POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCES FOR TRAILS IN VERMONT

*****NOTE - MOST PRIVATE, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES WANT TO FUND TRAIL PROJECTS WHICH BENEFIT A LARGE COMMUNITY OF USERS. IF YOU ARE SEEKING FUNDING FOR A MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL OR TRAIL NETWORK, A GOOD WAY TO MAKE A PROJECT MORE APPEALING TO A FUNDING ORGANIZATION IS TO SHOW THAT IT WILL BENEFIT FAMILIES, WILL BE USED BY SEVERAL RECREATION GROUPS (HIKERS, SNOWSHOERS, XC SKIERS), OR WILL HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT (I.E. BROCHURES AND SIGNAGE).

American Greenways Awards / Conservation Fund
Non-profit organizations, public agencies, and individuals are eligible for $500 to $2,500 to stimulate the planning and implementation of greenways in communities throughout America. March 1 and June 1 deadlines.

Contact the American Greenways Coordinator at The Conservation Fund, (703) 525-6300 (1800 North Kent St., Suite 1120, Arlington, VA 22209), www.conservationfund.org

American Hiking Society's National Trails Endowment
A new fund designed to support trail organizations in building trails, improving existing trails, securing land for future trails, or increasing the constituency for a specific trail project. Recent grant amounts $2,000 to $9,500. November deadline.

Contact AHS at 888-766-4453 (AHS, PO Box 20160, Washington, DC 20041-2160), www.ahs.simplenet.com

Bikes Belong Coalition, Ltc. 
Grants of up to $10,000 each for projects funded by TEA-21 transportation monies, to develop bicycle facilities and put more people on bicycles.
Contact Bikes Belong Coalition at 617-734-2800 (1368 Beacon St., Suite 116, Brookline, MA 02446-2800), www.bikesbelong.org/grants.htm

D.I.R.T. (Direct Impact on Rivers and Trails) Grant Program
Supported by PowerBar, this program supports projects that increase or maintain access to the outdoors, or increase the size of an outdoor recreational resource. Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000. June deadline.

Contact DIRT Program PowerBar, Inc.(2150 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704), www.powerbar.com

Land and Water Conservation Fund
LWCF funding for grant to municipalities has recently been reinstated; $170,000 is available for the FY 2001 round, with a minimum 50% match required. Eligible activities include outdoor recreation facility development, and land acquisition to serve conservation or future outdoor recreation development. FY 2001 applications due July 28, 2000.
Contact Laurie Adams-Smith, VT Dept of Forests, Parks and Recreation, at 802-241-3690

National Park Service Rivers & Trails Program
RTCA provides technical and planning assistance to states, communities and conservation organizations for a wide variety of trail, river, and greenway projects. NPS staff work cooperatively with local trail groups, conservation organizations, and state agencies on greenways, rail-trails, river corridors, publications and workshops. September 1 deadline.
Contact the Vermont/New Hampshire Field Office at 802-457-3368 ext 21 (PO Box 178, Woodstock, VT 05091), , www.ncrc.nps.gov/rtca

New England Grassroots Environment Fund
A project of the NH Charitable Foundation; small grants of $500 to $2,500 are available to both non-profit and ad hoc groups for projects that foster and give voice to community-based environmental initiatives in New England. Jan/May/Sept deadlines.

Contact NEGEF at 802-223-4622 (PO Box 1057, Montpelier, VT 05601), www.grassrootsfund.org , cfischer@plainfield.bypass.com

Partnership Programs - Lake Champlain and Connecticut River
The goal of the Partnership Programs is to encourage grassroots projects that demonstrate practical ways to address economic and conservation challenges that enhance historic, cultural, scenic and natural resources within the Lake Champlain and Connecticut River watersheds. Eligible trail-related projects include planning and development of new trails, trail improvement, land conservation, public access, bikeways enhancements, signage and publications. Project support is generally between $500 and $5,000. Spring deadlines.

For Lake Champlain watershed projects, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program at 802-372-3213 (PO Box 204, 54 West Shore Rd, Grand Isle, VT 05458), www.anr.state.vt.us/champ/grants.htm

For Connecticut River watershed projects, contact the Connecticut River Joint Commissions at 603-826-4800 (PO Box 1182, Charlestown, NH 03603), www.crjc.org

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) Grants
Conservation Grants - grants averaging $5,000 for grassroots organizing and D.C. lobbying to protect lands and waterways, make them more accessible to people who enjoy the outdoors, and better utilize and preserve our natural resources for recreation. March-Oct deadline.

Community Recreation Grants - grants of $500 to $5,000 for outdoor programs that increase access, encourage involvement, and promote safety for outdoor muscle-powered sports. March-Oct deadline.

Great Places Grants - $15,000 to $25,000 for projects protecting muscle-powered recreation sites. Feb 15 deadline.
Contact the Grants Administrator at 1-800-426-4840 (REI, PO Box 1938, Sumner, WA, 98352), www.rei.com

River Network's Watershed Assistance Grants
A new grants program to support innovative efforts that build the capacity of community-based partnerships to conserve or restore watersheds. Two types of grants are available: Project Grants ($4,000 to $30,000) and Mini-Grants (under $4,000). Feb/June deadlines.

Contact Kathy Luscher at 503-241-3506 ext 16 (Watershed Program, River Network, PO Box 8787, Portland, OR 97207) , kluscher@rivernetwork.org

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge Challenge Cost Share Program
For projects within the Connecticut River watershed for outreach and environmental education and habitat restoration and management. Grants of $500 to $10,000. Previous trail and greenway-related project funding included a 2.3-mile interpretive bike trail connecting two public recreation areas. A 1:1 match is required (can be cash and in-kind). November deadline.

Contact Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge at 413-863-0209 (38 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376)

Vermont Community Foundation
VCF provides modest grants to projects that leverage other resources and make a significant difference to the state and address a clear community need in the areas of environment, public affairs, community development, social services, education or the arts. Recent grant amounts have been in the $2,000 - $8,000 range. April and October deadlines.
Contact VCF at 802-462-3355 (PO Box 30, Middlebury, VT 05753), www.vermontcf.org

Vermont Recreation Trails Grants
VRTF provides funds to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail use. The grants program is financed by the portion of state and federal gas tax monies attributable to off-highway vehicle use (such as snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, etc). Eligible projects include trail development, maintenance, and restoration, development of trail-side and trailhead facilities, creating accessible trails, acquisition of trail easements or fee acquisition of trail corridors, maps/publications, and purchase of trail-building hand tools. Two grant programs are offered: an 80-20 match grant ($3,000 - $10,000 ; a reimbursable program) and a mini-grant ($3,000 or less; paid up front with no match requirements). February deadlines.

Contact the Recreation & Trails Administrative Assistant, VT Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation at 802-241-3690 (VT Recreation Trails Grant Program, 103 South Main St., 10 South, Waterbury, VT 05671-0601)

Vermont Watershed Grants
Funded by sales of Vermont's Conservation License Plates, mini-grants of $200-$1,000 and larger grants of over $1,000 are available for a wide range of water-related projects, including developing or enhancing recreational access and trails. November deadline.

Contact Vermont Watershed Grants at 802-241-3770 (VT Agency of Natural Resources, Water Quality Division, Building 10 North, 103 South Main St, Waterbury, VT 05671-0408)


Vermont Youth Conservation Corps
Since 1985 VYCC, a non-profit organization, has coordinated trail crew work with VT youths in a variety of conservation projects including trail building and wildlife habitat enhancement projects. VYCC leaders provide expertise and oversight for crews. Communities can either hire a trail crew through the Fee-for-Service program or apply for a Greenways Crew funded by AOT and FHWA. January deadline.

Contact the Youth Corps at 1-800-639-8922 or 802-241-3699 (PO Box 482, Waterbury, VT 05676), ycorps@together.net

Foundations
Many foundations support conservation initiatives, including trails and greenways development. It is important with any foundation prospecting to call ahead to discuss your project and request specific guidelines, and to focus on specific project needs that best fit the goals of the foundation's giving program

In Vermont, a good place to start is the Vermont Directory of Foundations ($40) published by CPG Enterprises, PO Box 199, Shaftsbury, VT 05262 (802-447-0256). The Directory covers foundations incorporated in Vermont as well as those outside of Vermont making regular Vermont contributions, and is the only publication specifically designed for VT grantseekers. CPG also publishes a newsletter NonProfit Vermont, to facilitate communication within the nonprofit community (One yr/6 issues $24).

The VT Community Foundation website ( www.vermontcf.org/link.html ) has many good nonprofit resource links.

The Foundation Center () is a national information center on corporate and private foundations, community foundations, and grantmaking public charities. They publish The Foundation Directory, a national reference with detailed descriptions and giving histories that you can find at most libraries. You can also subscribe to it online at the Foundation Center's website.

You can also check the Environmental Grantmakers Association directory (212-812-4260, 437 Madison Ave., 37th Flr., NY, NY 10022). Their web site includes many nonprofit and foundation links.

The Directory of Funding Sources for Grassroots River and Watershed Conservation Groups in New England and New York is an extensive resource from the Northeast Watershed Round Table and River Network (202-364-2550).

Several organizations offer help in nonprofit management, organizational leadership, and grantmanship. These include the Vermont Community Foundation (TAP-VT, 802-388-3355, ), The Grantsmanship Center (800-421-9512) and the NonProfit Management Institute (in Boston at 617-728-9151).

Federal Funding Opportunities
Sources of federal financial and technical assistance are compiled in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (www.gsa.gov/fdac). The Catalog is available at depository libraries nationwide or contact the Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Staff, General Services Administration, 300 7th St. S.W., Washington, D.C., 20407, Telephone 1-800-669-833.

Periodically, the National Center for Recreation and Conservation of the National Park Service compiles a guide to Federal Funding and Assistance for Rivers, Trails and Open Space Conservation. Contact the National Center for Recreation and Conservation, National Park Service, Room 3606, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240-0001, 202-565-1200, www.ncrc.nps.gov/rtca .

Compiled by the National Park Service River & Trails Program, Vermont Field Office, with assistance from the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council. Updated April 2000.