Mercantile’s story sells itself.
We just have to tell it.
FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
Grassroots Campaign
Money matters, but people matter more.
Given our goal to serve the Midcoast, building community around the cause is decidedly the most important piece of the puzzle. We want to make Project Mercantile–New Day an effort of the Midcoast, for the Midcoast, by the Midcoast.
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The first step to kickstarting the grassroots effort will be to locate existing support for Mercantile, and encourage those individuals to join the fight to save her. We want to make our organization as accessible and approachable as possible and foster avenues for incorporating community feedback into our mission.
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Next we must build support among people who care about Mercantile but just don’t know it yet. This will only be made possible by telling her story. It’s incumbent upon us to knock on every door and yell from every rooftop.
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We are hosting a two-part event on August 8th, 2026 at Snow Marine Park to kick off the grassroots fundraising effort for Mercantile’s restoration. In the morning, we will welcome ticketed guests to a lobster bake and auction for the benefit of the organization. In the evening we’ll let our hair down at a free concert with food trucks and liquor sales. Both events will include presentations from Mercantile-New Day and community members.
National Campaign
While our efforts will be focused in the Midcoast, we must also look to draw support from a national audience. This summer’s Sail250 festivities provide a unique opportunity to platform Mercantile and her restoration to maritime enthusiasts up and down the east coast.
Grants
Our project to restore and preserve Mercantile is well situated at the intersection of three focus areas for grant-writing: Historical Preservation, Education, and Community Building. We are enthusiastically pursuing funding opportunities in each of these areas.
Please contact andrew@mercantile-newday.com for past awards or application suggestions.
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Mercantile is truly one-of-a-kind. Her status as a symbol of Penobscot Bay and our nation’s seafaring history bodes for an attractive application for Historical Preservation grants. She is a registered National Historic Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places: Mercantile NRHP Entry
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Mercantile is uniquely suited to serve as a platform for educational programs. Her connection to PenBay, maritime heritage, and obviously sailing opens the door for programs in subjects such as history, environmental science, and physics, as well as teambuilding and community development for school groups.
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership Endorsement
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We want Mercantile to continue to be a pillar of the Midcoast community for generations to come. We continually pursue opportunities to build local relationships through the Maine Association of Non-Profits and Maine Community Foundation.
Social Media
We are leveraging social media with intentional, engaging content to promote our project to a global online audience.
Check out what we’ve created so far!