The Regional and Local Impact (RALI) grant program is an invitation-only, place-based grant program. We are looking for ideas that are generated with community engagement that directly address one or more of the five Impact Areas. Preference will be given to those projects that can show readiness, capacity, collaboration, knowledge of best practices, and evaluation necessary for their strategy to be successful.

The Impact Area framework for grantmaking has five focus areas:

• Economic Equity
• Education & Training
• Climate & Environment
• Health & Wellbeing
• Democracy, Trust, & Community Leadership

There are several approaches or strategies within each of these focus areas. We encourage organizations with interest in applying to review additional details on the focus areas here.

Annually, the Grants and Community Impact team evaluates local and regional needs throughout the state of Vermont, with special attention to communities with needs in the five impact areas listed above. We also look at places where there has been active community conversation and engagement around future vision and goals. Through this process, data and community need guide the grantmaking strategy for the calendar year and help staff to identify effective local and regional projects meeting the current needs of our communities.

We always seek to understand what is happening in Vermont communities and where the Community Foundation may be able to provide support. Nonprofit organizations can use the Nonprofit Connection Form to introduce themselves to the Foundation and, if desired, share information about a project. If you have a project that you think might be eligible for RALI funding, complete the form here. Please know that we receive more requests than we can fund but appreciate your willingness to share information with us.

The RALI program supports projects that are designed to change systems affecting Vermonters experiencing barriers to opportunity. We are looking for projects that:

• illustrate collaboration and locally grown solutions
• utilize best practices and known successful methods
• can measure the impact of the work
• involve community members in decision making where possible

RALI grants are generally $15,000-$25,000 per year for one or two years.

To tell us about your project, please complete the Nonprofit Connection Form. In the section describing your project, please indicate if you wish to be considered for a RALI grant. The form is a tool for communication between a potential grantseeker and the Foundation’s Grants and Community Impact team, as well as a way for Foundation staff to learn about more projects.

Once you submit the form, the Grants and Community Impact team will review the project and evaluate its connection to the Impact Areas to determine if it is a good fit for the RALI grant program. This may include reaching out to you or other partners to learn more. After that review, somebody from the Foundation staff will contact the grantseeker—either to ask more questions, invite an application, or be referred to other potential opportunities. Inquiries submitted through the Nonprofit Connection Form are reviewed weekly. The grants and community impact team will respond to your inquiry within 3-5 business days.

Invited organizations will be sent the link to an online application form and asked to submit an application. To see a sample of the application, please click here. If your organization is not invited to submit a proposal, our hope is to provide you with suggestions of other strategies and resources to support your project.

With questions about the Regional and Local Impact grant program, please contact Jennifer duToit Barrett.

Email: jbarrett@vermontcf.org

Phone: 802-828-7891