The Windham Foundation provides grants to enhance the social, economic and cultural vitality of Vermont’s smaller communities.
Donor Name: Windham Foundation
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/02/2023
Size of the Grant: $2,500-$5,000
Details:
The Windham Foundation offers several philanthropic programs. Most significant is the grants program with a mission of supporting the vitality of small-town life. Grants are awarded four times a year to support educational programs, local food initiatives, land conservation for public use, environmental protection, social services, cultural resources, and historic preservation.
The grants program recognizes that the social and economic vitality of a town is maintained through many activities — social, cultural, and educational. The well-being of small towns comes through the success of local organizations involved in this work and the Foundation is proud to be their partner.
Over the years the Foundation has given away over $12 million in grants. The Foundation also helps support nearly all nonprofits operating in Grafton and regularly opens its doors for activities that benefit the local elementary school and the community.
Funding Guidelines
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:
- Agricultural preservation and the food systems
- Environmental enhancement
- Education in the broadest sense
- Promotion of the arts, crafts and Vermont traditions
- Meeting basic human needs
- Historic Preservation where it serves a broad community purpose.
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 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
- The Windham Foundation will not fund more than 50% of a project. The applicant should inform The Windham Foundation of confirmed and anticipated funding for the balance of the project.
- Project collaboration with other non-profit organizations where applicable should be encouraged.
- Show the specific project budget including expenses and anticipated project funding of $1,000 or more (they request copies of organization’s overall financial statements as part of the application).
- 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 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.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualified applicants must be either a private, non-profit organization tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code or a public institution or entity. The organization, or program to be funded, must be in Vermont. An organization may submit only one application during a 12-month period.
For more information, visit Windham Foundation.
