# Sam L. Cohen Foundation

Sam L. Cohen Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Portland, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Portland, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 22 Free Street, Suite 401, Portland, ME 04101, United States
- **Founded:** 2004
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** samlcohenfoundation.org

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Founded in 2004, the foundation carries forward the giving philosophy of Sam L. Cohen, who built the York Bottling Company in Biddeford. Cohen's wealth derived from the regional beverage business, and his values now anchor an institution that keeps its grantmaking tightly focused on southern Maine. Chairman Jerome F. Goldberg, a longtime Cohen business adviser through Bramlie Corporation, oversees governance alongside President Jeffrey A. Nathanson of TD Bank Group. The foundation deploys capital across five programmatic pillars: Arts & Culture, Civic & Community, Education, Health & Human Services, and Jewish Culture & Traditions. It operates as a traditional grantmaking foundation rather than a direct investor, providing general operating and program-specific support to nonprofit organizations. Geographic boundaries are strict — only organizations serving southern Maine are eligible, a constraint that has led the foundation to develop deep relationships with anchor institutions in the region. One notable legacy commitment is its largest gift, directed to The Cedars, a senior-living community. Day-to-day operations run through a compact team led by Executive Director John Shoos, with Senior Program Officer Dana Baldwin and Grants & Finance Manager Gloria Nicholson. The foundation maintains membership in the Maine Philanthropy Center, signaling a posture of collaboration within the regional funding ecosystem. As of mid-2026, public records show no recent leadership changes or new large-scale commitments beyond its established grant cycles. The foundation's structural differentiator is its hyper-local concentration. Unlike foundations that spread funding nationally or by issue area, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation commits wholly to southern Maine, creating an unusual density of grantmaking knowledge in a single geography. This proximity allows the staff and board to maintain direct, ongoing relationships with grantees rather than relying solely on written applications and reports.

## Sectors

- Education
- Arts & Culture
- Healthcare Services
- Civic & Community

## People

- Jerome F. Goldberg — Chairman
- Jeffrey A. Nathanson — President
- John Shoos — Executive Director
- Dana Baldwin — Senior Program Officer
- Gloria Nicholson — Grants & Finance Manager

## Questions

### Who sets the investment and grantmaking strategy at the Sam L. Cohen Foundation?

The board, chaired by Jerome F. Goldberg, sets the overall strategic direction, with President Jeffrey A. Nathanson and Executive Director John Shoos leading day-to-day operations. Goldberg brings continuity as a longtime business partner of founder Sam L. Cohen. The foundation relies heavily on its internal program staff rather than external consultants for grantmaking decisions.

### Does the foundation make grants outside of Maine?

No. The foundation's guidelines explicitly restrict funding to nonprofit organizations serving southern Maine. This geographic focus has been consistent since its founding in 2004 and is a central tenet of its mission to honor Sam L. Cohen's connection to the region.

### What is the foundation's relationship to the York Bottling Company?

The York Bottling Company in Biddeford, Maine, was the source of Sam L. Cohen's wealth and the commercial enterprise that ultimately funded the foundation. The foundation does not own or manage an active operating business today, but the bottling company's legacy forms the financial bedrock of its endowment.

### Does the Sam L. Cohen Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

Publicly available information does not specify whether the foundation accepts unsolicited proposals. It maintains a small professional staff and a focused geographic remit, which often correlates with a curated, relationship-based approach to grantmaking rather than an open application portal.

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- [Samho Green Investment](https://altss.com/profile/samho-green-investment)
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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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