MIDDLEBURY – The Northeast Kingdom (NEK) Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation has awarded $111,950 in grants to 25 local organizations through its 2025 competitive grant round, supporting nonprofits and municipalities in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties. These grants bolster support for organizations working with youth, substance abuse prevention, education and the arts, and outdoor recreation and programming.
“This year’s grantees are representative of the heart of the NEK, from youth-based programming and outdoor exploration to gatherings that strengthen community bonds,” says Chelsea Lord, VCF senior philanthropic advisor. “It’s inspiring to see local partners and fundholders come together to invest in the people and places that make this region so special.”
Grant recipients in this area are: AWARE, Hardwick, $5,000; Hazen Union School, Hardwick, $4,600; Headwaters Community Trust, Craftsbury, $5,000; Bend Revitalization Initiative, Greensboro Bend, $5,000; Northeast Kingdom Community Action, (Headstart and Early Headstart in Greensboro), St. Johnsbury and Newport $5,000.
Other grant recipients working in the Northeast Kingdom are: Brainerd Memorial Library, N. Danville $3,000; Catamount Film & Arts, St, Johnsbury, $5,000; Danville School, $5,000; Friends of Dog Mountain, St. Johnsbury $5,000; Green Mountain Farm to School, Newport $5,000; Journey to Recovery Community Center, Newport, $5,000; Kingdom Animal Shelter, St. Johnsbury, $2,500; Lyndon Institute, Lyndon Center, $2,500; Northeast Kingdom Collaborative, St. Johnsbury, $4,350; Northeast Kingdom Organizing, Newport, $5,000; Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, St. Johnsbury, $5,000; Orleans County Natural Resource Conservation District, Newport, $3,000; Rev George L. Fox Memorial Chapel, Gilman, $5,000; Sheffield Food Pantry, $5,000; The DREAM Program, Winooski, $5,000; Town of Lunenburg, $5,000; Umbrella of St. Johnsbury, $5,000; Vermont Energy Education Program (VEEP), Montpelier, $4,000; Vermont River Conservancy, Montpelier, $5,000; Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, Colchester, $3,000
The Northeast Kingdom Fund was established in 2011 by the Vermont Community Foundation and local partners as a permanent philanthropic resource to support the people and communities in the region. The fund prioritizes applications from projects and/or organizations that are based in the Northeast Kingdom and provide services directly to the community. A committee of residents living and working in the Northeast Kingdom reviews all proposals and chooses the grant recipients.
The next Northeast Kingdom Fund grant round will open in June 2026. To learn more visit vermontcf.org/nekfund.
