•  Educational projects which engage young people in learning and loving the cultural heritage, history, and ecology of the southern portion of Lake Champlain
• Innovative research projects focused on the cultural heritage and environmental health of the southern portion of Lake Champlain
• Educational or research projects which directly impact the communities around the southern portion of Lake Champlain and/or use the expertise of local experts including scientists, educators, and environmentalists
• Expenses related  to time, equipment, hardware and software, travel expenses, publication and/or implementation of research findings, and dissemination of findings for projects as above

All findings and results of funded projects should be made public and shared with any organizations that share concern or interest in Lake Champlain. Projects with a volunteering element are encouraged.

• Projects duplicating lake studies in other areas
• Projects or publications focusing primarily on the northern part of Lake Champlain
• Publications of findings funded originally by other organizations
• Lobbying or advocacy work
• Implementation or follow through which are traditionally funded through government or free enterprise

All applicants to programs at the Vermont Community Foundation must meet the guidelines outlined in the General Applicant Guidelines and Requirements found on our For Nonprofits page.

The fund anticipates awarding five to nine grants a year—one to three grants will range from $5,000 to $7,500 and the remaining grants will range from $1,000 to $3,000. Matching funds are encouraged, but not required. The committee may award partial grants so please take that into consideration when planning your project budget.

Grant activities must take place between May 2025 and May 2026 to be eligible for funding. 

South Lake Champlain Fund 2025 Deadline:

• Applications will be accepted between February 4 – March 18, 2025. Applications must be received by 5PM on Tuesday, March 18 in order to be considered.
• We anticipate notifying applicants of grant decisions by early May. Grant funds cannot cover activities that have already taken place; please keep the notification timeline and grant term in mind as you prepare your application. Grants can be used to cover activities beginning in May 2025 and extending through May 2026.

Notifications on approved and denied applications will be made by email to the email address used to submit the application. Notification timelines are approximate. If you have not received an email, you can check your organization’s email history in your Online Grants Manager account.

All applications must be submitted electronically. Visit the Resources for Grantseekers section on our For Nonprofits page to learn how and to register for a new account. Or, access your existing account.

To help you prepare, preview a sample of the application. Please note that this is a PDF sample and not the actual application. To view and begin working on the application, login to the Online Grants Manager (OGM).

With questions about the South Lake Champlain Fund, please contact Jane Mulcahy.

• Email: jmulcahy@vermontcf.org
• Phone: 802-388-3355 ext. 381