Search Through Vermont Grants for Nonprofits in the U.S.

About the Trust

For over 81 years, The Agnes M. Lindsay Trust has been providing financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that help those in need. The Trust's focus areas of giving include Health and Welfare, Dental/Oral Health, Recreational/Camperships (camp scholarships), Education and Homeless Shelters, our newest initiative. Our geographic giving areas include the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Our Priorties

Health and Welfare

Impacting health and welfare organizations with grants that support capital projects for those with special needs, including the blind, deaf, learning disabled, elderly, youth and family service organizations, homeless shelters, and food banks to name a few.  

Dental Health

Expanding our reach to nonprofits that provide free dental clinics, and dental care to low income , needy populations to include children, families and the elderly through capital grants for dental equipment needs and program support.CampershipEnhancing children's lives through camp scholarships that provide a child with an opportunity for a summer camping experience/summer enrichment who would otherwise be unable to attend without this scholarship support.EducationAdvancing education through scholarship support to community colleges and preselected four-year colleges and universities to needy students from rural areas. Grants are awarded directly to the institutions who select recipients based on the Trust's criteria.  The Trust is not accepting any unsolicited requests from community colleges, 4-year colleges or universities at this time. Homeless SheltersResponding to the needs and demands placed on homeless shelters due to socioeconomic factors that impact individuals due to unemployment, addiction, behavioral disorders and other circumstances. We strive to work together to end homelessness. Capital and operating support grants are available.Food Banks/ Food PantryRecognizing the escalating need placed on food pantries and food banks due to inflation and the increased costs of food and basic necessities, we are committed to working with organizations to eliminate food insecurity and are dedicated to making a lasting impact by providing support through capital and operating grants.

Bell's Brewery Sponsorships and Donations

Sponsored events and donations play a key role within our Bell’s philosophy. Through these events, we are able to not only give back to the communities we sell our beer in, but also get to have a great time with our fans! We are always looking for new opportunities and welcome your suggestions and applications. Please keep in mind that while we would love to be able to participate in everything, we sometimes must respectfully decline.

We do have a few guidelines we follow for all sponsorships and donations, please read through them below before proceeding to our application.

• Requests must be submitted at least 8 weeks prior to the event start date or the date the donation is needed. Any events submitted with less than 8 weeks’ notice will automatically be declined. We want to give every event we are involved in the best chance for success, which means we need time to plan. While 8 weeks is our minimum time requirement, additional time is always appreciated, especially for larger events.
• We do very little traditional advertising, instead we focus our efforts on sponsorships. When we partner with an event or an organization, we like to be involved! That said, if your proposal only involves a logo placement, we will politely decline in favor of events that offer us a chance to interact with our fans.
• We’re an eccentric bunch here at Bell’s and love to be involved with events that reflect your community’s eccentricities, uniqueness and inclusivity.
• We are always happy to consider requests for donations of Bell’s swag for homebrew competitions, fundraisers and events! That said, due to Michigan state law, we are not legally allowed to donate beer to events in any state. We’re sorry, but we legally cannot make any exceptions.

Hannaford Charitable Foundation

We have a long history of supporting our communities through volunteerism, donations and community leadership. The Hannaford Charitable Foundation is one of many ways we support our communities.

The Foundation's mission is to invest in creating and sustaining healthy communities in our five-state region by providing financial support to nonprofit organizations and programs that focus on improvement of the root causes impacting the quality of life for our customers, associates and neighbors. Our areas of focus for financial support are food, education and health.

Focus Areas for support:

The Foundation supports organizations in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont that focus on one of the following core components of healthy communities:

• Food – We support programs with long-term solutions that will ensure safe, stable access to healthy food primarily through regional food banks in the markets we serve.
• Education – We help to deliver strong programs that prepare people through all stages of life for success in education and readiness to enter the workforce.
• Health – We support organizations that provide quality programs focusing on promoting healthy lifestyles and improved care.

In determining which organizations and programs to support, the Foundation considers

• the impact and outcomes to the community
• prior support from Hannaford Charitable Foundation
• relative uniqueness of the program versus others in the community.

Who We Are

The Block Foundation is a small family foundation established in 2001 to honor the memories of Harris & Frances Block and their daughter Carol Block Maurer. We are a small, family operated foundation whose ideological makeup reflects our family values.

Mission

The Harris and Frances Block Foundation seeks equitable solutions to social and environmental problems, working with small and emerging organizations to improve our communities and impact the world.

Values

The Harris and Frances Block Foundation holds as values:

Community: Where change begins and grows to scale.

Justice: Both social and environmental.

Equality: Aspiring towards a society that honors the potential of all humans.

Access: Equitable access to systems, resources, and opportunities.

Sustainability: Both social and environmental.

What We Fund

The Block Foundation supports small grassroots not-for-profit organizations with grants that work to foster just and sustainable communities.

Environmental Issues

• Environmental Education
• Environmental Justice

Food and Farm Initiatives

• Farm and Garden Programs
• Farmworker’s Rights
• Food Justice

Our Mission

To protect our environment and help underserved people in our community.

About Us

We are a private family foundation established in 2011, with a focus on serving Vermont, its people, and their communities. The Foundation’s support includes investments in the environment, education and research, underserved communities, and arts and culture.

Background

The Seed grant program is geared towards groups launching new projects or starting to significantly change the direction of an existing project. Most often, groups have been working on the project less than a year and usually don't yet have much direct experience with implementing the idea.

Seed grants prioritize support for community groups who represent a broad range of voices in their community and who are not being reached by other funders. The Grassroots Fund interprets the word 'environment' broadly and provides funding for a wide range of activities.

We prioritize:

• groups that are volunteer-driven or have no more than 2 full-time paid staff (80 hrs/week)
• groups that have an approximate annual operating budget under $100,000 (see Update for 2022 )

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

Background

Since 2005, the Richard E. and Deborah L. Tarrant Foundation has been one of the most active private foundations in Vermont. We use our resources to ease hardship, help people overcome barriers to success, and drive innovative change.

We are a small, nimble organization. We spend aggressively, granting at nearly triple the rate of most other foundations nationwide. Our mandate is to spend our resources efficiently, and in partnership with the people and organizations that are doing the best work in their communities and fields.

In 2010, the Foundation was recognized for its thoughtful strategy and effective partnerships with the AFP-NNE National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Foundation of the Year Award. Foundation initiatives have been featured in national publications including EdWeek: Technology Counts and the Middle School Journal.

A key element of the Foundation’s investment strategy is our commitment to using our dollars to address today’s challenges. Instead of setting funds aside as a permanent endowment, the Tarrant Foundation intends to fully expend its resources and sunset its grantmaking by the year 2040.

Tarrant Foundation Strategies

The Tarrant Foundation awards between 50 – 70 competitive grants annually. Because we believe we can have the most impact by concentrating these funds in Vermont, applications are accepted only from Vermont organizations.

While we acknowledge the many pressing needs facing Vermont, and the many effective interventions targeting those needs, our grantmaking is primarily focused on the following populations and strategies:

Youth: Resilience and Aspiration

Our primary interest here is programs that support school-age youth to develop the dispositions, skills and resources they will need to move productively into adulthood. Our focus includes: achievement gap, job readiness, mentoring, out-of-school time, financial literacy, emergency & transitional housing, and community–based addiction recovery. 

Working-Age Adults: Employment and Financial Independence 

We support strategies that promote and facilitate the journey to economic independence, and that ultimately reduce reliance on public assistance. Our focus includes: job training/retention, financial literacy, homelessness prevention, and community-based addiction recovery.

Seniors: Comfort and Dignity in Aging

We believe in ensuring that seniors’ most basic needs are met, and in community-based supports that promote wellbeing and fight the premature limitation of independence. Our focus includes: independent living, nutrition, and activity & enrichment.

Communities: Local Resources and Investments

Some small grants are available to complement Vermont communities’ own investments in important local resources and services. Here we look for programs with evidence of strong local financial and/or volunteer support.

What We Look For

We partner with organizations that have a deep understanding of the community needs they seek to address, and a demonstrated track record of effective strategies and interventions.

As we evaluate proposals, we also look for:

• Strong leadership
• An entrepreneurial mindset
• Efficiency
• A focus on action and outcomes
• A balanced blend of funding sources to create greater long term stability
• Organizations that are committed to maximizing the impact of our investment

Mission Statement

Town Fair Tire Foundation, Inc. (“TFTF”) is a private, not-for-profit philanthropic organization established by Neil Mellen in 2000. The mission of TFTF is to financially support entities and institutions that help people in need of social, health, welfare, educational and other human services throughout New England - Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island – and beyond.

The Town Fair Tire Foundation is dedicated to helping create and sustain vibrant and healthy communities, families and individuals. To accomplish this purpose, TFTF invests in community-based organizations that promote self-reliance, economic and social advancement, and improved quality of life. The Town Fair Tire Foundation is especially committed to helping individuals and families who struggle daily with the effects of poverty.

An essential theme underlying the Town Fair Tire Foundation’s approach to giving is to “pay-it-forward” -- respectfully asking those who benefit from grants to pay the kindness forward to others in need. TFTF’s ultimate objective and mission is to promote positive change in the lives of those less fortunate to an exponential degree.

The Town Fair Tire Foundation performs its mission by funding proven or unique approaches from not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organizations.

What We Do

Town Fair Tire Foundation, Inc. (TFTF) is dedicated to helping create and sustain vibrant and healthy communities, families and individuals. To accomplish this purpose, TFTF invests in local community-based organizations that promote self-reliance, economic and social advancement and improved quality of life. 

TFTF is committed to helping individuals and families who struggle daily with the effects of poverty. Our initiatives are highly grassroots in nature, with the goal of giving back to the local and community levels.

TFTF’s ultimate objective is to promote positive change in the lives of those less fortunate and create greater societal good through the thousands of organizations we support across the region.

An essential theme underlying Town Fair Tire Foundation’s approach to giving is to pay it forward - respectfully asking those who benefit from grants to pay the kindness forward to others in need when they are able.

The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund supports projects in Coös County, NH and bordering communities in the United States and Canada that focus on community revitalization.

Championing the North Country

One of the largest permanent rural philanthropies in the U.S. is strengthening communities and spreading economic opportunity.

Grantmaking Goals

The vision of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund is “to serve as a resource for the people of Coös County and neighboring communities in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and southern Québec to forge their own pathways to well-being and cultivate a region that thrives.” The Tillotson Fund serves as a stable and consistent source of support for the people of the region to:

• Create and enhance opportunity;
• Preserve and uplift the historical and cultural assets that make the region unique;
• Hold the confidence and capabilities to foster strong communities and healthy rural landscapes.

What We're Funding

Individual and family well-being

Goal: Support individuals and families to meet their essential needs and achieve well-being.

• Meet essential needs for individuals and families.
• Strengthen systems of care.Community resiliency

Healthy workforce ecosystem

Goal: Strengthen the capacity of local employers to maintain and/or grow their operations, build and retain a dynamic workforce, stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, ensure business continuity and plan for the future.

• Attract and retain the workforce.
• Establish workforce housing solutions.
• Help companies and employees build skills and systems for sustained success.
• Link employers and employees to financial supports.
• Increase access to affordable quality childcare.

Environmental stewardship

Goal: Address the impacts of climate change by investing in mitigation and adaptation strategies, stewardship of natural resources, and efforts that foster human connection to the natural environment.

• Be good stewards of the land, air, forests, waterways and wildlife.
• Encourage/support responsible tourism and recreation.
• Build and enhance sustainable food systems.
• Promote, sustain and scale energy efficiency, clean energy and green building.
• Implement climate smart forestry solutions.

Resilient communities

Goal: Support initiatives that build trust, belonging and connection and lead to stronger, more resilient communities.

• Empower youth.
• Convene, collaborate, celebrate.
• Build skills, knowledge and approaches to advance equity.
• Support community builders and change agents.
• Revitalize population hubs and preserve cultural and historical assets.
• Improve civic health.
• Strengthen municipal capacity and leadership.

Grant amount

Local Grants Program applications may request up to $20,000 for one, two or three years.

Our Funding Focus

The Turrell Fund supports:

• Increasingly strong focus on early childhood, prenatal-3.
• Within prenatal-3, we have increased our funding to policy and advocacy initiatives.
• Additional focus areas include:
  • Arts and music education
  • K-12 education
  • Direct social services for children and families

Early Childhood (0-3)

Early investments open up a lifetime of potential and opportunity

Healthy development for children ages 0-3 provides the building blocks for strong communities, lifelong health, and educational and career success. This period represents a time of incredible growth and potential for young children and families. Early relationships with caregivers can promote healthy development and encourage early literacy for infants and toddlers.

In addition, early experiences, positive and negative, impact the developing brain and make it vital that we address issues societal and racial disparities, support the whole family, and treat caregivers and early educators as equal partners in widespread social change.

K-12 Education

A solid, high-quality K-12 education is essential for long-term college and career success, as well as for general well-being and personal growth.

We know that students succeed when teachers have real-time support; schools are well-resourced; and schools take a compassionate, strengths-based approach to engaging kids. We want all students to gain entry to college or career training programs, and to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their entire educational experience. To create upward mobility for children, we need to improve and align the institutions that serve them.

Music & Arts

At the Turrell Fund, we believe that music and the arts change lives

Learning an instrument, developing artistic skills, and being part of a community of practice instills self-esteem and new pathways for connecting with others. We believe the potent benefits of arts education extend past the early years for children and families across the age range. All children, regardless of socioeconomic background or zip code, deserve access to high-quality arts education opportunities.

Social Services

Direct services are essential to providing support to children and families who need them.

From shelters, to food banks, to mental health services, these programs improve the well-being of individuals in their communities and respond to all types of need.

Every family is entitled to nutritious food, high-quality early care, compassionate healthcare, diapers, and every resource necessary to give their children a strong start. Ultimately, these services promote equity and opportunity in communities, providing a safe space for individuals to garner expert support and overcome hardship.

Systems Change

Systemic racism, entrenched poverty, and flawed policy decisions punish BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) families, stifle social mobility, and hold our communities back.

We fight alongside our partners to ensure access to high-quality, affordable child care, enhanced pediatric care, and trauma-informed service delivery. We also work to ensure equity and compassion in the child welfare system.

Our Mission

The mission of the Vermont Mutual Charitable Giving Fund is to enhance the quality of life in communities where the Group conducts business, by providing financial support to worthy community organizations.

Where We Give

The Charitable Giving Fund is designed to benefit organizations within the marketing territories of Vermont Mutual Insurance Group that aim to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

Giving Focus

The Fund provides financial support to organizations that help to build, maintain and enrich healthy lives and strong, vibrant communities. The Fund's primary focus is to contribute to non-profit organizations that serve communities through any of the following four initiatives:

• Promote Education: Examples may include traditional and non-traditional opportunities focused on inspiring academic excellence, leadership and community service
• Foster Youth: Examples may include teaching and modeling positive life skills
• Community-based: Programs that build better communities in which to live and work
• Satisfy Basic Needs: Examples may include affordable housing, homelessness and hunger

Background

As we work to improve our Community Grants program for the long-term, in 2023 we will offer a single, one-year, Unrestricted Grant program with awards of up to $20,000.

The purpose of the Charitable Foundation is to help make New Hampshire a community where everyone can thrive. The future of our state, our shared prosperity and well-being depend on that. We need to draw on the potential, strength, ingenuity and grace of every person to make our state healthier, happier, more prosperous and a better place to live for all.

Our new strategic plan “Together We Thrive,” launched last year, focuses on advancing equity, racial justice and economic security across all areas of the Foundation’s work to advance that purpose.

Guidelines

The Hilles Fund prioritizes grants to programs that serve those with the greatest needs in Philadelphia and the Northeast Kingdom, Vermont comprising Essex, Orleans and Caledonia counties. 

Grants from the Hilles Fund support both proven approaches and also new approaches and can include direct services as well as systems change activities. We seek to support organizations for whom our modest grants of between $4,000 and $10,000 will have an impact.

The Hilles Fund makes grants to organizations that provide children, youth, and women with pathways to economic independence. Examples of strategies we fund are those that:

• Facilitate the development of children and youth (Ages 3-24 years) through:
  • High quality learning opportunities both in and out of school time
  • High quality early education, school readiness support, and literacy programs
  • Youth leadership development
• Social services for women in the areas of health care access, education, legal assistance, housing, employment, workforce development, and financial services.

In addition to direct service programs, the Hilles Fund supports advocacy efforts consistent with its priority areas (children, youth women).

Priority is given to organizations with operating budgets under $2 million.

Background

Through its grant making, the Windham Foundation seeks to support organizations concerned with the needs and quality of life of Vermonters. Those organizations include, but are not limited to, those dealing with:

• Agriculture, Food, Land, and the Natural World. Examples include: cultivation of food; food security; food processing and distribution; healthy forests and streams; conservation; climate change adaptation.
• Arts, Culture, and Education. Examples include: community arts; enhanced learning; mentoring; historic places and preservation.
• Preserving and Developing Resilient Communities. Examples include: economic development; workforce development; job readiness
• Healthy and Vibrant Communities. Examples include: wellness; housing; outdoor activities; health access; senior programs

In making decisions, the Foundation will look at an organization's competence in the proposal area and its track record, the stability of its financial base and fundraising strategies, the strength of its leadership and the long-term viability of the program in question.

• Approximately $65,000 in grants will be awarded each quarter.
• An organization should apply for no more than three consecutive years of funding. After three years, the organization should take at least one year off.
• Grant amounts rarely exceed $10,000 with an average of $2,500-$5,000
• Project collaboration with other non-profit organizations, where applicable, is strongly encouraged.
• A project budget, financial statement, and list of funding or anticipated funding of $1000 or more is required.
• The Windham Foundation reserves the right to request a recent audit of a grantee organization.
• Grant recipients of $5,000 or more will be expected to report back to The Windham Foundation on the success of project implementation.

The types of proposals the Foundation funds are wide ranging. They include operational support, special initiatives, capacity building, matching and challenge grants. Support for operations will be considered where it strengthens organizational capacity.

Couch Family Foundation

The mission of the Couch Family Foundation is to be a catalyst for change in the lives of children and their families by creating quality and equitable opportunities to help them learn, thrive, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

The Couch Family Foundation partners with organizations serving the Upper Valley Region of New Hampshire and Vermont. We support people and programs working to improve children’s health and well-being, early learning and development, family resiliency, and community vibrancy.

Cherished Communities: Upper Valley and Martha’s Vineyard

Given the Couch Family has deep ties to the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire (Grafton and Sullivan Counties) and Vermont (Orange and Windsor Counties) and the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, the Foundation prioritizes nonprofits serving these localities that are focused on ensuring child and family well-being and promoting healthy communities. 

Furthermore, the Foundation provides grants in these cherished communities to organizations that align with its mission, have demonstrated impact and strong leadership, implement a collaborative approach to community change, and a focus on racial equity and justice.

Within this priority, the strategy is to strengthen organizational capacity and services to:

• Enhance early childhood (Prenatal-5 years) through early learning and development, health and mental health, and family support services to promote the well-being of young children and their families.
• Nurture vibrant communities to fulfill a significant community need, address an emerging issue and/or promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Eligibility Parameters

The Foundation prioritizes grants to organizations that have strong leadership, deep community relationships, a collaborative approach to community building and that have demonstrated focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

The Foundation provides the following types of grant support:  

• Unrestricted (i.e., General Operating)
• Project
• Capital
• Event Sponsorships

Please note for Capital Support and Event Sponsorship, contact a member of the Foundation staff prior to applying for support. The Foundation only considers such applications that are closely aligned with the Foundation’s mission and priorities. Event Sponsorships are only supported for organizations that have an established relationship with the Foundation.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Autism Community Impact Grant

The Flutie Foundation recognizes not-for-profit organizations who share our mission to help individuals and families with autism live life to the fullest. For our 2023 Autism Community Impact Grant, we will continue granting these organizations with a particular emphasis on supporting traditionally under-served, under-funded, culturally diverse communities.

Our Autism Community Impact Grant cycle will consider requests that will help fund programs and projects showing potential to make an IMMEDIATE impact in the community and align with the Flutie Foundation priorities as stated in our Seven Key Dimensions described below. We especially encourage organizations with programs serving those most profoundly affected by autism to apply and share their stories.

Grant Funding Priorities

Work/School

Providing a path for educational opportunities, vocational skills programs, employment, housing, transportation and healthcare delivery for individuals on the autism spectrum.   

Active/Social

Support for recreational and sports programs, aquatic programs, social skills training, family events and summer camps for all individuals on the autism spectrum.

Safe/Supported/Informed

Funding for community organizations and schools who are providing vital resources and actively assisting individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families through advocacy programs, diagnostic and clinical services, direct family support, safety equipment, emergency care, respite services and other opportunities that will enhance the quality of life for those affected.

Adelard A. and Valeda Lea Roy Foundation Grant

The AV Roy Foundation has historically supported a broad range of organizations working in the areas of arts and culture, churches, education, environmental education, food access, health, land trusts, museums, and social services. The Trustees prioritize grants serving greater Boston and underserved rural and urban communities in Massachusetts, with some additional grantmaking in other areas of Northern New England.

In an effort to ensure that applications to the Foundation closely match current giving priorities, the Trustees will give priority to Massachusetts and Northern New England applicants focused on the following:

• Environment: requests focused on land conservation, in particular projects close to completion and projects resulting in easements held by accredited land trusts; environmental education; and climate change
• Health and Welfare: basic human needs (with priority given to food security and housing); hospice and home health care
• Arts and Culture: in particular, arts access and education for disadvantaged, elderly, or youth populations, and historic preservation
• Education: schools serving youth from low income backgrounds, including independent schools
• Churches providing basic needs support and other social services programming, as well as capital needs for facilities or historic preservation

Funding

Grants typically range from $2,500 to $10,000. In 2023, the average grant was $3,800. The Trustees anticipate a slightly higher average grant size this year, and fewer grants in total.

The Mascoma Bank Foundation

At Mascoma Bank, our commitment to the community goes beyond offering a broad range of financial services, meeting the credit needs of our customers, and employing more than 400 people. In 1988, Mascoma Bank established the Mascoma Bank Foundation and funded it with $1,000,000 for the purpose of giving back an “ongoing dividend” in the form of grants to the communities responsible for Mascoma Bank’s prosperity. To date, the Foundation has awarded over $6 million in grants to local not-for-profit groups.

The Mascoma Bank Foundation provides capital funding to not-for-profit organizations within Mascoma Bank’s market area that will contribute to the long-term benefit of its communities. 

Typical projects may include facility and infrastructure improvements, new construction, capital campaigns, and capital items outside normal operating budgets. The Foundation is especially interested in requests or projects that:

• Significantly impact the organization’s long-term future, thereby contributing to our long-term commitment to create positive change in our communities.
• Substantially increase the capacity, long-term viability, and resilience of the organization.

Fostering a lasting impact.

For over 20 years, the Peoples Bank Foundation has been dedicated to making a positive difference in the communities we serve, granting millions to nonprofit organizations in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Since its inception in 2003, the Foundation has awarded over $7.5 million in grants and scholarships.Let us help you.

Foundation contributions are distributed across all segments of our communities to foster a lasting impact, and we continue to increase our support of local programs that help low to moderate-income individuals and families. We focus on five areas of giving and want to hear about your work and how the Foundation can aid your mission.

Legends & Lore Marker Grant Program

Does your community have a great piece of folklore that should be shared? Legends & Lore is designed to promote cultural tourism and commemorate legends and folklore as part of our heritage.

Generally speaking, folklore is the stories, customs, traditions, and expressive arts and crafts that are passed on from one person to another, often from generation to generation. Folklore is the knowledge that people share as members of a group or community. Our shared identities and sense of belonging are the result of shared traditions, stories, customs, and activities.

Legends & Folklore Guidelines

Successful Legends & Lore marker applications typically fall within three main categories:

Folktale- Fictional stories passed down about people or events not proven to have existed. (e.g. Thirteen Curves, Champy, Headless Horseman, Tramping Ground)

Legends- Stories passed down that are popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable. (e.g. John Henry, Grancer’s Ghost, Betsy’s Ride, Natty Bumppo, “Natty Bumppo”)

Folklife- Traditions such as music, skills, crafts, and events passed along within a community. Often involving real people that can be verified with primary sources. (e.g. “Goose Day,” The Arborglyphs, Dennis McGee, Herbs & Healing, Folk Singer)

Subjects which are not successful include:

• Historical events lacking a folkloric aspect
• Purely literary creations
• Personal/family folklore which does not extend to the greater community

New England States Touring (NEST) funds performances, readings, and screenings of work by regional, national, and international artists presented by New England-based nonprofit organizations.

Program Goals

• Expand direct access to high quality artists and aesthetic diversity for all New England communities by artists from New England, the nation, and across the globe.
• Stimulate opportunities for collaboration and partnerships among New England cultural organizations and between artists and organizations.
• Encourage projects that provide meaningful interaction between artists and communities, extending beyond the stage.

NEST Artists

NEST artists are professional artists from New England who meet the NEST artist requirements. They represent a wide range of disciplines, including dance, folk art, interdisciplinary work, media, music, musical theater, opera, poetry, storytelling, and theater. NEST artists must be available for public performances and must maintain a permanent residence in New England.

About the New England States Touring Grant Program

There are three distinct grant opportunities for New England nonprofit organizations: NEST 1, NEST 2, and NEST 3. Organizations serving rural communities and/or deeply engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities are encouraged to apply.

NEST 1

Funds the public presentation and engagement of a New England artist presented by a New England nonprofit organization based in a different New England state from the artist’s home state. 

NEST 2

Funds the public presentation and community engagement activities of a New England artist presented by two New England nonprofit organizations. Tours must include one presenting organization based inside of the artist’s home state and one other organization from outside of the artist’s home state.

NEST 3

Funds tours, including public presentation and community engagement activities, of regional, national, or international artists presented by New England nonprofit organizations. Tours must include a minimum of three New England organizations in different communities presenting the same artist. The organizations applying must be from at least two different New England states. 

• Each organization is responsible for reviewing the program goals and criteria, negotiating the terms of the engagement with the artist, and completing a NEST 3 application.
• Organizations may submit up to three NEST 3 applications.
• The annual deadline is the first business day of March.
• Grants provide up to 60% of the artist fee to a maximum of $10,000.
  • Applications with artist fees under $2,000 may request the full artist fee.
• New England artists must be listed as NEST-eligible on CreativeGround.
• For non-New England artists, an artist work sample must be submitted by one of the touring partners.
• Grant period: Touring projects must occur between June 1, 2025 - August 31, 2026.

Deadlines

NEST 1 & 2 grant deadlines occur three times a year, as follows:

• First business day of August, for projects beginning on or after November 1.
• First business day of December, for projects beginning on or after March 1.
• First business day of March, for projects beginning on or after June 1.

The annual NEST 3 grant deadline is the first business day of March.   

About the Foundation

It was fitting — and only natural — that, upon her death in 1974, Marian Woodward Ottley would establish by Will, the David, Helen, and Marian Woodward Fund in loving memory of her parents, and in her words, “In order to carry out their wishes and mine in attempting to make this a better world for those who come after us.”Her Will created a distribution committee to direct the trustee to distribute income and principal exclusively to or for the benefit of non-profit institutions, corporations, and associations that are located in New York and in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that are organized and operated exclusively for religious, educational, charitable, or scientific purposes. The Fund also awards grants to governmental agencies.

The distribution committee has attempted to carry out Mrs. Ottley’s wishes. It will continue to do so in an effort to make this a better world for those who come after her generous family.

David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund (Watertown) Grant

The David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund (Watertown) makes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations in New York and in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Mission

As stated in the Will of Marian Woodward Ottley, the fund’s mission is “to make this a better world for those who come after us.”

Program Areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education
• Environment, animals
• Health
• Human services
• Public/society benefit
• Religion

About School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN).

Utilizing a unique framework of funding systems offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, managed care organizations, health insurers, and private donors, SBHSN promotes a system of care model (Coaching Model℠) offering a mix of evidenced-based intervention, prevention, and care coordination services to children in grades K-12. The Coaching Model aims to expand quality mental healthcare access on public school campuses and improve children's social, emotional, behavioral, family, and wellness outcomes.

School-Based Mental Health Implementation Grant

In response to the growing number of students who need mental health counseling, the School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN) is accepting applications from Local Education Agencies (LEA), Public and Private Universities, State and local Colleges, Charter School Management Companies, Public Schools, Charter Schools, and Non-Profit Organizations (501c3) to implement and expand mental health program services on local school campuses. Grantees will receive direct funding and reimbursement to support the following activities: 

• Expanding access to School-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
• Coordinating mental healthcare services with school administration and staff. 
• Delivering mental healthcare services and coordinating academic-support activities to students with a history of attendance, behavior, and poor academic performance.

FUNDING

5-Years, renewable based on meeting performance goals 5-year award ceiling is $5,500,000.

Consumer Financial Education Fund

The Consumer Financial Education Fund supports projects that relate to consumer financial education, with an emphasis on issues related to just and equitable banking, basic banking, financial literacy, access to financial services, retail banking accounts, and underbanked and/or vulnerable populations. 

Funding

It is expected that most proposals will be for 12-month grant periods; however, multi-year proposals are encouraged where appropriate. The maximum grant amount is $100,000, even for multi-year proposals.

National Life Group Foundation

At National Life, we believe strong connections are the ties of strong communities. We also believe being a good corporate citizen is about more than writing checks. It’s about listening to the needs of our community and offering to help however we can. 

We offer grants to nonprofits, but we also empower our employees to give their time by making it possible for them to volunteer for and donate even more to the organizations they care about. We are proud to support nonprofits where our employees live and work (Vermont and Texas), and also of our work empowering educators and students nationwide through our LifeChanger of the Year program and the National Coalition of Safe Schools. We make a difference in many other ways too, including our Do Good Fest and our corporate cause: to help end childhood hunger in Vermont.

What We Fund

The Foundation’s annual budget is $2 million. While this is substantial, there is a lot of need in our communities, so our giving is focused. Our grants vary in size and we rarely fund an entire program.

We look for proposals that have:

• a well-planned approach to underlying issues or needs
• a base of support
• metrics to support success

We do not fund new programs. We instead focus on proven programs. We favor programs that focus on childhood hunger and children and families, but we also consider those in the health and human services, the environment, education, and the arts and recreation.

The Marks Family Foundation supports organizations that provide programs in education, arts, environmental sustainability, or health for youth and under-represented populations.

New York business leader Randolph Marks founded the Marks Family Foundation in Buffalo in 1991 as a way to give back to the community that supported him and his family throughout his business career.

Although the Foundation gives preference to requests from western New York and Vermont, where members of the Marks family reside, the organization does occasionally make grant awards for causes that individual members are passionate about, regardless of location.

Our Mission

Our mission is to support organizations that provide access, opportunity, and education to under-represented, minority, and low-income populations. We provide funding for organizations that offer programs in education, arts, or health for youth and under-represented populations. Our primary focus is local to western New York, with secondary consideration given to Vermont.