Application Name |
Applicant |
Overview |
Decision |
| Completion of a Village Center in Taftsville - Public Restroom Construction | Todd Ulman (Charlie Major Enterprises) |
This project will complete the creation of a new Village Center for the village of Taftsville by helping to fund a portion of a publicly-accessible restroom.
The Country Store in Taftsville is THE downtown area for Taftsville - there are no other commercial areas or gathering places. It's the equivalent - both from a community perspective and from a traffic perspective - of Elm and Main Streets in downtown Woodstock. In addition to the store there are 27 parking spaces and 4 EV charging stations (installed soon), and both are available to the public 24/7 without the need to enter the store.
As the single gathering place for Taftsville there is naturally demand to hold events at the Country Store (we have already had several requests to do so), and with the addition of a public restroom we are set up to host these events for the community. In addition to a hoped-for restaurant tenant, we are licensed to allow outdoor cooking (e.g. barbecues) and food trucks on site. We also envision providing overflow food options during peak periods in downtown Woodstock (e.g. two food trucks and picnic tables during several weeks during foliage season). We can only provide support for these events if we provide a public restroom facility.
The facility will be available to the public during all hours the building / Taftsville community is operating any on-site event, inside or outside, regardless of a sitting tenant for the restaurant space.
The EDC is naturally focused on the downtown Woodstock area for many of its initiatives. We have an opportunity to create an additional Village Center within the confines of the Town of Woodstock, and that is consistent not only with alleviating crowding in the downtown area but also with the principle of serving all Woodstock residents. Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Declined $0 |
| Exhibit: The Wonder Room | Matthew Powers (Woodstock History Center) |
Visitors to the Canaday Gallery will find a new, more expansive installation of notable art and craft objects that span two hundred years. The exhibit space has been renovated and will showcase the breadth of the History Center’s collection. Both of which aim to make the Canaday Gallery a unique and welcoming place to showcase art and reflect our commitment to being good stewards of our objects. There will be over 50 artists and craftsmen highlighted in the exhibition. There will be a reception in June 2024 celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, a performance by the VSO, an exhibit preview, and throughout the year will be launching our new art and culture program series. Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $2,000 |
| Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Association Event Hosting Grant | Mark Harris (Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Association) |
Requesting funding to support the infrastructural needs to host the 2024 Maxxis Eastern States Cup enduro mountain biking race, a touring New England race series, which brings over 300 riders and their families to mountain communities for a weekend festival of racing and riding. Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $3,500 |
| Bookstock 2024 | Peter Rousmaniere (Bookstock Literary Festival) |
To provide general administrative support for Bookstock's June, 2024, festival of free and open to all programs of author sessions and Green activites; and, to support Bookstock's campaign to raise national awareness of Woodstock's cultural wealth. Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $13,000 |
| Municipal Solutions Summit | Eric Duffy (Municipal Solutions Seminar) |
This grant is to help offset the cost of putting on a conference/scenario that is currently scheduled for April 1-3 at the Woodstock Inn. As this is the first attempt at this event and I want to encourage participants to attend, I want to make the conference a low bar for entry. Therefore, I would like the participants to only have to pay to stay at the Inn. This grant would cover the cost of the two day fee for a conference room, meals for both days, and possibly a networking event at night. I am going to cover the cost of the website and my partner, who is in marketing, will take care of the marketing, promotion, and outreach for the event without a fee. Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $2,000 |
| Pride of Woodstock High Heel Race | Seton McIlroy (Pentangle Arts) |
The purpose of this grant is to cover the expenses for a High Heel Race scheduled for Saturday, June 1st ,2024 at 10:30am on Elm Street in the Village of Woodstock. This race is part of the Inaugural Pride of Woodstock weekend. Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $3,250 |
| Beautification 2024 | Elizabeth Finlayson (Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce) |
The Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce has been working with the High School horticultural program to create hanging baskets to enhance the beautification of the village since 2009. The Chamber raises the funds to buy the flowers from the WUHS and then contracts with an individual to water, fertilize and dead-head the baskets from May 25-October 13th. We are requesting funds to pay for the maintenance of the baskets for 2024. We were very fortunate to contract with Roger Ansardi for the season. He did a fabulous job maintaining the baskets. The Chamber was informed that we need to replace the Cocoa liners for 2024 at the cost of $1,100.
Also, The Chamber has worked with Timber Tenders and Chippers to help light the village for the Holiday Season. The Chamber is requesting funds to purchase the lights from our local hardware store. The Chamber will continue to coordinate with our local arborists to get the lights hung before Thanksgiving.
Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Declined $0 |
| Accessible Mental Health Prevention and Intervention Programs | Laura Perez (MoonRise Therapeutics, a 501c3) |
"I learned how to breathe again."
That’s how one teen described her experience at MoonRise Therapeutics.
Caring for horses provides young people with a sense of responsibility and freedom. There is an unspoken bond between humans and horses. Youth sense this and want to strengthen that bond.
Simply having another creature to care about, unselfishly, lets struggling young people shift focus from themselves and develop responsibility for something (or someone) else. As they change how they see themselves in relationship to others, positive behaviors begin to blossom. At MoonRise Therapeutics, people are also given space and opportunity to examine their own self-perception as they begin to build trust and relationship with themselves and others through creative horse connections. We've watched in awe as people in our programs develop skills including:
*Developing a desire to act unselfishly as they feed, brush, and care for their companion horse;
*Feeling relaxed and at peace as they get to know our herd; and
*Experiencing a sense of accomplishment as they make progress in building a trusting relationship with a horse.
For these reasons, and more, our work provides direction, purpose, and resilience against life’s challenges… and room to learn to breathe again.
This grant support will help us keep our services available and accessible for youth, adults, and families in our community.
Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Declined $0 |
| Fundraising & Enrollment Manager Position for MVSU | Marlena McNamee (Mountain Views Supervisory Union) |
We are seeking funding to continue to build upon the successful fundraising efforts of the Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU). Dollars raised from private sources will significantly offset costs associated with the new Woodstock Union Middle and High School. Since the capital campaign commenced in the spring of ’22, we have secured over $3.5 million in pledges for the new HSMS.
The requested grant will partially fund a newly proposed fulltime “Fundraising & Enrollment Manager” position. This position will be critical to ensure that private philanthropic dollars continue to be raised for the capital campaign for the new HSMS and to supplement and enhance the district’s programmatic needs now and in the future. Newly added to the role will be the development and deployment of an enrollment management function to attract students primarily from school choice towns to our Middle and High School.
Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $25,450 |
| Wassail Shuttle Service and Parade | Elizabeth Finlayson (Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce) |
Wassail weekend is arguably the most important economic driver of the year. Chief Swanson estimates that we had between 6,000 and 7,000 visitors on Saturday. The free parking out of the Village enhances the beauty of the village and makes it easy to get around town. The Horse and wagon added to the ambiance of the Weekend. And the one of the most important features of the weekend, the Wassail Parade, attracts thousands. The Chamber collaborates with all of our Wassail partners including The Woodstock Inn and lodging establishments, merchants, and our many not-for-profits.Wassail Weekend is in its 40th year. It continues to grow and attract visitors from all over the country. Guests make reservation now for the following year. It is a wonderful, collaborative celebration for the Woodstock Area. The Chamber coordinates with the Billings Farm & Museum, Library, Artistree, Pentangles, High School groups, the Equestrian Community and more. Since 2022 the Chamber offered wagon rides throughout the Village on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30-1pm. The Chamber is continuing with this effort but will not be requesting funding this year
The Chamber contracts with Butler’s Bus to run two small buses as a shuttle service from the Village to the High School parking lot. This has worked well and help alleviate traffic problems on River Street and throughout the village. The buses run from 9:30AM until 5PM. Due to the enormous turnout on December 9th, 2023 we need to further continue and expand the bus service. At this point we may need an additional parking lot.
Additionally, the Wassail Parade, in it’s 40th year needs extra attention to restore the event to past successes. We have been working with High Horses for the past 10 years and prior to this we worked with GMHA to create the parade. After 40 years we need to refresh and revitalize this event. We are requesting a grant of $5000 to be used to enhance the parade. While still in the planning phase we have created a new committee to bring ideas to the table. I have contacted the Brattleboro Legion band for $1000 they will ride in a wagon and play Holiday music. We have discussed offering cash Prizes in three categories, I have contacted a Vermont Pipe band as well as left several messages at the High School. Since the committee is just forming it will be helpful to have a pot of money available for these and other enhancements.
Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $5,800 |
| TEDxHartlandHill 2024 - expansion | Deborah Greene (TEDxHartlandHill) |
TEDxHartlandHill, having run for two successful, consecutive years, we are ready to expand the audience capacity. We have also learned what is necessary to make this event even better each year, recognizing that it is critical to bring staff in sooner during the prep stage and create a larger budget for compensate. The bulk of this grant is for that purpose.
Re: Expanding capacity
TED gives licenses that originally only allow for 100 attendees in the theatre and 100 attendees in an overflow or remote location. After successfully producing TEDx these past two years, I am now eligible to obtain the license that will allow for the event to not be limited regarding attendees. In order to obtain this, I am required to attend a TED conference, to be more formally inculcated into how they want their larger events to be created. By expanding our ability to have more attendees, we can more than double the revenue as we move forward, helping us become more self sustaining. Show the Full Application | Download PDF | Granted $15,000 |