Windham Foundation Awards $70,000 to Nine Vermont Non-profit Organizations

The Windham Foundation, one of Vermont's largest foundations, has awarded nine Vermont non-profit organizations $70,000 in grants in its fourth grant cycle for fiscal year 2006. It also pledged a $100,000 donation to the University of Vermonts Rubinstein School of Natural Resources.
Windham Foundation is an exempt foundation whose mission is to undertake and support historic restoration and preservation throughout the state of Vermont, as well as to develop projects and support charities to benefit the welfare of Vermonters. One of the ways it supports this mission is through its grants program.
Every quarter, grants are awarded to non-profit organizations primarily in the areas of social services, the arts and education with active programs that focus on the needs and quality of life in Vermont, its citizens and its communities. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided more than $10 million in funding to hundreds of non-profits across Vermont.
The following organizations are the Foundation's recipients for this quarter:
Champlain Islands Parent Child Center, Grand Isle, Grand Isle
Funding for a family literacy program in the Grand Isle region.
Child Care Fund of Vermont, Bennington, E. Dorset
Funding for the Vermont Community Preschool Collaborative project, providing high quality preschool programs in the State; this project will specifically benefit the Brattleboro area.
Compass School, Windham, Westminster
Funding for the Global Connections Youth Program, an educational program designed to better understand diverse cultures and communities. This program will focus on communities in Northern Mexico.
Intervale Center, Chittenden, Burlington
Funding for a two-year project to identify sustainable marketplace links between Vermont farmers and consumers.
Right Foot, Inc., Windsor, Springfield
Funding for the Life Skills Prevention and Education Program for this youth center aimed at 11-18 year olds.
Townshend Historical Society, Windham, Townshend
Funding for restoration to historic documents and books.
United Way of Windham County, Windham, Brattleboro
Grant for the organization's Youth Initiative project which aims to empower youth through a variety of community programs.
Vermont Academy, Windham, Saxtons River
Funding for the private high school's Vermont Environs Community Mapping Project, where students learn about Geographic Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems and produce educational materials and maps for the community.
T.W. Wood Gallery and Art Center, Washington, Montpelier
Funding for a comprehensive marketing and publicity plan to increase visitors to the year-round exhibitions at one of the oldest art galleries in Vermont.
The Windham Foundation has also pledged a gift of $100,000 to the University of Vermont to assist with the environmentally sound design and expansion of the university's Aiken Center, which houses the Rubinstein School of Natural Resources. The grant will be given over two years, with $50,000 payable this year and the remaining dollars given by the end of 2007.
"The Windham Foundation was an early supporter of UVMs Aiken Center," explained Stephan Morse, Windham Foundation President and CEO. "And as a foundation that works to help preserve Vermont's natural resources, we feel that continued support of the Rubenstein School of Natural Resources in the Aiken Center will not only benefit the students of that school, but also Vermonters at large."
Detailed information on applying for a Windham Foundation grant in the 2007 fiscal year can be found on its website at www.windham-foundation.org.
The Windham Foundation, established in 1963, is a not-for-profit organization located in Grafton, Vt. The Foundation is the parent company of The Old Tavern, Grafton Village Cheese Company and the Grafton Village Nursery in Grafton and the Retreat Farm in Brattleboro. As an operating foundation, it uses much of the annual earned income from the subsidiaries to fund its charitable programs.
Media contact:
Melissa Gullotti, 802-843-2211, [email protected]
www.windham-foundation.org