Deadline: 28-May-21
The Vermont Community Foundations has launched the Samara Fund (Samara), a community-directed fund that helps ensure lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) Vermonters are connected, healthy, appreciated, safe, and empowered.
The Vermont Community Foundation make grants and scholarships annually based on recommendations from committees of LGBTQ+ volunteers from around the state.
Samara is the only set of permanent endowments in the state of Vermont dedicated to assuring a base of funding to support ongoing and critical challenges facing LGBTQ+ communities.
These funds, composed of bequests and donations, provide grants to nonprofit organizations to benefit LGBTQ+ communities and scholarships to Vermont students to attend college or training.
Priorities
The Samara Fund’s priorities for the 2021 grant-making cycle are projects and services focusing on and led by:
- LGBTQ+ youth
- LGBTQ+ elders
- LGBTQ+ BIPOC
- LGBTQ+ populations in rural areas
- Trans Vermonters
- And LGBTQ+ competent health care, mental health, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS services
What They Fund?
- The Samara Fund will accept applications for projects or organizations that serve Vermont’s LGBTQ+ communities or support HIV/AIDS services or prevention for LGBTQ+ Vermonters.
- Organizations that are not LGBTQ+ or HIV/AIDS focused may apply for support for projects that directly serve Vermont’s LGBTQ+ communities. Priority is given to projects that collaborate with and center LGBTQ+ voices and communities.
Applicants are eligible for one grant from the Samara Fund in a calendar year. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Who May Apply?
All applicants to programs at the Vermont Community Foundation must meet the following guidelines:
- They should be exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a public agency or municipality in the state of Vermont.
- Nonprofit organizations or community groups who do not have 501(c)(3) status may apply for grant awards if another tax-exempt organization acts as a fiscal sponsor.
- No person in the United States shall, on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available (meaning any funds having a competitive application process) by the Vermont Community Foundation, and any other program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds appropriated for grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance administered by the Foundation.
- Grant applicants must employ staff and provide services without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability.
For more information, visit https://vermontcf.org/our-impact/programs-and-funds/samara/
