Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research Inc
Historical FunderPhillips, Maine · EIN 01-0524375 · Private foundation · Website
Half of its grants to organizations were between $20,902 and $125,000.
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2024):
| Contact | Firebird Foundation for Anthropolog |
|---|---|
| Address | PO Box A, Phillips ME 04966 |
| Phone | 2076393939 |
| firebird@firebirdfoundation.org | |
| Form and materials | The Foundation provides fellowships to enable anthropologists, linguists, and other scholars, as well as individuals or teams of local researchers in indigenous societies, to collect and preserve these unique oral traditions. Fellows are encouraged, where possible, to foster the development of local teams of collectors to continue the work of recording traditional literature, language, and ecological knowledge. Transcriptions of the recordings are encouraged. There is no application form. Applicants are asked to submit a proposal with a budget by email to address noted above. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis and grants are awarded quarterly. The primary selection criteria are the importance of collecting oral literature among the society in which the applicant will be working, the methods to be used, the goals to be achieved, and the urgency of the project. |
| Deadlines | None |
| Restrictions | Anyone engaged in the documentation of threatened oral literature and traditional ecological knowledge may apply for a fellowship. Specific academic credentials are not required, but academic credentials are taken into consideration. Fellowships are currently awarded by the Foundations board. Foundation directors and members of the selection committee are ineligible to receive grants, as are their family members; certain descendants and family members of George N. Appell and Laura W.R. Appell are also ineligible. The terms and conditions of each fellowship are set forth in a letter sent to the grant recipient. The Foundation must receive a current report for each fellowship of the progress made and use of grant funds at least annually, and a final report on the results of the grantees research with an accounting for the funds expended. |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
25% of grants went outside Maine.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust | Rangeley, ME | General operating support | $333,333 |
| Northeast Wilderness Trust | Montpelier, VT | General operating support | $195,000 |
| Maine Coast Heritage Trust | Topsham, ME | General operating support | $125,000 |
| University of Sydney | Sydney, AS | $105,644 | |
| Maine Media Workshops College | Rockport, ME | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Fidelity Charitable | Boston, MA | Contribution to donor-advised fund of disqualified person | $24,291 |
| Oceanarium & Education Center | Bar Harbor, ME | General operating support | $20,902 |
| Phillips Public Library | Phillips, ME | General operating support | $10,000 |
| Borneo Research Council | Phillips, ME | General operating support | $4,225 |
The return also lists 37 grants to individuals ($257,451). We do not publish the names of individual recipients.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,125,846 | 46 |
| 2023 | $18,613,776 | 41 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 3, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202543079349100874
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 01-0524375
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.