Energy Committee Grant Opportunity

Here is the information you need about the new grant program the Vermont Energy & Climate Action Network (VECAN) announced at the Dec. 4 conference workshop called 'Building the Power of Vermont Communities to Increase Energy Efficiency and Reduce Climate Change Impacts'.

The VECAN grant program will support Vermont groups working on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in their communities that support local sustainability. Goals of the initiative are:

• To build Vermont's leadership fostering and supporting energy and climate change strategies at the community level;
• to decrease community carbon footprints;
• and to increase carbon-free energy independence by supporting the implementation of community based energy projects.

Grants will range from $1,000 to $3000, with an application deadline of January 31, 2011. Grant applications will be reviewd by a committee made up of the key VECAN support organizations and members of the VECAN Advisory Committee. The funding is made possible by a Dept. of Energy grant secured by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Find many more details about the grant program and download the grant application at http://www.vecan.net/ or call the New England Grassroots Environment Fund's office at 802-223-4622. Please feel free to call or email NEGEF, who is the VECAN partner administering the grant porgram, with questions or to discuss project ideas.

VECAN is a collaborative effort of six nonprofit organizations: Community Climate Action, New England Grassroots Environment Fund, Vermont Sierra Club, Sustainable Energy Resource Ground, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation and the Vermont Natural Resources Council.

Thanks for all you do to help save energy and transition Vermont to a clean, green energy future!

Nancy Nottermann, CVRPC Energy Coordinator