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.

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, or deficit funding. 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.

Guidance for Proposals

Grant funding will prioritize applications from projects and/or organizations that are based in the Northeast Kingdom and provide services directly to the community.  We are looking to support projects that have emerged from the local community and/or projects that are in direct response to community need.

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.

Who May Apply

Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations whose primary service area is in the Northeast Kingdom; or schools or municipal entities located in Orleans, Essex, or Caledonia County.

All applicants to programs at the Vermont Community Foundation must meet these guidelines.

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.

Deadline and Notification

Applications will be accepted between June 4 - July 16, 2024. Applications must be received by 5PM on Tuesday, July 16 in order to be considered.  

Applicants will be notified of grant decisions in September. Grant funds cannot cover activities that have already taken place; please keep the notification timeline in mind as you prepare your application. 

 

Application Process

All applications must be submitted electronically. Visit our Online Grants Center page to learn how and to register for a new account. Or click here to access your existing account.

To help you prepare, click here to preview a sample of the application. Please note that this is a PDF sample and not the actual application. To view and begin working on the application, login to the Online Grants Manager (OGM), which can be accessed at vermontcf.org/OGM.

 

No gifts to The Vermont Community Foundation shall directly or indirectly subject the Vermont Community Foundation to a prohibited material restriction as defined by federal law. All gifts are subject to a federally required amendment or variance power that permits the Vermont Community Foundation to vary from the terms and conditions of agreements with donors relative to the purpose, investment, and management of its funds subject to the procedural requirements of Vermont state law. In practice, the Foundation uses this variance power rarely and only if the needs of the community have shifted. The Foundation will be in communication with donors should such a shift occur.