No funds were provided to carry out this mandate. Fifteen percent of lottery ticket revenues from Maine's new Outdoor Heritage Fund are also earmarked for Endangered and Threatened species projects. All three programs allow people to donate to Endangered Species and other nongame wildlife management programs. These voluntary means of contributing provide the core funding for Maine's rare and Endangered Species programs. Grants Table 25.
Species provide another essential source of funding.
All money donated, whether from the tax checkoff, car registrations, grants, or direct gifts, is deposited into the Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund, a special, interest-bearing account from which money can only be spent for the conservation of Maine's Endangered and nongame species. A nine-member citizen advisory council advises the Commissioner regarding the fund and the programs it supports. This section summarizes the work supported by The Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund in 1997. Other related accomplishments are found in the Mammal, Bird, and Habitat sections. Private organizations, individual volunteers, and every bureau of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife are part of these successes.