BRATTLEBORO — The Crosby-Gannett Fund, a component fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, has granted $23,000 to 15 nonprofit organizations in its 2021 competitive grant round.
This year, the Crosby-Gannett Fund chose to focus on community needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Awards represent a combination of grants to organizations for education, food access, the arts, and business support, all of which exhibit a vast array of creativity, increased collaboration, and the ability to adapt service delivery within the confines of the pandemic.
In a news release, the fund said it considered “not only the mission and work of the organization and its contribution to the vitality and betterment of the Brattleboro community, but also where the available funding could make the greatest difference in these challenging times.”
They added that the grant round was extremely competitive, with requests for nearly twice as much money than was available. The grant winners:
• Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center received $2,000 to inspire connections with the natural world, creatively adapting outdoor education for use at home, as well as socially distant activities for schools and families.
• Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro received $1,500 to support the Children's Farm & Forest After Care Program, which provides young people with accessible after-school outdoor group education and opportunities to socialize and build peer relationships.
• Brattleboro Time Trade received $500 to plan, start, and maintain a number of new community gardens in Brattleboro in collaboration with Edible Brattleboro.
• Downtown Brattleboro Alliance received $2,500 to support the One-2-One Project, a program to provide personalized support for downtown businesses during the pandemic.
• Epsilon Spires received $1,250 to offer creative and safe programs, including an online film discussion, socially distant poetry readings, and livestreamed concerts, among others.
• Groundworks Collaborative received $2,000 to provide ongoing support to families and individuals facing a full continuum of housing and food insecurities in the greater Brattleboro area.
• New England Youth Theatre received $500 to support the hiring of a health officer, who will provide professional support to ensure youth on campus are coming together and engaging safely.
• Phoenix Houses of New England received $1,000 to support the purchase of computers to help clients remain connected with family and loved ones outside of the program, alleviating social isolation and loneliness, as well as reinforcing commitment to recovery.
• Rich Earth Institute received $500 to support its Vermiponic Food Growing System, which will cultivate fresh, green produce to donate to Brattleboro's food shelves on an ongoing basis, strengthening the region's access to fresh produce.
• St. Brigid's Kitchen and Pantry received $2,500 to purchase a new, Energy Star–certified glass-door cooler, which will enable the organization to reduce energy use and costs and to maintain condition of its donated produce.
• Theatre Adventure received $2,000 to support the continuation of its online program sessions, which create a safe and focused learning environment where participants come together weekly to connect, play, experiment, and build relationships with others.
• United Way of Windham County received $2,000 to help coordinate the Kids in Coats Fund, the Collaborative Care Initiative, and its COVID-19 Response Fund.
• Vermont Jazz Center received $1,250 to support technician expenses during livestreamed concerts, as part of a reimagined approach to public outreach, audience engagement, and program delivery.
• Windham County Consortium on Substance Use received $2,500 to support the Collaborative Neighbors Project.
• Windham County Foster Families Resource Center received $1,000 to support a “resource closet” with clothing, gear, and outerwear for families caring for foster, kin, and adoptive children and youth.