The Samara Fund Announces 2019 Grants and Scholarships and 2020 Funding Available to Support Vermont’s LGBTQ Communities
The Samara Fund, a component fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, awarded $40,300 in grants and scholarships in 2019 and is now accepting applications for its 2020 grant round to support Vermont’s LGBTQ communities.
Grants totaling $35,300 were awarded in 2019 to 13 nonprofit organizations serving Vermont’s diverse LGBTQ communities. Five high school seniors from Barre, Bennington, Brattleboro, St. Albans, and Swanton each received a $1,000 scholarship for their post-secondary education.
The Samara Fund’s vision is to be Vermont’s leading source of permanent support dedicated to nurturing the vitality, success, and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities through dynamic and sustained philanthropy.
This year, the Samara Fund will accept applications for new or existing projects, programs, and organizations that serve critical needs within LGBTQ communities or support HIV/AIDS services or prevention at the grassroots level. Non-LGBTQ identified organizations are encouraged to seek support for projects that directly serve Vermont’s LGBTQ communities. Nonprofits may apply for grants up to $3,500 and applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2020. Visit vermontcf.org/samara to learn more.
2019 GRANTS
AIDS Project of Southern Vermont received $3,500 for a program which provides a variety of nutritious foods that offer a balanced diet to HIV+ individuals and their immediate family members. Participants are able to obtain items from local farm stands and grocery stores.
Chandler Center for the Arts received $2,800 for the ninth season of Vermont Pride Theater which features premieres of plays written and/or directed by Vermonters.
Common Ground Center received $3,000 for Camp Outright, a week-long residential program for LGBTQ and allied youth between the ages of 13 and 18 that offers a typical summer camp experience in an environment that combats isolation, teaches healthy behaviors, and develops leadership skills.
Out in the Open (formerly Green Mountain Crossroads) received $3,500 for general operating support to continue their work offering financially accessible programming that addresses isolation often experienced by rural LGBTQ Vermonters.
Green Mountain Library Consortium received $1,000 to enhance its collection of digital LGBTQ-related fiction and nonfiction e-books and audiobooks accessible through its network of 160 Vermont libraries.
HIV/HCV Resource Center received $1,500 for supplies for its HIV and HCV testing program for Vermonters who are high risk for contracting these viruses.
Mountain Communities Support Education (dba The Collaborative) received $3,000 for Friday Night Live, a free local winter recreation series that attracts LGBTQ middle and high school students from around Bennington’s Northshire.
Outright Vermont received $3,500 in general operating support for its mission of providing support, advocacy, and programming to ensure Vermont’s LGBTQ youth feel a sense of safety, belonging, and hope for their future.
Pride Center of Vermont received $3,500 for its Transgender Program Coordinator, a position that educates individuals, organizations, and workplaces about trans-related issues and concerns, while also providing direct support to trans Vermonters visiting the Center.
Pride Center of Vermont received $3,000 for Pride Vermont Parade and Festival 2019 which attracts hundreds of LGBTQ Vermonters and their allies who participate as attendees, marchers, and vendors in this celebration of community.
Twin States Network received $2,000 for general operating support towards its objective of reducing stigma and decreasing isolation for people living with HIV through emotional support, education, information, and referrals.
Vermont CARES received $3,000 for its work to connect every Vermonter with HIV—or at risk of HIV—with health, education, and wellness programs as part of the agency’s “On the Road to Zero” campaign, which is poised to lead the nation in reducing the number of new HIV cases annually to zero.
Vermont PWA Coalition received $2,000 for its retreat for Vermonters living with HIV—an annual event that brings together a diverse and significant portion of the state’s HIV+ population to support each other, share knowledge and personal coping mechanisms, and to learn about new developments in HIV treatment and prevention.