Fundraising

Saving the belfry is an enormous undertaking. Projects of this sort can take several years to complete, especially for small organizations in small towns. We are proud that close to 100% of the church’s congregation has already pledged their support and that there is considerable community interest.

The Save the Belfry committee, made up of both church and community members, is actively pursuing donations, grants and in-kind donations. We were able to complete Phase 1 in May 2019 and are working toward the fundraising goal for Phase 2. We were able to move forward quickly on Phase 1, with the help of a grant from the Maine Steeples Fund, a donor-advised fund of the Maine Community Foundation in collaboration with Maine Preservation. One half of their grant was available for Phase 1 and the rest will be awarded at the completion of the project. This grant requires a matching amount and the initial $30,000 has been matched.

We are pleased to report that an anonymous donor (who had already pledged $15,000) offered a match of another $15,000 if we could raise that amount before the end of 2019. We will meet this generous match and the $45,000 is a big step toward starting the next phase of the restoration.

This building has been at this location since 1828. It is the anchor for the west end of downtown Norway and has been an important contributor to town history, both as a church and as a well-used public building. For generations, the profile of the building has always been the same. It is so familiar, we may not even “see” it anymore. This sense of a place is difficult to define, but we miss it when it is gone. We are committed to saving the belfry.

We are happy to answer any questions about the church building, the restoration of the belfry and tower, or about our fundraising. Please send an email to savethebelfry@gmail.com.