Eligibility Criteria

Qualified applicants must be a private, non-profit organization tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. The organization, or program to be funded, must be in Vermont. An organization may submit only one application during a 12-month period.

Funding Guidelines

Through its grant making, The Windham Foundation seeks to support organizations whose work aligns with the mission of the Foundation to enhance economic, cultural, and civic life in Vermont. To help organizations decide if their work is a good fit for a Windham Foundation grant, the Foundation has created four mission-aligned focus areas:

1. Agriculture, Food, Land, and the Natural World. Examples include: cultivation of food; food security; food processing and distribution; healthy forests and streams; conservation; climate change adaptation.


2. Arts, Culture, and Education. Examples include: community arts; enhanced learning; mentoring; historic places and preservation.


3. Preserving and Developing Resilient Communities. Examples include: economic development; workforce development; job readiness


4. Healthy and Vibrant Communities. Examples include: wellness; housing; outdoor activities; health access; senior programs

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. Therefore, applicants should keep in mind the following when preparing a proposal:

• Grants will be distributed between two grant cycles, Spring and Fall, and among the four mission focus areas listed above.
• An organization should apply for no more than three years out of five.
• The Windham Foundation will not fund more than 50% of a project. Therefore, as mentioned below, an applicant is expected to include in their application any confirmed and anticipated funding for the balance of the project cost.
• A project budget, financial statement, and list of funding or anticipated funding of $1000 or more is required.
• Project collaboration with other non-profit organizations or groups, where applicable, is strongly encouraged.
• Grant recipients of $5,000 or more will be asked to share evidence of successes and challenges in a final report submitted through the Grants Management portal upon completion of the grant.
• The Windham Foundation reserves the right to request a recent audit of a grantee organization.
• Personal interviews or site visits are not required but may be requested to gather insights and increase understanding of local conditions.

The types of proposals the Foundation funds are wide ranging. They include operational support where it strengthens organizational capacity, special initiatives, capacity building, matching and challenge grants.

The Foundation will not provide support for the following:

• Municipalities
• Endowment or Capital campaigns.
• Sport teams, travel teams, regional meets.
• Fraternal or religious organizations, including schools with religious affiliation.
• Individual fellowships or scholarships.
• Playgrounds, day care facilities and skate parks. (With such programs in virtually every community we find it impossible to choose one over the other. We do consider grants that could result in a benefit to all such centers.)
• Publications, books, films or surveys.
• Promotional Events.
• Affiliates of national organizations focused on particular diseases, or those that provide emergency relief efforts.

How We Evaluate Your Application

To assist you in understanding our decision-making, here are the factors the committee typically considers:

Mission Fit

• How does the project advance The Windham Foundation’s mission to enhance economic, cultural, and civic life in Vermont? Clearly state how your project aligns with our mission.

Likelihood of Success:

• Are the project’s objectives clear and realistic? Please tell us, with specifics, what you are trying to do and why.
• Are the project’s objectives measurable and clearly understood? What data will you collect and how?
• What is the anticipated project impact and how will you measure its success?
• If enhancing learning, how does the program support state and local educational goals?
• Is there a plan for future sustainability? How will you support the program going forward?

 Financial Strength:

• Does the application explain how the requested funds are to be used and why they are needed?
• What is the overall financial status of the organization?
• Does the organization have a track record of effective fiscal management?

 

Evidence of Community Support:

• Does the proposal show knowledge of related initiatives or programs and coordination with them?
• Is there evidence of strong community support through local fundraising, in-kind donations, and volunteers?

 

Capital and Historic Preservation Projects:

• Does the project, site or building have historic significance other than age?
• Will the project have public use?
• Does the project have a viability threshold to be successful, and what are the cost estimates of this? (In general, with limited grant resources, we are more likely to participate in such projects when they are underway, not at the exploration or planning stage).

 Land Conservation and Farm Viability Projects:

• Does the project enhance Vermont’s working landscape through the creation of food or forest products, public recreation or land management programs?
• Has the project met a viability threshold and is it likely to happen? (These projects are often large and require stages of funding. With our limited resources we find it more effective to fund once the program is viable and moving forward.)

 

Educational Projects:

• Is there a charitable and community mission associated with the project?
• Is the request seeking to replace school budget cuts? While we understand the pressures on school budgets, we do not feel Foundation funds should be used to fill that void.
• If the project concerns curriculum, how is it integrated into the overall educational standards?
• Does the project demonstrate a finding that could be of importance to other schools?

 

How to Apply

The Grants Program accepts applications twice a year in March and September. Each grant cycle will focus on two of four topic areas:

Spring

• Agriculture, Food, Land, and the Natural World – Examples of appropriate topics include: cultivation of food; food security; processing and distribution; healthy forests and streams; conservation; climate change adaptation.
• Arts, Culture and Education – Examples of appropriate topics include: community arts; enhanced learning; mentoring; historic places and preservation.

Fall

• Healthy and Vibrant Communities – Examples of appropriate topics include: wellness, housing, outdoor activities; health access; senior programs.
• Preserving and Developing Resilient Communities – Examples of appropriate topics iclude: economic development; workforce development; job readiness.  

Online Grant Application

All applications are required to be submitted electronically. Use our Online Grant Application.

 

Submission Requirements

 Proposal narrative (not to exceed 3 pages) including:
 a. Brief description of the applying organization and its expertise in the project area.
 b. The background to the project or the problem being addressed, including goals, population served and timeline.
 c. Strategies for measuring impact and plans for project sustainability.

Financial Information

a. Organization budget for current year and a specific program/project budget, if applicable. If submitting two separate budgets, they must be uploaded as a single file as the system will not allow two separate files to be uploaded.
b. One copy of your audited/compiled financial statement (not older than 18 months), or tax form 990 will be accepted in place of the audit if your organization’s assets do not exceed $500,000.

Attachments

a. Board of Directors – please include brief bios, not just names.
b. Funding sources over $1,000.