2023 KT Mini-Grant program awards 10 area projects!

On behalf of the Kingdom Trails Board of Directors, the Kingdom Trail Association (KT) is delighted to announce that the 5th annual KT Mini-Grant program has awarded funds to 10 applicants around the Northeast Kingdom! KT was privileged to receive 16 applications in 2023 and $56,605.43 in total funding requested as our program grows yearly! Kingdom Trails is grateful for all applicants who submitted an application this year, and thankful for the positive impact they have as we all work together to foster the health of our shared space and community. Kingdom Trails is also grateful to the 100+ landowners whose gift of access has allowed KT to contribute to our community and offer this program. 

The KT Mini-Grant Selection Committee awarded funds to applicants who participated in a competitive application process. These applications met the criteria focused on community need, impact, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, public support, and a realistic, effective work plan and budget. The projects must highlight and advance valuable local endeavors that promote recreation, health and wellness, education and training, environmental stewardship, economic viability, heritage and culture, and the creative arts. 

We can’t wait for you to see the impact these projects have on our local community!

The 10 awarded projects include:

• Adaptive Sports Partners: Adaptive Swim Project, Awarded $4,500: The Adaptive Swim Project at Adaptive Sports Partners sought funding to expand and enhance ASP's successful two-year initiative of providing adaptive swim lessons in the NEK of Vermont. By certifying more instructors, this project aims to meet the increasing demand and ensure year-round availability of high-quality adaptive swim lessons, promoting inclusivity and accessibility in aquatic sports for individuals with disabilities. The funding will cover the Swim Whisperers’ Level 1 Course to certify 10 instructors to offer adaptive swim lessons and purchase adaptive swim equipment for programming! 
  
  
• Lyndon Town School: Winter Activities Program, Awarded $3,500: This project seeks to expand the Winter Activities program, which was started at Lyndon Town School last year. Through a 2022 KT Mini-Grant, LTS 6th-8th graders could choose a winter sport of their choice free of charge, allowing students to pursue any outdoor winter recreation opportunity that appealed to them, regardless of cost. Now in its 2nd year, the program sought funds to continue and develop a sustainability plan, including offering scholarships for families, not just individual students. These funds will allow students at LTS to continue exploring the outdoors while LTS develops plans to make this program sustainable!
  
  
• Newark School: All Kids Ride Project, Awarded $2,000: The Newark School sought to add bikes to their fleet to use for PE, after-school, and experiential learning programs to allow ALL students to ride with a properly fitted bike, with hand brakes that will be safe for all locations such as KT outings and hills within their own campus. The grant funds awarded will purchase four more small bikes with hand brakes so students can easily move from platform striders to pedal bikes with hand brakes. These funds allow the program in Newark to keep bikes in-house without being reliant on borrowing bikes from community neighbors, therefore providing more access to students wishing to learn to bike!
  
  
• Burke Town School: MTB Program, Awarded $4,000: The Burke Town School Mountain Bike program sought funds to enrich their school’s PE curriculum by introducing a comprehensive Bike Education and Safety Program, specifically for the elementary-age students. This initiative aims to promote a healthy lifestyle, active transportation, and essential safety skills among the students through hands-on bike education and practice. Currently, BTS has mountain bikes for their middle school students. The awarded funds will allow BTS to add bikes to their fleet that will fit younger students and increase the equability of the Bike Education and Safety programs. The BTS school campus can be a vital learning ground for all our students to become competent riders and promote a healthy, active lifestyle! These funds will allow students to progress from bike to bike in an educational setting!
  
  
• Lyndon Institute: Hilltopper Club Program, Awarded $2,500: LI requested funding to cover the expenses of local students from LI to participate in the Hilltopper Mountain Bike Club at St. Johnsbury Academy. The awarded funds will allow students to attend Wednesday and Saturday club rides and participate in mountain bike races organized by Vermont Youth Cycling, expanding access to students who wish to continue their mountain bike racing career!
  
  
• H.O.P.E: Homelessness Tent Program, Awarded $4,000: H.O.P.E.'s homeless program assists those who find themselves suddenly homeless with emergent needs, whether they be tangible (food, clothing, tents, personal care items) or intangible, helping them access programs and services we are unable to provide through our relationships with collaborating local human service agencies. The awarded funds will allow H.O.P.E. to expand the homelessness program and offer more services to those experiencing homelessness in the NEK.
  
  
• Town of Kirby: Knotweed Committee Project, Awarded $1,000: Knotweed is a highly aggressive invasive plant that destroys native plants and quickly colonizes areas, particularly watersheds. Initiated in 2019 by Kirby residents Melanie Finn and Dana Caspersen as a private " good neighbor" project to control the spread of knotweed along the roads and watersheds of Kirby, they worked with the Town to map all the infested areas on Town roads and flagged areas to be omitted during the Town's summer mowing regime to slow its spread hopefully. This committee has successfully petitioned the Town to contract the services of Northwoods Stewardship to treat the cut knotweed to eradicate it where possible and prevent further infestation. The funds awarded will help the Knotweed Committee accomplish these tasks!
  
  
• Lyndon Town School: PROSPER Program, Awarded $2,000: PROSPER (Promoting School Partnerships to Encourage Resilience) is an empirically validated delivery system for supporting sustained, quality delivery of evidence-based programs for middle school youth and their families. The upcoming academic year (September 2023 - June 2024) will focus on building sustainability and increasing awareness. The Life Skills Training and Strengthening Families Program (SFP) will be provided for as many staff and community members as possible. One of the most significant challenges in implementing SFP 10-14 is recruiting families to attend program meetings. To maximize participation and retain families, these funds will be used to offer meals and childcare during programming, allowing more families to attend!
  
  
• Thaddeus Stevens School: Expedition Program, Awarded $1,500: TSS sought financial support to help build out their Expedition Program. Specifically, TSS requested support to cover the cost of memberships to organizations that provide educational resources, networking, and expensive gear required for outside excursions. These programs advanced KT’s mission by marrying recreation and education for TSS students and, ultimately, NEK youth beyond TSS! The requested funds will support more programming for youth! 
  
  
• East Burke Fire Brigade: Upgrades to Remote Rescue Vehicle, Awarded $2,615: Kingdom Trails donates $8,000 annually to the East Burke Fire Brigade to support operations that benefit the community. This year, they needed additional support for repairs and maintenance to the remote rescue vehicle used to rescue trail users around the KT trail network. We are honored to partner with the East Burke Fire Brigade and support local operations!

To learn more about the KT Mini-Grant program and how to apply for next year’s cycle, please visit https://www.kingdomtrails.org/kta-mini-grant. Applications will open in late July 2024 and close at the end of September 2024. Any questions can be sent to us at grants@kingdomtrails.org.