Seven Unlikely Riders community leaders received their PSIA Level 1 Alpine Ski Instructor Certification in February 2023; Unlikely Riders is a 2023 grant recipient via the Vermont Changemakers Table. (photo courtesy of Unlikely Riders Instagram)

Vermont Changemakers Table Announces Grants for BIPOC-led Work in Rural Areas

The Vermont Changemakers Table at the Vermont Community Foundation Announces $40,000 in Grants to Support BIPOC-led Work in Rural Areas

The Vermont Changemakers Table, with contributions from the Vermont Community Foundation, has distributed eight grants totaling $40,000 to provide unrestricted operating support for organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) working with rural communities across Vermont.

The Vermont Changemakers Table, convened by the Vermont Community Foundation and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), hosts an annual cohort of approximately 20 leaders under the age of 35 from across Vermont. The group collaboratively designs a grant round to distribute a pool of funds aimed at addressing needs across the state.

“The cohort brings an invaluable perspective to grantmaking and how we can address community-level challenges. This year’s diverse group of applicants and grantees demonstrates the thoughtfulness of the cohort’s approach and the inspiring, grassroots work being done at a local level across the state of Vermont,” said Holly Morehouse, vice president of Grants and Community Impact at the Vermont Community Foundation.

This year, the 2022-2023 Changemakers cohort prioritized supporting BIPOC-led work and small organizations focused on meeting the needs of rural communities in Vermont. The cohort utilized trust-based philanthropic practices to create a grant program that centers equity and transparency, reflects on grantmaking practices, and builds trusting and valued relationships between funders and donors.

Grant recipients represent a wide variety of BIPOC-led work, including celebration and preservation of Indigenous cultural practices, mutual aid for migrant worker communities, education and advocacy around issues of racial justice, equity, and discrimination, art therapy for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC youth, and much more.

Read more about the program at vermontcf.org/changemakers

Full List of 2023 Grant Recipients

• Abenaki Circle of Courage
• Addison Allies Network
• Maquam Bay of Missisquoi
• Milk with Dignity Standards Council
• Rutland Area Branch NAACP
• SafeArt
• The Outpost Foundation
• Unlikely Riders