- T12 -

Encouraging Maine students to aim high and go far with the Aspirations Incubator The Aspirations Incubator invests in students in Maines rural communities starting in middle school. The Rural Futures Fund and our Aspirations Incubator partners believe that relationships matter between a grantmaker and grantees and among young people and their mentors. Thats why in 2017 the Fund committed all of its assets more than 8 million to focus on one big bet The Aspirations Incubator. The Aspirations Incubator is grounded in the beliefs that Middle school students are at a critical developmental stage that offers a unique window of opportunity for mentoring and support that can change lives Mentoring support and broadening experiences when provided to students during the 6 critical years between middle school and high school graduation can broaden a sense of possibility and resiliency impart and nurture social and leadership skills and create interest in and access to higher education and career possibilities More students will go on to receive postsecondary degrees advanced degrees and career training as a result of their longterm mentoring relationships Mission The exclusive mission of the Rural Futures Fund is to support the Aspirations Incubator a sixyear pilot initiative created by the Fund that is designed to raise and sustain the postsecondary aspirations of students in Maines small cities and rural communities.