Support Brunswick Money Guide

Find emergency financial assistance, grants, loans, unemployment benefits and employment available for people in Brunswick, Maine, and surrounding communities.

Last published update: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 10:00 am

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Emergency Financial Assistance

  • The Salvation Army Bath-Brunswick provides food boxes and financial assistance (heating, utility, and rental / housing assistance) for individuals in need in Brunswick and all of MSAD 75.
    nne.salvationarmy.org/bath
    www.facebook.com/tsa.bathbrunswick.nne.use

    • Needs:
      • Money
    • Opportunities:
    • Services:
      • Please call ahead at (207) 443-3611 to confirm all services. Leave a message if necessary.
      • Service area includes Arrowsic, Bailey Island, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Cundy’s Harbor, Five Islands, Georgetown, Harpswell, Orrs Island, Pejepscot, Phippsburg, Sebasco Estates, Small Point, South Harpswell, Topsham, West Bath, West Point and Woolwich.
      • Food pantry is Mon, Wed, Thu 10 am to 1 pm.
      • Social services (assistance for rental/housing, utilities, and heating) are Mon, Wed, Thu 9 am to 1 pm.
  • The Maine State Housing Authority (MaineHousing) has a COVID-19 Rent Relief Program for renters who cannot afford to pay their rent due to circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.
    mainehousing.org/programs-services/rental/rentaldetail/covid-19-rental-relief-program

    • $500 one-time payment to the landlord.
    • Tenants apply to the program. Landlord must agree to participate in the program.
    • Only market-rate rentals qualify. Subsidized housing does not qualify.
    • Tenants must demonstrate financial need.
  • The Human Services department of the Town of Brunswick handles applications for General Assistance for those who cannot pay for their basic necessities.
    www.brunswickme.org/190/Human-Services
    No Facebook presence

    • Services:
      • General Assistance is based on eligibility requirements including number of people in the household, documented sources of income, and documented expenses.
      • Schedule an appointment to begin the process of applying by calling (207) 725-6661.
  • Bowdoin Labor Alliance strives to represent a diverse coalition of students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members who engage with issues of class and labor in the Bowdoin community.
    bowdoinlaboralliance.nationbuilder.com
    www.facebook.com/bowdoinlaboralliance

Employment and Unemployment

Grant and Loan Programs

  • The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis.
    www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/paycheck-protection-program-ppp

    • The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.
    • The Small Business Administration will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.
    • The Paycheck Protection Program will be available starting April 3 through June 30, 2020.
    • This program is for any small business with less than 500 employees (including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed persons), private non-profit organization or 501(c)(19) veterans organizations affected by COVID-19.
    • You can apply through any participating lender.
    • Consult with your local bank, credit union, or other lender as to whether it is participating in the program.
  • Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) supports the start-up, expansion and growth plans of Maine’s business community.
    www.famemaine.com/
    www.facebook.com/FinanceAuthorityMaine/

  • The Maine Tourism Association (formerly the Maine Publicity Bureau) is a private nonprofit membership organization that promotes business and leisure travel to Maine.
    www.mainetourism.com
    www.facebook.com/mainetourismassociation

    • Info:
    • Services:
      • Maine Tourism Relief Fund Apply for Aid
      • The Maine Tourism Relief Fund will provide grants to tourism-related small businesses with less than 50 employees and their employees who have been adversely impacted by COVID-19, financially, whether through a decrease in wages or loss of employment.
      • Each approved grant is $1,000 per small business, $500 per employee, one per person/entity only.
      • Grants will be awarded as soon as possible to those individuals who meet the eligibility criteria below, as reviewed and verified by the Maine Tourism Association.
      • Update April 15th: Thank you so much for your interest in receiving a grant! This program has grown beyond our wildest dreams – applications will be live soon. If you would like to receive an application, please email <kference@mainetourism.com>
  • Brunswick Development Corporation (BDC) works with Brunswick-based organizations to provide loans which support job creation and new or expanded products and services.
    www.brunswickdevcorp.org
    No Facebook presence

    • Services:
      • The Brunswick Development Corporation’s (BDC) Pandemic Emergency Loan Fund (PELF) is at capacity and cannot fund additional requests.
      • Businesses who wish to be placed on a waiting list in case additional funds become available should email <scostello@brunswickme.org>.

Banks, Credit Unions and Other Lenders in Brunswick

Financial Literacy

Taxes

  • The Town of Brunswick’s Assessing Department determines assessed values on all residential and commercial real estate and personal property, and maintains all Town ownership and assessment data for the purpose of annual tax bills.
    www.brunswickme.org/149/Assessing
    No Facebook presence

    • Info:
    • Services:
      • Governor Mills ordered an extension to the deadline for many tax exemption applications which are normally due April 1st. The new tentative due date will be May 30, 2020.
  • Maine Revenue Services, of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, administers the tax laws of Maine to provide the revenues necessary to support the state and local governments.
    www.maine.gov/revenue/homepage.html
    www.facebook.com/MaineDAFS

    • Info:
    • Services:
      • The state will extend the deadline for Maine income tax payments from April 15 to July 15, 2020.
      • Payment and filing deadlines for all other tax types, including Maine sales tax and income tax withholding, remain unchanged.
      • Limited public access to Maine Revenue Services facilities.
      • Taxpayers may receive assistance from 9 am to 4 pm by calling the Taxpayer Service Center at (207) 624-9784 or the Property Tax Division at (207) 624-5600.
  • The Internal Revenue Service is the nation’s tax collection agency and administers the Internal Revenue Code enacted by Congress.
    www.irs.gov
    www.facebook.com/IRS

Give Help

Have money and want to help? See COVID-19 Relief Funds.