Through our 2025 grantmaking, we support a wide range of systems development and systemic change efforts, growth-stage programs, and ongoing events and convenings that help make postsecondary education accessible to Vermonters furthest from opportunity. Major grantees include the following, alongside dozens of other Vermont organizations whose important work we are proud to support:
CCV serves the greatest number of Vermonters—and low-income Vermonters—of any college in the state via 12 locations and extensive learning options. We believe community colleges are engines of economic mobility and we support CCV in a variety of ways, including:
The Vermont Free Degree Promise | Funding for 2022-2027
Thanks to our Free Degree Promise through the state's Early College program at CCV, all Vermont students in the high school classes of 2023-2026 who complete the Early College program at CCV can count on a free associate degree of their choosing. Read more about this initiative.
Secondary Programs & Initiatives | Funding for 2008-2025
Over 25% of CCV students are high school students. Our funding supports 6-12th grade students in a continuum of CCV programs that support awareness of and aspirations to college and career training. Programs include Middle School Access Days, Intro to College and Careers, Dual Enrollment, and Early College.
Career Learning Management | Funding for 2021-2025
Our funding supports a new Manager of Career Learning at CCV, who is working at a high level with staff and faculty to ensure career advising, career exploration, and experiential career learning opportunities are integral to the CCV student experience.
Funding for 2021-2026 | In partnership with the Vermont Community Foundation and its VT COVID-19 Response Fund, we've made a four-year grant commitment to the Vermont School Counselors Association to advance the new framework for school counseling in Vermont and to hire first-ever staff. Read more about the four-year commitment.
Funding for 2023-2024 | Our general operating grants have positioned VREC to deepen its regional leadership on the issue of teacher workforce development in partnership with its 40+ member schools in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Learn more about its work to stand up a new Vermont Registered Apprenticeship pathway to teaching.
Funding for 2023-2026 | In partnership with the Vermont Community Foundation, our three-year grant to this nonprofit collaborative is advancing their efforts to help solve Vermont's workforce development challenges through scaling paid service-learning programs. Learn more about how the collaborative is helping Vermonters gain skills while serving communities. You can also read a recent story about how the expansion of Serve Learn Earn training programs are bolstering the state's workforce.
Funding for 2015-2027 | We fund a range of VTSU programs designed to support current and future college students: the Summer Bridge program for first-time students from historically marginalized backgrounds; the Kingdom Career Connect program for middle-grade youth; and VTSU’s education program through an innovative living stipend pilot.
Funding for 2023-2025 | A pilot at Randolph Union High School aims to close the gap on college persistence rates for students from low-income families, students with disabilities, and English language learners. This innovative new program pairs college-bound seniors with an adult mentor of their choosing through their first year of college. Learn more about early outcomes.
Funding for 2022-2027 | We sponsor the development of annual research reports that help inform our grantmaking, including Public Assets Institute’s annual State of Working Vermont publication and NESSC’s annual Common Data Project report on New England state's secondary and postsecondary educational outcomes.
We support and sponsor a wide range of statewide and regional-level career awareness efforts including those led by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), the Vermont Professionals of Color Network, Vermont Works for Women, the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, the Rutland Regional Workforce Investment Board, the Bennington County Regional Commission, UP for Learning, Spectrum, the VT Principals Association, aiVermont, the Education Justice Coalition of Vermont, and the Vermont Education Opportunities Program, among others.