Current Funded Programs
CarShare Vermont
High Meadows is providing operating support to CarShare as it develops strategies for reducing Vermonters’ vehicle miles traveled and providing an alternative to car ownership. CarShare Vermont provides to its members access to a network of vehicles parked around Burlington for use whenever and for however long is needed. Payment is based on the amount of time that people have the vehicle and on how much they drive it. (www.carsharevt.org)
Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE)
A High Meadows grant provides general operating and capacity building support for furthering CAE’s mission to engage agricultural leaders in the emerging 21st century food system, to build capacity, and to inspire the public to support and implement robust food systems, particularly in the Hardwick area. (http://www.hardwickagriculture.org)
The Intervale Center
The Intervale Center aims to develop farm- and land-based enterprises that generate economic and social opportunity while protecting natural resources. The Center has been a leader in Vermont’s progress towards a more sustainable food and agriculture system. The High Meadows has provided funding to support planning, capacity building, and the development of the Burlington Food Hub, a consolidating and storage facility where products from small farms can be combined to create CSA shares delivered to work sites. (www.intervale.org)
Randolph Area Community Development Corporation (RACDC)
RACDC, in partnership with the Biomass Energy Resource Center, is conducting a feasibility analysis and business plan for a district biomass energy plant. The project is envisioned to provide district heating and combined heat and power to up to 433 existing municipal, manufacturing, commercial and residential properties in the village and industrial zones of Randolph using locally sourced, sustainably harvested woody biomass. High Meadows Fund has provided funding to support this work, complementing partial funding from the Clean Energy Development Fund.
Rutland Area Farm and Food Link (RAFFL)
A two-year grant provides general operating and capacity building support and has enabled RAFFL to hire its first executive director. The grant supports RAFFL’s overall mission of developing a diverse and thriving local agricultural industry and food system for the Rutland area. (http://www.rutlandfarmandfood.org)
Smart Growth Vermont
Smart Growth Vermont works with local officials, developers, non-profit organizations, political leaders and businesses to develop creative land use policies that enhance the state's prosperity and protect the state's distinctive landscape. A High Meadows grant provides general support to this work and also provides matching funds for communities seeking local planning assistance through the Community Partnership Program. (www.smartgrowthvermont.org)
The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD)
VCRD is a partnership of federal, state, local, non-profit and private partners that helps Vermonters and Vermont communities develop their capacity to create a prosperous and sustainable future through coordination, collaboration, and effective use of public and private resources. With support from High Meadows, VCRD is connecting agriculture and forest product industry leaders, state and federal officials, environmentalists, economists, tourism and recreation experts, scientists, and policy and planning leaders to define and set long term goals for the Vermont Working Landscape, and collaboratively promote economic, regulatory, and other activity to realize those goals. The working partnership will aim at decisive action in each stage of its work and will complete a full policy action platform before the end of 2010. (www.vcrd.org)
Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC)
High Meadows has made several grants to VEIC. One grant supported New Generation Partners, which began as a project of VEIC. NGP was envisioned as an energy project development entity to help build generation projects in Vermont that provide ongoing benefit to Vermont's consumers, communities, utilities, and economy. High Meadows supported the initial feasibility analysis of this venture and its initial months of operation. NGP has now been formed as an independent LLLC based in Bristol, Vermont. A second grant supports research into workforce development needs for the energy efficiency and renewable energy markets. A third grant supports initiatives to improve energy efficiency services to schools through a partnership with the Vermont Superintendents Association’s School Energy Management Program. VEIC is also the fiscal sponsor for our grant to CarShare Vermont (see above). (www.veic.org)
The Vermont Land Trust (VLT)
VLT works to permanently conserve working farms and forests, community and recreational lands, natural habitats, and family lands that are vital to Vermont's rural economy, and Vermont's cultural and natural resource legacy. VLT also supports the sound stewardship of conserved lands and the enterprises that depend on the state's working landscape. We have supported VLT’s efforts to evaluate markets for "green wood" as part of its work with land resources for sustainable forests. We currently support VLT’s Farmland Access Program which aims to provide qualified diversified farmers with access to good agricultural land and assist with the start-up or expansion of commercial agricultural businesses on that land. (www.vlt.org)
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF)
VSJF aims to identify and fund market driven solutions to Vermont's pressing economic, social, and environmental issues through grant making and technical assistance. High Meadows currently supports three initiatives through VSJF. One grant supports the first operating year of the Flexible Capital Fund which will offer “near equity risk capital” or subordinated debt to help grow natural resource-based growth companies in Vermont. The second grant supports the Farm-to-Plate initiative, which will create a strategic plan for Vermont agricultural economic development in the form of commodity, value-added and direct-to-consumer market channels. And a third supports a multi-year research project on biofuel production in Vermont. (www.vsjf.org)
UVM Transportation Research Center – Clean Cities Program
The High Meadows Fund has agreed to partly fund an initiative to reduce Vermonters’ transportation energy uses, and thus their expenditures on transportation fuel, by promoting eco-driving. Eco-driving changes how we operate a vehicle while it’s in motion and while it’s stationary. This grant will enable the Clean Cities program to conduct eco-driving workshops around the state, market research about the most effective message for changing driving behavior and a pilot campaign to deliver that message to businesses, community groups, and general media in Rutland. Clean Cities and High Meadows are seeking additional funding for this initiative. If you are interested, contact us or Karen Glitman at the UVM Transportation Research Center. (http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/?Page=cleancty/default.php)
UVM Extension - Biofuel Furnaces in Greenhouses
The High Meadows Fund has enabled UVM Extension, under the direction of Vern Grubinger, to help farmers install corn or other biofuel furnaces for greenhouses. Through this multi-year grant they have shared learning about rotating corn into field crops, the process of harvesting and preparing fuels, and maintenance of furnaces in damp greenhouse environments. www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/energylinks.html
Last updated on December 31, 2009