Planning for Biddeford's future has received the support of the Orton Family Foundation. The non-profit Heart of Biddeford and the city of Biddeford have received a $100,000 grant from the Vermont foundation.

The Orton Family Foundation has also awarded a grant to Damariscotta.

The grants will be used for so-called "Heart & Soul" land use planning in which towns engage a broad spectrum of citizens to discern what is important and special about their communities. This understanding of what is unique about Biddeford will be used to inform the city as it adopts a master plan for downtown.