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Community Leadership in the Kingdom

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Since being established in 2011 with a passionate group of local partners, the Northeast Kingdom Fund at the Community Foundation has awarded 168 grants totaling more than $446,000. Projects funded by the grants range from a resident-supported food pantry in a subsidized apartment complex to an outdoor recreation and nutrition program for local children to an inter-generational community and cultural activities program for middle school students and senior adults. Each year, a committee of residents reviews proposals and chooses grant recipients—truly making it philanthropy by the Kingdom for the Kingdom.

The Northeast Kingdom Collaborative—one of our partners in the region—recently published two reports. One focuses on leadership development, providing an action plan to grow the next generation of leadership in the Kingdom. And the other puts forth a platform for action to advance economic development through the intersection of the creative, recreational, and food sectors in the Kingdom. “We brought together a diverse set of people who really know these topics to dig in and develop their best ideas,” said Katherine Sims, Director of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative. “We’re very excited about the creativity and specificity of the vision that came out of both of the groups.”

The Community Foundation is inspired by the energy and momentum to create a bright future for the region, which was on full display when more than 100 Kingdom residents attended the first-ever Northeast Kingdom Day at the Statehouse in late January. We believe in the organizations and people who are helping transform the region into a place where opportunities are available for everyone who lives there, and are committed to leveraging our work to close the opportunity gap with local efforts.

While we recognize there will be challenges ahead, the Community Foundation is dedicated to working with our partners to continue to build strong and vibrant communities in the Kingdom and throughout the state. We hope you will join us.