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 fur Eignetumsschutz, 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.
What We Fund
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. The WCCF prefers proposals that encourage cooperation, collaboration, and community building. We highly value the input of the Preservation Trust and strongly encourage grantseekers for historic preservation projects to consult with the Preservation Trust before submitting an application.
The WCCF will rarely fund an entire project, but favors projects which have support from a variety of sources. Grants are made either to organizations that have a statewide constituency and make a unique contribution to Vermont, or that are located in Addison County or Brandon. Approximately 70% of funds available for granting will be awarded to programs and projects in the Addison County/Brandon area; the remaining 30% of available funds will support statewide programs/projects. Grant awards will range from $500 to $5,000. In addition, one grant of up to $25,000 will be awarded in Addison County or Brandon. Nonprofit organizations may apply for either the larger grant or for one of the smaller grants.
Download a list of 2007 Grant Awards
What Is Not Likely To Be Funded
In general, the WCCF will not make grants for endowments, religious purposes, individuals, or debt reduction. Operating support may be provided on occasion, but will not normally be a priority for the WCCF.
How to Apply
Download proposal summary form in Adobe Acrobat format
Download proposal summary form in Microsoft Word format
Before submitting your proposal, make sure you have included five collated copies of the following:
- Completed proposal summary form
- Two page narrative, as described in the proposal summary forml
- Project Budget. Include income sources (proposed and secured) and expenses
- Organization Budget and Financial Statement: Include income sources (proposed and secured) and expenses
- Letters of support, pictures from your events, fliers, promotional materials – all are optional, but can help give us a sense of the culture and flavor of your organization
- List of Board of Directors
In addition, one copy of the following must accompany the application: - Tax-exempt letter from the IRS verifying your organization has 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
- Current audited financial statement or copy of the most recent IRS 990 tax return.
Where To Mail Applications
The Vermont Community Foundation
P.O. Box 30
Middlebury, Vermont 05753
Deadline
Applications must be postmarked by June 1
Review Of Applications / Announcement Of Awards
Applications are reviewed over the summer and grant announcements will be made in September. Applications will receive full consideration if the application form is complete and all questions listed on the back of the application form are answered.
We're here to help:
Please feel free to call before you apply for a grant. We are pleased to discuss your idea in advance of the application process.
Mary Conlon
Program Director
mconlon@vermontcf.org
802-388-3355 extension 233