The Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) is a Building Bright Futures (BBF) program. VECF supports creative solutions that will improve the well-being of children from the prenatal period to age 8, their families, and the Vermont communities where they live.
Now accepting applications for 2024 VECF grants.
Applications are due by Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
Grant award notifications will be made in mid-December, and the program period will be Feb. 1 through Dec. 31, 2024.
Learn more about Opportunity Grants and Innovation Grants
Need more details before applying? Register to join us for a virtual information session:
The info session will be recorded and posted to the website for those who cannot attend.
Register to join us for a virtual question and answer session:
- Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1–2 p.m.
- Thursday, October 19, 2023, 6–7 p.m.
- Thursday, November 2, 2023, noon–1 p.m.
- Thursday, November 2, 2023, 6–7 p.m.
Background
VECF was established in 2021 thanks to a generous grant from a private donor. Thanks to the Sunflower Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation, VECF was able to continue in 2022 and 2023. Since it began, VECF has distributed nearly $200,000 to 14 organizations addressing a variety of needs throughout Vermont.
In late 2022, Vermont was awarded a $23 million federal grant to strengthen the state’s early childhood system, support the early childhood workforce, and improve the quality and availability of services for family and children from prenatal to age 8. The Vermont Integration Project: Building Integration in Vermont’s Birth-5 Early Childhood Systems (VIP B-5) will provide a total of $6 million in subgrants over a three-year period to local communities.
BBF will administer the subgrant program through VECF. Awards made through the Fund will address the gaps and opportunities outlined in the 2020 Early Childhood Needs Assessment and align with the goals laid out in the Vermont Early Childhood Action Plan (VECAP).
Goal 1: All children have a healthy start.
Goal 2: Family and community play a leading role in children’s well-being.
Goal 3: All children and families have access to high-quality opportunities that meet their needs.
Goal 4: The early childhood system will be integrated, well-resourced, and data-informed.
General Information
BBF opened the application process for two grant programs on September 29, 2023. Applications are due by Friday, Nov. 10, at 5 p.m. The VECF Opportunity Grant will provide one-time funding ranging from $10,000 to $80,000 to about 20 recipients, with the goal of supporting easy-to-achieve solutions with direct results. The VECF Innovation Grant will provide up to two grants of $150,000 to $200,000, with the goal of creating innovative, replicable solutions to address some of Vermont’s most persistent barriers to serving children and families. Innovation Grants will have the possibility of renewed funding in 2024 and 2025. The first round of funding will distribute $1.1 million to support Vermont’s early childhood system. Additional rounds of grants will be made in 2024 and 2025. Grants are open to nonprofits, businesses, municipalities, and schools. To be eligible, projects will focus on families and children from the prenatal period to age 8.