 8, 2018 - Spring Grant Application Deadline
  • April 5, 2018 at 7:00PM - Spelling Bee (Toddy Brook Golf Course) Register Here
Fall Fundraiser, Another Success!
Foundation 51 kicked off its second annual Fall Fling celebration and fundraiser on Friday, October 14 with delightful music by Darlin’ Corey and local band Captain Bangaroo, an extensive silent auction, and a sold out attendance. Community members, parents, teachers and administration, all came together to support the common goal of promoting academic excellence in MSAD 51. Peter and Christine Hein generously offered their barn and backyard for the event for a second year.
The night was chilly and party-goers were bundled up enjoying the music, warm barn, many fire pits, and wood-fired cuisine by Fire & Co. Attendees commented that they were thrilled to gather locally to support the Foundation and the various creative and original programs we fund through grants each year. They enjoyed bidding on the silent auction in an attempt to win one of the 100 eclectic auction items. The silent auction raised just over $14,000. These funds will directly support grants in the upcoming grant cycles. The second annual Fall Fling was nothing short of a sold out success! Our goal is to grow every year so we can give more every year.

Grant Spotlight

  • High School Robotics Club
    The Greely High School Robotics Club gives students a chance to apply lessons they’ve learned from a broad array     of classes (e.g. general science, computer science, physics) in a practical situation. Andrew Baca, a former science teacher and current member of the science staff at Greely High School has prior exposure to robotics competitions and applied for a grant in the 2016 spring grant cycle. Foundation 51 was proud to award a grant substantial enough to fund the Robotics Club this fall.  The Club already has 14 students participating - enough to sponsor three teams working on one robot each. Club members meet twice a week at the high school.  The Robotics Club’s main activity is to design and build robots to bring to local competitions. Baca makes sure that the students have the materials, direction, and support to build and compete.

    In addition to fostering interest in physics, computer science, and programming, the Club promotes teamwork and communication skills. Each individual contributes some range of leadership, project management, mechanical awareness, technological savvy, and, of course, problem solving skills to his or her team. The Club provides an opportunity to bring students together to explore and to practice these vital skills regularly.  Baca anticipates that participation will continue to grow over the next few years. As the Club grows, he hopes to extend not only the number of teams composed of high school students but also to expand the Club to include middle school students as well.

    Foundation 51 is pleased to have been able to help enrich the intellectual and personal growth of a number of students at Greely High School outside the classroom with this fun and innovative project. We thank Andrew for his leadership and commitment.




    Posted 27 Dec 2016, 17:54 by Webmaster Foundation51
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