VCF: Northeast Kingdom Fund Grants

The Northeast Kingdom Fund, established by the Vermont Community Foundation in 2011, provides annual grants up to $5,000 to support local nonprofits and community projects in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties. This fund aims to empower residents and strengthen community ties through small-scale initiatives that address local needs. Over 90 organizations have benefited since its inception, exemplifying a commitment to philanthropy for the Kingdom, by the Kingdom, ensuring that the region's resources are invested wisely for future generations.

About the Vermont Community Foundation
We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.
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.

Eligibility

Grant applications will be accepted from organizations that are located in or serve the people of Vermont. Organizations must be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a public agency or municipality in the state of Vermont. Nonprofit organizations or community groups who do not have 501(c)(3) status may apply for grant awards if another tax-exempt organization acts as a fiscal sponsor.
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available (meaning any funds having a competitive application process) by the Vermont Community Foundation, and any other program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds appropriated for grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance administered by the Foundation.If grant applicants employ staff or engage volunteers, they must do so and provide services without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability.What We Fund
The Northeast Kingdom Fund supports opportunities in which a modest grant can leverage a new idea or other grant dollars, or make possible a project or idea that will benefit the people and communities in the Northeast Kingdom. In general, the fund is not able to support capital campaigns, normal operating expenses, deficit funding, or lost revenue. Applicants must demonstrate that the beneficiaries of a grant from the Northeast Kingdom Fund will be the people and communities of the Northeast Kingdom.
The Northeast Kingdom Fund review committee, made up of residents from the Kingdom, will make funding recommendations to the Foundation.

Ineligibility

In general, the fund is not able to support capital campaigns, normal operating expenses, or deficit funding.Although we recognize that many organizations are feeling the strain of lost revenue associated with the pandemic, the Fund will not consider applications for general operating support for the purpose of supplanting lost revenue.