Spark! Connecting Community Grants
Eligibility
Vermont nonprofits, schools, and community organizations. Spark! Grants fund projects that bring Vermont communities together and create meaningful local impact. STEM programs that connect students to community challenges are a strong fit.
Program Goals
Spark! Connecting Community Grants fund Vermont projects that spark community connection and solve local challenges. Technology and science programs that engage students in addressing real community issues are well aligned.
Read the GrantApplication and Distribution
Applications submitted through the Vermont Community Foundation portal at vermontcf.org. The March 31, 2026 cycle is closed. Monitor vermontcf.org for the next cycle announcement.
Cycle Notes
Annual competitive cycle. The March 2026 deadline has passed. Monitor vermontcf.org for the next cycle, typically announced in late winter.
Grant Award Amount
$500 to $5,000. These are smaller, fast-turnaround grants ideal for classroom starter kits and community STEM events.
Allowable Purchases
Forward Education Products for This Grant
These kits align to the learning outcomes this program funds.
- Coding for Good Kit — an all-in-one coding, robotics, and AI literacy toolkit using micro:bit for real-world challenges
- Climate Action Kit — a beginner-friendly STEM kit combining micro:bit sensors to code solutions for climate change and sustainability
- Forward Education Learning Platform — curriculum-aligned STEM lessons, coding tutorials, career profiles, and PD courses
Frequently Asked Questions
Who administers Spark! Grants?
The Vermont Community Foundation.
What types of projects are funded?
Community connection projects that bring people together and address local challenges. STEM programs connecting students to community issues are a strong fit.
When is the next cycle?
The March 2026 cycle is closed. Monitor vermontcf.org for the next announcement.
What is the award range?
$500 to $5,000 — ideal for smaller classroom or community STEM projects.
How can Forward Education help?
We help frame STEM kit programs as community connection and local problem-solving initiatives for Vermont Community Foundation applications.
Need Help Writing Your Grant Application?
Forward Education works with schools and districts to build strong funding proposals.
- Curriculum alignment documents — Vermont standards mapped to our kits
- Program quotes and pricing
- Letters of support
- Project ideas and scope-and-sequence
