The Vermont Community Foundation is accepting applications for its Spark Connecting Community grants program.
Donor Name: Vermont Community Foundation
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 03/08/2022
Size of the Grant: $500-$3,000
Details:
Spark Connecting Community grants put building and nurturing community front and center. They aims to support grassroots work that builds social capital—the connective tissue of their communities. Social capital can be described as the value developed from working together, connecting across differences, and sharing common place-based experiences. Higher levels of social capital are correlated with better health outcomes, higher educational achievement, increased civic engagement, and greater resilience—all of which help build community vitality.
This grassroots grantmaking model focuses on strengthening community connections that lead to action and impact. This is a grant round for local champions who are collaborating with others; they want to help you turn your idea into a reality!
- They are looking to fund projects throughout Vermont.
- They are looking for projects where a small grant can make a big difference.
- They want to collect stories and share them widely, to help create even more sparks that inspire more philanthropy.
Funding Information
Grants will be in the range of $500-$3,000.
What they Fund
This program will prioritize funding projects that:
- Increase Vermonters access to opportunity as outlined in our four focus areas
- Connect people with each other in deep and meaningful ways that are grounded in acts of generosity
- Connect people to the environment around them in ways that encourage stewardship and respect
- Increase opportunities for positive social interaction
As part of a project budget, the Spark program will support stipends to individuals who otherwise would not be able to participate to ensure more inclusive community processes, programs, and/or events (ex. childcare support, stipends to individuals, or transportation).
Here are some examples of what the program will fund:
- Out of school and/or experiential learning opportunities for students to connect with local community members;
- Establishing a garden at a child care center;
- Community-created public art to support downtown revitalization;
- A nature trail to support environmental education and encourage healthy exercise;
- A creative program for people in recovery from drug and substance abuse; and
- A community diversity event and dialogue in a town experiencing changing demographics.
Eligibility Criteria
- First time grant seekers are encouraged to apply and be in touch if any help is needed with the application
- Groups and organizations may apply multiple times but may only receive funding once in a calendar year, even if the organization is applying for funding for projects in different communities or towns
- An organization serving as fiscal sponsor for a Spark grantee does remain eligible to submit another application for a different project
For more information, visit Spark Connecting Community.