40 Under 40: Mary Alice Scott is a community-builder and advocate for Maine nonprofits
PHOTO / Tim Greenway
Mary Alice Scott is the public affairs manager of the Maine Association of Nonprofits.
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Significant professional accomplishment: In terms of impact, I recently worked with state Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, and coalition partners to pass a blanket sales tax exemption for charitable nonprofits in Maine, which Gov. Janet Mills included in this year’s supplemental budget.
It sounds pretty wonky, but it means that 5,000 nonprofits across the state will be able to redirect around $10 million toward their missions every year. It’s a policy that was long overdue, and it aligns our state with most other states across the country.
Current state of mind: Feeling a refreshing sense of optimism.
Passion project: My passion project is doing 75% of a new hobby and then abandoning it.
‘Lightbulb’ moment: I grew up in a family that prioritized community-building through policy work, so that was instilled in me at a young age. I feel really lucky to have found a job where I get to support the advocacy work of the thousands of nonprofits who are working to make Maine a better place for everyone.
Audacious goal: Inbox zero.
Favorite quote: “What would it mean to live in a city whose people were changing
each other’s despair into hope? You yourself must change it” — Adrienne Rich, in “Dreams Before Waking”
Influential book: “The Martian Chronicles,” by Ray Bradbury, is a book that has stuck with me since I was a middle schooler.
Favorite podcast: “Anthropocene Reviewed.” It’s like a soul salve.
Best way to recharge: Walks in the woods with my husband, our toddler, and dog. Walks alone. Group chats. Naps on the beach in the summer. Spin classes or dance parties.
At age 60: I imagine I will still be working, probably in Maine, hopefully doing something that makes my heart feel full.
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