Education & Training

Learning opportunities that are affordable and accessible serve to strengthen the middle class, and overcome systemic race- and gender-based oppression.

Grantmaking in this area is inspired by a vision of Vermont in which early education, college access, expanded learning opportunities, and career training drive economic equity and resilience for individuals, families, and communities. 

Early Childhood Education and Childcare

With an average cost of $20,000 a year–if you can find a spot–quality childcare is unavailable for many families. By investing in childcare, we can make Vermont a more affordable place to raise a family.

• Early childhood education and childcare portfolio is led by our supporting organization Let’s Grow Kid with a goal of transforming Vermont’s childcare system by 2025. When Let’s Grow Kids sunsets in 2025, the Community Foundation will continue its deep commitment to ensuring access to high-quality childcare programs throughout Vermont.

After-School and Summer Learning Opportunities

Low-income and historically marginalized students fall behind not in the classroom, but outside the school day.

• Supporting expanded learning opportunities for children and youth in grades K-12 that incorporate STEM learning, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. 
• Increasing access to afterschool and summer programs that foster creativity and expression through literacy and arts. 
• Investments in professional development, training, and quality coaching for informal educators and other youth-serving professionals. 

College Access and Success

Vermont has among the most expensive in-state tuition nationally and fewer than half of high school graduates enroll in college.

• The Curtis Fund is Vermont’s largest private scholarship provider, awarding over $1.5M annually in automatically renewing scholarships for Vermont students pursuing a Credential of Value training program, two-year degree program, or four-year degree program.  
• The McClure Foundation is promising a free associate degree through the Early College Program at CCV to all Vermont students in the graduating high school classes of 2023-2026.
• The McClure Foundation is also encouraging policymakers to identify public policy priorities for higher education.

Pathways to Promising Careers

Career awareness, preparation, and advancement start early and continue throughout a lifetime. All Vermonters deserve multiple, viable paths to well-paying, in-demand jobs and access to the training and credentials needed to do those jobs.

• Scholarships for non-degree credentials that lead to the promising jobs referenced above. 
• Creative promotion and marketing of Vermont’s most promising jobs.  
• An explicit focus on educator workforce development and diversification, including advancing early education as a recognized profession.