Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between the Fund and the Foundation?
- Who manages the Trust Fund?
- What are prevention programs?
- Besides preventing problems, what does the VCT Fund hope to accomplish?
- What is the grant cycle?
- Who is eligible to receive grants?
- What is the size of the grants?
- Does the VCTF have an endowment fund?
- What is the difference between the Trust Fund and the Vermont Children's Forum and the Vermont Children's Aid Society?
- What is the VCTF's relationship with the Turrell Fund?
1. What is the difference between the Fund and the Foundation?
The Vermont Children's Trust Fund was established in 1986 by an act of the Vermont Legislature. The Fund is a pool of money that was originally made up of state allocations and Federal Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Formula Grants. Both continue to be awarded annually to the Trust Fund. The state allocation has ranged from $100,000 to $180,000. Federal funds have ranged from $80,000 to $166,000.
From the Trust Fund, grants are awarded twice a year to prevention programs throughout Vermont. Requests for funding for grants have exceeded funds available by as much as 7:1.
To help bridge this gap, in 1991 the Vermont Children's Trust Foundation was established to raise funds from the private and corporate sectors to add to the Trust Fund. For the past 3 years, the Foundation has contributed the following amounts for grants.
2006- $65,000
2007- $70,000
2008- $82,000
Additionally, the state legislature passed a bill in 1996 putting the Vermont Children's Trust Fund on the state income tax returns, Line 29 B. Annual income from the tax check-off averages $75,000.
2. Who manages the Trust Fund?
The Children and Family Council for Prevention Programs, a 21 member state advisory group appointed by the Governor for their expertise in childhood issues, oversee the Fund. Employees of the Agency of Human Services staff the Council. The staff, with the guidance of the Council, monitors grants. Members of the Council established and served on the Foundation board.
3. What are prevention programs?
Examples of prevention programs are parenting education classes, home visits and support groups for parents, after-school programs, teen community service, and mentoring programs.
Prevention programs have been proven to help reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, truancy, school drop- outs, teenage pregnancy, and other high- risk behaviors. They help prevent problems from occurring.
Prevention programs are open to the general public (not aimed at high risk populations), have voluntary participation, promote health and self-reliance, and positively influence the community.
4. Besides preventing problems what does the VCT Fund hope to accomplish?
The Trust Fund looks for programs' likelihood to bring about the following positive outcomes established by the Agency of Human Services-
• Infants and children thrive
• Children are ready for and succeed in school
• Children live in stable supported families
• Youth choose healthy behaviors
5. What is the grant cycle?
The application process for the main grant cycle starts in January, with applications due in April. Awards are made in June. The grant year is July 1 - June 30. A second, smaller cycle only for summer programs starts in November, with awards made in March.
6. Who is eligible to receive grants?
Non-profit organizations, as well as schools and towns are eligible. Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible.
7. What is the size of the grants?
Grants generally range from $500 to $15,000. In FY09 the average grant was $7,000. A total of $495,425 was awarded to 79 programs. (More than $700,000 was requested by over 93 organizations.)
8. Does the VCT Foundation have an endowment fund?
The Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation has an endowment fund that it is currently building.
9. What is the difference between the Trust Fund and the Vermont Children's Forum
and the Vermont Children's Aid Society?
The Vermont Children's Trust Fund awards grants for prevention programs.
The Vermont Children's Aid Society was founded as an adoption agency and works mostly with adoption and foster parents, which are intervention programs.
The Vermont Children's Forum (now called Voices for Vermont Children) is an advocacy group for children's issues.
Both organizations have received funding from the Trust Fund for prevention programs they have provided from time to time.
10. What is the Trust Foundation's relationship with the Turrell Fund?
In 1995 VCTF was approached by the Turrell Fund to help with the selection process and arrange a luncheon for the Turrell Fund's $25,000 annual award to a Vermont prevention program providing exemplary service to children 12 and younger. This $25,000 unrestricted gift in honor of S. Whitney Landon is to be given to a different program each year. Two runner-up programs each receive $2,500.
Recipients:
Champlain Valley Kids on the Block, Burlington
Growing up OK, Addison NE Supervisory Union
The Children's Room, Waterbury Center
Windham County Reads Bookmobile
Sara Holbrook Center, Burlington
Unlimited Fathering Opportunities, Bennington
Girls on the Run of Vermont, Statewide
VerShare, Vershire
Hinesburg Friends of Families
VNA Family Room
Winooski Family Center
Stepping Stones Preschool
Bright Smiles
In 2005, the Turrell Fund made a grant to the Vermont Children's Trust Foundation to help fund the first year of salary for the Associate Director of Development. This is the first grant we have received from the Turrell Fund. We also do occasional projects for hire with the Turrell Fund.