The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) announces the opening of applications for the fourth competitive round of the Climate Catalysts Innovation Fund.

In collaboration with VLITE, Vermont Community Foundation’s Sunflower Fund and others, VCRD is supporting innovators in developing solutions that move Vermont closer to its climate and energy goals. The first three rounds provided grants to 68 local innovators totaling over $200,000. A diversity of projects have been funded including support for a floodplain public food forest, frontline emergency preparedness kits, climate economy workforce training, e-bikes at local libraries, solar with back-up battery storage for a library community hub, and more. To learn more about projects that have been funded, see this interactive map(https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1hYZMYKaTsamvUUwgpPXVJFiPSsR1eHM&usp=drive_link) and read the reports for Round 1 (https://www.vtrural.org/2022-climate-catalysts-awardee-report/) and Round 2 (https://www.vtrural.org/climate-catalyst-innovation-fund-2022-23-report/).

“This fund has provided leverage for 68 community projects to move from an ambitious idea to an implemented climate-based solution in their community,” stated Program Manager, Laura Cavin Bailey. “We are grateful to our funders to continue this opportunity, and look forward to supporting many creative applications again this year.”

Grants will range from $500-$4,000 and be awarded based on demonstrating a mix of addressing Vermonters in need, innovation, resilience, collaboration, and replicability. Eligible applicants include municipalities, town committees, schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Applications will remain open until 5 pm Monday October 28th.

Learn more at https://www.vtrural.org/climate-economy/climate-catalysts-innovation-fund/ and contact Laura Cavin Bailey at laura@vtrural.org or (802) 234-1646 with questions.

Vermont Council on Rural Development

The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of the locally-defined progress of Vermont’s rural communities. VCRD is a dynamic partnership of federal, state, local, nonprofit and private partners. Actively non-partisan with an established reputation for community-based facilitation, VCRD is uniquely positioned to sponsor and coordinate collaborative efforts across governmental and organizational categories concerned with policy questions of rural importance. The organization has successfully completed over 90 community visits, resulting in locally defined projects like new childcare centers, wastewater infrastructure, downtown redevelopments, and more.