Funding Available for Vermont and Massachusetts-based Organizations through the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation

Funding is now available for organizations and projects based in Vermont and Massachusetts that support watershed conservation, develop low-impact recreational and educational facilities, and/or plan, design, maintain, and monitor such facilities in the Deerfield River Watershed. Grants are awarded for new initiatives, one-time special projects, or continued funding for existing programs. Examples include, but are not limited to, volunteer monitoring projects, events, trail work projects, field trips, educational workshops, media campaigns, and improving public access sites. The review committee encourages applicants to consider projects that support marginalized populations and promote environmental justice.

Applications will be accepted from nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and units of local and regional government within Vermont and Massachusetts. Projects must be located within the Deerfield River Basin or in towns with some portion falling within the basin. In the latter case, projects must be directly tied to the basin, e.g., a trail spur originating outside the basin that connects with a trail network within the basin. The fund awards grants ranging from $2,000-$5,000. Applications will be accepted from November 1, 2022, through 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 12, 2023.

The fund, a partnership between the Vermont Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and Great River Hydro, LLC, was established in 1999 for the environmental preservation of the Deerfield River Watershed. Visit vermontcf.org/dref to learn more and apply.