Search Through Physics Grants in Vermont in the U.S.

Our History

George Mergens, a resident of Palm Beach, Florida was a mechanical engineer, inventor and business entrepreneur. Mr. Mergens, a graduate from the Brooklyn New York Poly Technical Institute, made significant contributions in the field of color film analysis and processing during his career. The holder of numerous domestic and foreign patents, Mr. Mergens co-founded Photo Electronics Corporation in 1963 to offer advanced color analysis technology to the photographic and motion picture industries. The Video Color Negative Analyzer, which became the standard of the Professional Photography Industry, was designed by Mr. Mergens and sold world wide by the Eastman Kodak Company. Equipment and innovations developed at PEC earned a technology award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1971 and a place in the "Information Age: People, Information and Technology" collection of the Smithsonian Institute. In 1977 Mr. Mergens was recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, being named Engineer of the Year by his local Florida chapter. In 1986, the year he passed away, Mr. Mergens was awarded the title of "Fellow" by the ASME.

In 1994, George's wife Ann, along with their two children, started the George W. Mergens Foundation as a tribute to his substantial legacy. A life long board member of the Boys Club and Science Museum in Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. Mergens demonstrated a sincere commitment to youth during his life. It seemed natural that the Foundation would honor his interests by focusing its efforts on supporting educational and experiential opportunities for youth. Since our founding, we have awarded over $12 million in support of area non-profits serving our youth. We are committed to continuing this effort into the future.

Our Mission

It is our guiding principal that we can affect the greatest impact on the future by supporting programs that seek to enrich the lives of youth. We use our resources to undergird the efforts of organizations that offer a wide variety of services and opportunities to children and adolescents. In doing so, we hope to promote knowledge, creativity, leadership and good health in the next generation of Vermonters.

Areas of Support

We seek to support organizations that offer opportunities for; improved health and welfare, education, job and skills training, creative instruction and experiences, leadership roles, exposure to the natural world and unique experiences that broaden perspectives. We prefer to partner with groups that have identified consequential needs or enrichment opportunities and have articulated a thoughtful and effective approach toward addressing them. Below are the four general categories that we fund along with some specific program types that fall within each category.

Education & Training

• STEM Programs
• Job Skills/Career Training
• Literacy Programs

Enrichment Activities

• Art/Theater/Music Programs
• After School Programs
• Camps

Recreation

• Sports Programs
• Outdoor Activities
• Wilderness Training

Health & Wellness

• Programs addressing food insecurity
• Programs promoting physical & emotional wellbeing

The J. Warren & Lois McClure Foundation, a supporting organization of the Vermont Community Foundation, works to make postsecondary education the easy choice for young Vermonters because we believe college and career training opens the door to lifelong opportunities. 

In all we do, we’re committed to a relational approach that centers equity, takes the long view, and advances systems development and systemic change. 

Our Grantmaking

We use grants to make postsecondary education the easy choice for young Vermonters because we believe that college and career training opens the door to lifelong opportunity. On this page you can find more information about our giving philosophy and processes.

Over 7,400 teachers, 4,500 Registered Nurses, and over 1,600 software developers: this is just a snapshot of the high-pay, high-demand jobs expected in Vermont in the next ten years. While we know that these and other promising jobs often require education or training after high school, fewer than half of young people in Vermont enroll in degree programs directly after high school, which is the lowest in New England, according to the New England Secondary Schools Consortium. That continuation rate is even lower -- 31 percent -- for Vermont students from low-income backgrounds.

What We Fund

Our goal is to help make the education and training pathways to Vermont’s most promising jobs more visible, more accessible, and more affordable. Embedded in our vision are public college and career training systems that drive equity and resilience. In all we do, we’re committed to a relational approach that centers equity and takes the long view.

We continue to support organizations, including the Community College of Vermont, the Vermont School Counselors Association, and Serve Learn Earn, with this type of multi-year capacity support.

Through our invitation-only grant processes, we proactively invite grant proposals ranging from $10,000 to over $100,000 for systems development or systemic change efforts. Our current two priority areas for these grants are:

• Equitably scaling and sustaining Vermont's Free Degree Promise.
• Public educator workforce development and diversification.

If your work aligns with one of these priorities, please contact us to discuss funding opportunities.

Our Giving Philosophy

Over fifteen hundred electricians, nearly 4,000 nurses, and over 2,700 software developers and testers: these are the kinds and numbers of high-pay, high-demand jobs expected to open in Vermont in the next ten years. While we know that these and other promising jobs require education or training after high school, fewer than half of young people in Vermont enroll in degree programs directly after high school, which is the lowest in New England according to the New England Secondary Schools Consortium. That continuation rate is even lower -- 31 percent -- for Vermont students from low-income backgrounds.

With this data in mind, we use grants to help make the education and training pathways to Vermont’s most promising jobs more visible, more accessible, and more affordable. Embedded in our vision are public college and career training systems that drive equity and resilience. In all we do, we’re committed to a relational approach that centers equity and takes the long view.

Mini-grants

Alongside the release of the updated Vermont's Most Promising Jobs resource with the Vermont Department of Labor, we launched a mini-grant program that awards $250 - $2,500 to schools, libraries, and community organizations that help young Vermonters plan and prep for life after high school. If you have an idea for how a small amount of funding would boost career exploration and postsecondary planning for young Vermonters in your community, please contact us. We promise a speedy turnaround on funding decisions and no formal proposal or reporting requirements.

Sustaining Grants Portfolio: An Overview

As part of our overall grantmaking strategy, we maintain a portfolio of small-scale, multi-year grants to help sustain proven and ongoing networks, programs and events that are squarely aligned with our mission. These grants, which typically range between $1,500 - $5,000 per year for three years, are proactively awarded based on our deep knowledge of Vermont's programming and event landscape.

These grants do not require formal proposals or grant reports. In lieu of formal reporting, partners in our sustaining grants portfolio are encouraged to occasionally share observations, insights, and annual reports with Foundation staff as might be helpful for the Foundation's learning.

Programs of interest include:

• Programs that promote equity within Vermont's public education systems. 
• Programs that support the postsecondary planning and career development progression of middle- and high-school students, especially those from low-income backgrounds and those who have been historically marginalized. 
• Programs that assist Vermont students in the successful transition to education and training beyond high school.
• Networks, events, or media coverage aligned with our mission.

About Us

Saving pets. Together.

The Petfinder Foundation has been helping animal shelters and rescue groups since 2003. We are the ONLY national organization that does nothing but give cash and product grants to adoption groups.=

How We Work

Our programs are designed to keep homeless pets physically and mentally healthy so they can find loving forever homes.

Our grants put food in bowls, provide medical care, and help rescue animals from disasters. When pets are in need, we’re there to help.

P.L.A.Y. Pet Beds 

Applications are reviewed and awarded 10 Chill Pads on a monthly basis to specific geographical regions. 

The Petfinder Foundation has partnered with P.L.A.Y. Pet Lifestyle and You through the Warm Bellies Initiative to give luxury beds to shelter pets. P.L.A.Y. joins us in the belief that every pet deserves a warm and cozy place to sleep

Applications are reviewed and awarded 10 Chill Pads on a monthly basis to specific geographical regions. You may apply for this grant program once. Grant applications from this program are reviewed based on the location of your organization and the monthly state awarding schedule below:

• January: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts
• February: Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York
• March - Pennsylvania, New Jersey
• April: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia
• May: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
• June: Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin
• July: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky
• August: Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi
• September: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming
• October: Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas
• November: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada
• December: Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Green Mountain Fund

The Green Mountain Fund was established at the Vermont Community Foundation in 1993 to support charitable activities in Lamoille County. Grantmaking has since been expanded to include Orleans County and neighboring communities and counties.

Grant Size

The Green Mountain Fund makes grants ranging from $500-$5,000.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Paul Post Fund for Libraries

The goal of the Paul Post Fund is to support Vermont libraries to encourage and enhance reading by young adults.

Grant Size

The Foundation will determine the number of grants to be awarded annually but expects that a typical grant will be in the $250-$1,000 range.

The Arbor Day Foundation

We plant trees because people need trees. Our health and the health of our planet are interconnected, and the simple act of planting trees benefits both. The Arbor Day Foundation works to connect opportunities, people, and organizations to plant trees and forests to help solve some of the most critical issues facing our planet.

Tree Campus Higher Education Program

No matter where you’re from, trees and green space are an integral part of the college experience. They make campuses more livable, healthy, and beautiful, benefiting students and the environment as a whole.

Tree Campus Higher Education was founded to foster that tradition of excellence. The program provides a simple framework for colleges and universities to grow their community forests, achieve national recognition, and create a campus their students and staff are proud of.

Why should my school participate?

• A commitment to trees can significantly reduce the amount of energy your campus, and community, needs to generate.
• Planting and maintaining trees absorbs carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, mitigating the effects of climate change.
• Green space provides important mental health benefits to students, faculty, and staff, as well as encourages physical activity.
• Involving students in tree-related service-learning projects helps educate the next generation about the importance of caring for the environment.

Recognition also builds pride among your campus and the wider community. We make it easy for you to share your designation, sending flags, press releases, logos and graphics, and other materials after your acceptance.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

South Lake Champlain Fund

The South Lake Champlain Fund (originally organized as the South Lake Champlain Trust in 1989) was established to provide support for research and education concerning the southern portion of Lake Champlain. Advised by a committee of three members, the Fund makes annual grants to support these efforts.

The primary goal of the South Lake Champlain Fund (SLCF) is to have a positive environmental impact on the southern portion of Lake Champlain, defined as the area of Lake Champlain south of Crown Point in both Vermont and New York with a preference for projects directly on the lake or in close proximity. It is also a goal of the fund to support projects that involve experts and other people who live in the southern Lake Champlain region.

What does the South Lake Champlain Fund support?

•  Educational projects which engage young people in learning and loving the cultural heritage, history, and ecology of the southern portion of Lake Champlain
• Innovative research projects focused on the cultural heritage and environmental health of the southern portion of Lake Champlain
• Educational or research projects which directly impact the communities around the southern portion of Lake Champlain and/or use the expertise of local experts including scientists, educators, and environmentalists
• Expenses related to time, equipment, hardware and software, travel expenses, publication and/or implementation of research findings, and dissemination of findings for projects as above
• All findings and results of funded projects should be made public and shared with any organizations that share concern or interest in Lake Champlain. Projects with a volunteering element are encouraged.

What size are the grants?

The fund anticipates awarding five to nine grants a year—one to three grants will range from $5,000 to $7,500 and the remaining grants will range from $1,000 to $3,000. Matching funds are encouraged, but not required. The committee may award partial grants so please take that into consideration when planning your project budget.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

We are a collective of more than 1,000 funds and foundations, created by Vermonters to fulfill their charitable aspirations. We are proud to support our nonprofit partners with nonprofit reserve and endowment funds, planned giving partnerships, grants, and integrated capital.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Equitable & Inclusive Communities

The Vermont Community Foundation supports Vermont villages, towns, and cities that close the opportunity gap by supporting local efforts to foster inclusion and belonging for people of all races and backgrounds.

We recognize the powerful leadership roles that local governments can play in removing structural barriers and building a more inclusive and diverse state, and want to support communities in fulfilling that potential.

This grant program, which was developed in cooperation with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns and Vermont’s Office of Racial Equity, is intended to support communities participating in the IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Action, and Leadership) Vermont program.

The vision we hope to advance with this grant program is a Vermont where:

• All people feel connected to their communities, and do not feel afraid to visit, live, or conduct business in certain towns because of a reputation for exclusion, intolerance, or bias, nor because of a person’s own appearance.
• Businesses and local governing bodies can easily recruit or be led by people who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) because they feel safe and supported as members of the community.
• Educators, students, local leaders, and families have tools and resources to handle issues of discrimination, exclusion, intolerance, or bias as soon as they happen.
• It doesn’t matter how long someone has lived here to be considered a part of the community.

Grant Size

This program will award grants of up to $10,000 for an 18-month project period.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

The Concert Artists Fund

Although many grant programs at the Vermont Community Foundation include support of the arts as part of its mission, the Concert Artists Fund is exclusively dedicated to supporting the arts. In 2005, the Concert Artists Fund was created from the estate of Charles Goetz to support performances of classical music in Chittenden County.

The Concert Artist Fund switched to a two year grant cycle in 2016. Grants awarded will be for two years of funding distributed in two equal annual payments, conditional on receipt of a successful first year report and confirmed plans to continue presenting qualified work in the coming year.

Grant Size

Up to $20,000 over two years, up to $10,000 per year. The average grant size is $5,500, for a one year grant cycle

Pew Biomedical Scholars 

The Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The program makes grants to selected academic institutions to support the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in their first few years of their appointment at the assistant professor level.

Based on their performance during their education and training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to human health. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied biomedical research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring in concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply.

Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake, evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments, including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to both the project proposal and the researcher, including evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has the skill set needed to carry out their high-impact proposal.

Funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from nonprofit associations do not pose a conflict with the Pew scholars program.

Funding

The current grant level is $300,000.

An award of $75,000 per year for four years will be provided to the sponsoring institution for use by the scholar, subject to annual review of the scholar’s progress. Grant agreements will be issued in August of the award year. The awarded funds may be used at the discretion of the Pew scholar, for personnel, equipment, supplies, or travel directly related to the scholar's research and as to best advance his or her research and career.

• The amount of the award that may be used for the principal investigator’s salary is limited to $12,500 per year (including benefits) or $50,000 over the duration of the grant. There are no limits on student or postdoctoral salaries.
• Not more than 8 percent ($24,000) of the total award value may be allocated for facilities and administration (F&A) charges or indirect costs (IDCs).
• Should the funds not be immediately required, they may be accumulated and carried over through the grant period and, with written approval of the program office, the grant may receive a no-cost extension for one additional year (without additional funds).
• Subawards are allowed.

During the four-year grant term, program participants are required to attend an annual meeting held in March or April. All eligible expenses for attendees’ travel, lodging, and meals are paid by Pew. The meeting provides Pew scholars with an opportunity to present their research and for scientific collaboration and exchange with other scholars and members of the National Advisory Committee.

Cultural Facilities Grants

Cultural Facilities Grants help Vermont nonprofit organizations and municipalities enhance, create, or expand the capacity of an existing building to provide cultural activities for the public.

Applicants must own a facility that is at least 10 years old, and it must be physically located in Vermont. Cultural activities are defined broadly as activities that enhance artistic, creative, aesthetic, historic or scholarly appreciation by members of the public. This includes performances, exhibits, readings, film screenings, displays, workshops, etc.

Examples of projects eligible for funding include:

• improvements to wiring, heating, lighting, and plumbing
• accessibility features such as elevators, lifts, assistive listening systems, ramps, and bathrooms
• stage improvements such as curtains, lighting, sound, and rigging
• permanent display panels or exhibit cases affixed to the building
• fixed equipment
• improvements to environmental controls, storage, or lighting for collections
• hazard mitigation efforts such as flood gates, rain gutters, or sprinkler systems
• energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation, heat pumps, renewable energy systems, LED lighting

Funding

Awards range from $1,000 to $30,000 and must be matched on a 1:1 basis. At least 50% of the match must be in cash. Up to 50% can be in well-documented in-kind materials and/or labor. Funds will be issued only after the project work is completed and the required reports are submitted. Grant amounts are dependent upon state funding and are subject to change.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

History 

Walter Cerf was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1907. The son of a successful businessman, he spent most of his youth in Berlin. He attended university in Freiburg, Heidelburg, and elsewhere before being awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Bonn in 1933. In 1936, he relocated to the United States and in 1941, he earned a second Ph.D. in philosophy at Princeton University. After becoming a United States citizen, he served in military intelligence with the 35th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1947, he began a twenty-five year career as a Professor of Philosophy at Brooklyn College. He retired to his summer home in Leicester, Vermont in 1972.

Although his father’s business, Gesellschaft für Eigentumsschutz, a night security agency, was expropriated by the Nazis in 1938, one-half of the company was returned to the family after World War II. In 1987, Mr. Cerf sold his interest in the company. During the last twenty years of his life, Walter Cerf made gifts exceeding $10 million to more than 100 different organizations in Vermont. At his death in 2001, a permanent endowment, the Walter Cerf Community Fund, was established at the Vermont Community Foundation. The Fund will make grants annually in Walter’s name and will continue the generosity of this remarkable man in perpetuity.

Grant Size

Large Grant Eligibility:

• Project/program specific
• From organizations in or serving the Addison County/Brandon area
• Up to $25,000

What does the WCCF Fund support?

The Walter Cerf Community Fund (WCCF) makes grants to address charitable needs in the state of Vermont.

Priority interests are the:

• arts,
• education,
• historic preservation, and
• social services, reflecting the pattern of giving established by Mr. Cerf over many years.

We highly value the input of the Preservation Trust and strongly encourage grant seekers for historic preservation projects to consult with the Trust before submitting an application.  Approximately 70% of funds available will be awarded to programs and projects in and/or serving the Addison County/Brandon area; the remaining 30% of available funds will support programs and projects serving a statewide constituency. The Fund will consider both small ($500-$5,000) and large (up to $25,000) grant requests, but will only award one to two large (up to $25,000) grants.

Organizations applying for a small grant are invited to request program/project support or general operating support. Requests for the large grant must be program/project-specific and must be from organizations serving Addison County or Brandon.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Walter Cerf Community Fund 

Walter Cerf was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1907. The son of a successful businessman, he spent most of his youth in Berlin. He attended university in Freiburg, Heidelburg, and elsewhere before being awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Bonn in 1933. In 1936, he relocated to the United States and in 1941, he earned a second Ph.D. in philosophy at Princeton University. After becoming a United States citizen, he served in military intelligence with the 35th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1947, he began a twenty-five year career as a Professor of Philosophy at Brooklyn College. He retired to his summer home in Leicester, Vermont in 1972.

Although his father’s business, Gesellschaft für Eigentumsschutz, a night security agency, was expropriated by the Nazis in 1938, one-half of the company was returned to the family after World War II. In 1987, Mr. Cerf sold his interest in the company. During the last twenty years of his life, Walter Cerf made gifts exceeding $10 million to more than 100 different organizations in Vermont. At his death in 2001, a permanent endowment, the Walter Cerf Community Fund, was established at the Vermont Community Foundation. The Fund will make grants annually in Walter’s name and will continue the generosity of this remarkable man in perpetuity.

Grant Size

Small Grant Eligibility:

• Project/program specific
• General operating funds
• From organizations in or serving the Addison County/Brandon area
• From organizations serving a statewide constituency
• $500 - $5,000

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Northeast Kingdom Fund

The Northeast Kingdom Fund is a permanent philanthropic resource that makes annual grant awards to support the people and communities of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties.

For the Kingdom, by the Kingdom.

The fund was established in 2011 by the Community Foundation and local partners with the strong belief that this region exemplifies the best of Vermonters’ aspirations for their communities, and through its annual grantmaking, offers opportunities for people in the Kingdom to help each other.

More than 90 nonprofits, municipalities, and schools in the region have received grants from the fund since 2012. A committee of local residents carefully reviews all proposals and chooses the grant recipients. This is the philanthropic equivalent of the “buy local” movement—philanthropy for the Kingdom and by the Kingdom. In most cases, grants are awarded to small-scale projects where a modest philanthropic investment makes a big difference. In some cases, more established organizations are also included in the awards. In all cases, grantees must demonstrate that their projects are led by Kingdom residents and support people living in the three counties.

The fund’s assets are invested by the Foundation to support the region’s current needs while providing resources for future generations to address emerging needs. Five percent of these assets are invested in Vermont, including the Northeast Kingdom.

 Grant Size

The Northeast Kingdom Fund funds grants up to $5,000. We continue to value small, community-based projects and intend to fund a range of grant types and sizes.

Artists in Schools Grants

Artists in Schools Grants support quality, multiday arts experiences in schools with Vermont teaching artists in residence and encourage collaborations between schools, youth, artists, and arts organizations. Residencies may take place during the school day or in a sequential, after-school setting. Grant funding supports multi-day projects typically between 3-10 days in length and support preK-12 teachers and students within a given school or district.

Artists on the Council’s Teaching Artist Roster meet standards of artistic excellence, have teaching experience, and have experience planning collaboratively. Eligible schools and arts organizations may apply for support of projects led by teaching artists not on the roster. Priority is given to projects led by Vermont artists and projects that support the council’s priority areas. Teaching artist fees vary from artist to artist; grant funds may not cover the entire cost of the proposed project.

Arts and arts-integrated projects provide experiential learning opportunities that offer many benefits, including helping students create and express ideas, fostering connections within the school and the broader community, supporting students around targeted proficiencies or personal goals, building student confidence, building connections with the arts and artistic processes, and encouraging reflection.

Examples of fundable projects include:

• A math teacher works with a dancer to integrate kinesthetic learning into the classroom. Students learn about dance concepts and use them to talk about geometric shapes and spatial relationships.
• An English teacher works with a poet or playwright to mentor students and provide opportunities for them to develop and workshop their writing.
• A music teacher works with a professional composer to help students compose and perform original works of music.
• A physical education teacher works with a circus artist to integrate movement, performance, and social emotional objectives into the curriculum.
• Students work with a theater artist to explore theater concepts and to write and perform a short play focusing on key themes such as collaboration, empathy, or flexible thinking.
• Students work with a visual artist and classroom teacher to research and document the story of place through multiple perspectives in their community through an exhibit or mural.
• Students work with a musician to explore musical concepts and to compare or contrast cultures through drumming or music.

Our Mission

The Hansen Family Foundation provides opportunities to domestic, international, secular, and non-secular organizations that support the American way of life, which is defined by the principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

Causes

Children

The Hansen Family Foundation supports causes dedicated to helping children both home as well as abroad. Learn More

Education

The Hansen Family Foundation believes that a decent education should be made available to everyone, young or old, the world over. Learn More

Animals

The Hansen Family Foundation believes in helping those who cannot speak on their own behalf. Learn More

Environmental

The Hansen Family Foundation is dedicated to preserving the world we all share. Learn More

Humanitarian

The Hansen Family Foundation views the plight of our fellow man as an opportunity to actively engage and effect change. Learn More

Arts & Culture

The Hansen Family Foundation supports all forms of artistic and cultural endeavors. Learn More

About the Vermont Community Foundation

Giving you the tools, resources, & expertise to fund important causes in Vermont and beyond. We research and track community trends across Vermont, identify gaps, and vet and recommend grantees who are making the biggest impact. The funds we manage put over $60 million to work in Vermont communities every year.

We are a collective of more than 1,000 funds and foundations, created by Vermonters to fulfill their charitable aspirations.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Grant Size

Grants will be in the range of $1,000-$5,000.

Creative Aging Grants

Creative Aging grants support skill-based instruction alongside opportunities for social engagement and community building in and through the arts for older adults. Applicants to the Creative Aging grant program are non-profits with 501(c)(3) status, such as arts organizations, area agencies on aging, or social service organizations for example.

Organizations may apply for up to $6,000 to support activities designed for older adults aged 60+ led by experienced teaching artists.

Priority is given to projects facilitated by Vermont artists and to projects that link with the Council’s approach to creative aging in Vermont. On the Council’s Creative Aging Teaching Artist Roster, applicants may find a list of Vermont artists who have trained with Lifetime Arts to design creative aging programs that include skill-based instructional lessons and intentional social engagement opportunities. Other experienced teaching artists can be found on the Council’s general Teaching Artist Roster. Applicants may submit proposals for projects led by teaching artists not on the roster. Teaching artist fees vary from artist to artist.

Example projects may include:

• hiring a teaching artist to lead a series of photography workshops with a local senior center
• hiring a teaching artist to lead remote workshops for older adults in their homes, supplying materials, providing opportunities for social engagement, and giving support to caregivers
• hiring teaching artists or mentors to work with older adults to capture and/or create a series of stories or poems at a local library, arts organization, or community center

Vermont Creative Aging | FY2024 Guidelines

Creative Aging grants support organizations in providing skill-based activities that engage older adults in artistic creation and intentional social engagement for older adults. Organizations may apply for up to $6,000 to support activities designed for older adults aged 60+ led by experienced teaching artists. Fundable project activities take place between January 1, 2024, and August 31, 2024. 

Our Approach to Creative Aging:

Research points to the power of Creative Aging activities in improving emotional well-being, supporting both physical and cognitive health, strengthening social bonds, and bringing both purpose and joy to older adults.

Vermont’s vision for an age-friendly state highlights the critical importance of providing accessible and affordable opportunities for older adults to share their time, joy, wisdom, and talents through creative connections. It also centers partnerships to provide a coordinated system of support, which may include, for example, organizations such as local arts and culture organizations, libraries or other community organizations, Senior Centers, Area Agencies on Aging, or Adult Day Services.

This program is supported, in part, by the E.A. Michelson Foundation and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies which place emphasis on a learning model (rather than a health intervention model). This approach:

• respects the capabilities of older adults by challenging them to develop artistic skills
• offers sequential arts instruction in a sustained and organized fashion
• deepens social engagement for older adults, including caregivers
• employs teaching artists (including older adults) to design and deliver arts programs for older adults

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation Vision

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation, "A Foundation for All", was established in 2002. It was begun in order to give a clear voice for those who wish to be a part of the many, worthy, forces for change in our world.

We are a foundation whose purpose is to look ahead towards the future, giving the past its due by remembering where we came from, and how much we can all accomplish together. We aim to make the critical difference on our planet by recognizing and having respect for our ever changing world. We respect all Life, the Environment, and all People, no matter who they are.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Hills Fund

The Hills Fund was established at the Vermont Community Foundation in 2003 to support educational opportunities, children and families, and efforts that foster the future sustainability of Poultney and its nearby communities. 

Grant Size

Hills Grants ($1,501 - $7,500)

The larger grants from the Hills Program consider projects that address long-standing local needs as well as immediate situations. We encourage fresh ideas that engage Poultney residents in their planning and implementation. Special attention is given to proposals where our grant will leverage additional dollars and resources for the project from the community.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Hollows Fund

The Hollows Fund was established at the Vermont Community Foundation in 2003 to support educational opportunities, children and families, and efforts that foster the future sustainability of Poultney and its nearby communities. 

Grant Size

Hollows Grants ($250 - $1,500)

These modest grants support educational and enriching activities for children, youth, and families conducted by schools or community groups. Academic field trips, afterschool activities, classroom programs, or special events at the Poultney Library, for example, will be considered. Schools and community groups needing help with one-time unforeseen needs, unique opportunities, or transportation expenses will be considered also. Teachers and other interested individuals are encouraged to apply in partnership with eligible nonprofits, schools, or municipal groups. Programs that encourage community engagement and a stronger sense of connection and belonging are of special interest.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

We are a collective of more than 1,000 funds and foundations, created by Vermonters to fulfill their charitable aspirations.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont. 

Nonprofit Capacity Building

The Nonprofit Capacity Building grant program supports consultant fees for nonprofit organizational capacity building work.

To do great work, nonprofits and municipalities need clear plans for strategic and financial sustainability. High-level planning takes time and resources, which can be a challenge for many nonprofits on limited or restricted budgets. The Nonprofit Capacity Building grant program supports proposals for planning work that helps build your organization’s capacity.

Grants will be no more than $5,000 each and will support the cost of consultants for the activities described below. These grants are meant to supplement other funding, as we understand that this amount is typically not enough to cover the full cost of providing these services. In the project budget, please show the additional revenue sources to be used for this work, both pending and secured. We welcome the use of these funds as challenge grants to secure the additional funds.

This grant program is for organizations with yearly operating budgets under $1 million. We prioritize applications from organizations with yearly operating budgets under $250,000.

What We Fund

The program will fund activities to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of nonprofit organizations. Here are some examples of what the program will fund:

• Strategic planning initiatives to clarify mission, goals, and performance measures
• Financial sustainability planning, including diversification of revenue streams, and enhanced fundraising and development skills, plans, or activities
• Merger planning
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion policy development and implementation
• Board and leadership training intended to provide a focused learning opportunity that builds organizational capacity
• New for applicants as of February 2025: Organizations may apply if additional financial support is needed in adjusting to challenges caused by changes in federal funding or policies. Grant funding may be used for consultant-led planning for items such as: exploring new staffing models, reevaluating program offerings, and/or revisiting financial sustainability and/or revenue planning.

For projects other than those listed, include details on how this work will support your organization’s ability to execute your mission, why it is important at this time, and clear evidence of Board support.

Please note that grant funds can only be used to cover consultant fees.

Grant Size

Grants of up to $5,000 are typically awarded from this fund.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

We are a collective of more than 1,000 funds and foundations, created by Vermonters to fulfill their charitable aspirations.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Special and Urgent Needs Grant (SUN)

The Special and Urgent Needs (SUN) grant program supports Vermont nonprofits with unexpected expenses that impact their ability to meet their mission.

A SUN grant can help an organization manage an unbudgeted, unforeseen, and time-sensitive emergency or take advantage of an unanticipated opportunity that will enhance its work.

Grant Size

Grants of up to $5,000 are typically awarded from this fund.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Kelsey Trust

The Kelsey Trust is a family foundation established in 1988 by Sally Patrick Johnson to benefit the people and protect the environment of the Lake Champlain Basin. The Trust honors the lives and work of Robert Fleming Patrick and Jonathan Kelsey Woods. Since 1989 the Trust has worked collaboratively with the Vermont Community Foundation, which assists the Trust with its grantmaking.

Winter Grants – Typically focused on children and families, basic human needs (food, fuel, shelter), and health.

Grant Size

In its current fiscal year, the Trust’s grants budget will be roughly $200,000, some of which may have been committed in previous years. Because of the Trust’s limited size and the high demand for resources in the Champlain Basin, Kelsey Trust grants typically range in size from $5,000 to 10,000.

Since 1986, the Vermont Community Foundation has been committed to building philanthropic resources that sustain healthy and vital Vermont communities. One part of that work involves making grants. The Foundation awards more than $12 million annually to nonprofit organizations in Vermont and beyond. These grants support a breadth of issues such as hunger, housing, arts, cultural heritage, social justice, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.

Deerfield River Enhancement

The Deerfield River Enhancement Fund was established in 1999 by USGen New England, Inc., now known as Great River Hydro, LLC , for the environmental preservation of the Deerfield River Watershed. Grants are awarded for new initiatives, one-time special projects, or continuing funding for outstanding, existing programs. Examples include, but are not limited to, volunteer monitoring projects, events, trail work projects, field trips, educational workshops, media campaigns, and improving public access sites.

The Vermont Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts are jointly managing grantmaking for the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund.

The Fund will make a grant or grants totaling approximately $14,000.