Deerfield River enhancement fund - $15,000 in grants available in 2011 for river protection

The Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) are pleased to announce the 20011 grant cycle for the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund, which was established in 1999 for the environmental preservation of the Deerfield River Watershed. Letters of inquiry are due no later than June 1, 2011 and approximately $15,000 in grants will be awarded from the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund. The Fund is a partnership between the VCF, CFWM, and TransCanada. TransCanada operates and maintains 13 hydroelectric stations and owns over 30,000 acres of land associated with our hydro facilities in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. The majority of these lands are open to the public for passive recreational uses and the facilities are managed to ensure safe public access and the protection of natural resources.
‘At TransCanada, we believe it is important to help preserve natural resources in the communities where we operate, not just because we have facilities there, but because we all benefit from working and living in healthy, vibrant communities,’ said Matthew Cole, external relations specialist for TransCanada’s US Northeast Region. ‘The Deerfield River Enhancement Fund supports watershed conservation; development of low impact recreational and educational facilities; and planning, design, maintenance, and monitoring of such facilities in the Deerfield River Watershed.’
The Vermont Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts jointly manage the grantmaking for the Fund. Eligible grant recipients include nonprofit organizations,
educational institutions, and units of local and regional government within Vermont and Massachusetts. Proposed projects must be located within the Deerfield River Basin or in towns with some portion falling
within the basin. Grants will be awarded for new initiatives, one-time special projects, or continuation funding for existing programs. Examples of possible projects include volunteer monitoring, events, trail work projects, field trips, educational workshops, media campaigns, or improving public access sites. Projects must provide clear public benefits and contribute to the goals of enhancing low impact recreational, environmental education, or environmental protection opportunities directly related to the Deerfield River Watershed.
For organizations wishing to apply, letters of inquiry for the 2011 grant cycle should be submitted via email no later than June 1, 2011 to both the Vermont Community Foundation ([email protected]) and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts ([email protected]). Applicants will be notified within one month if a full proposal is requested. Full proposals are due by August 1, 2011 and awards are scheduled to be made by December 31, 2011. For more information, please contact Vermont Community Foundation Philanthropic Advisor Ryan Torres at 802-388-3355 x289 or Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Vice President for Programs Nancy Reiche at 413-732-2858 x104.
The Vermont Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts are two of more than 700 community foundations in the United States. They are public charities made up of a collection of funds created by donors for individualized charitable purposes. Both foundations strive to build charitable assets to meet current and future needs in their communities. They also make grants, serve as community leaders, and provided services to strengthen the nonprofit sector. Visit www.vermontcf.org or www.communityfoundation.org for more information about the foundations.
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