High Meadows Fund:
support for the environment
The High Meadows Fund strives to influence positive environmental outcomes for Vermont's landscape and the livelihood and quality of life of its residents. Focus areas include: reducing reliance on fossil fuels, promoting sound stewardship of Vermont's landscape through effective land use and land use planning, and supporting the development of sustainable agriculture.
The Fund provides financial and network support, and operates through an active program of visits, discussions and deliberations to develop an understanding of needs that are important to Vermont and Vermonters and the organizations that are addressing them.
Environmental program grants have supported on-farm development of biodiesel; planning and development for Vermont's energy future through the Vermont Council on Rural Development, Renewable Energy Vermont, and the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation; land use planning through the Vermont Law School and Smart Growth Vermont; expansion of the availability of locally grown foods through the Intervale Center; feasibility of a Vermont-branded "green wood" initiative by the Vermont Land Trust; and conservation leadership programs at the University of Vermont.
Current funding partners
Intervale Center
The Intervale Center aims to develop farm-and land-based enterprises that generate economic and social opportunity while protecting natural resources. The Center’s programs help grow viable farms, increase access to local and organic food, improve soil fertility, protect water quality, and educate young people about agriculture and healthy food. We are supporting IC's efforts to enhance food distribution for its farms. (www.intervale.org)
Land Use Institute at the Vermont Law School
The Land Use Institute addresses land use law and policy issues that are intensifying at the local, national, and international levels and are critical to the development of a sustainable society. These issues include application of smart growth principles, ecological planning, affordable housing, flood hazard mitigation, improving the confluence of energy and land use regulatory decision-making and other permitting processes, and land conservation strategies. We supported the development by VLS of the Land Use Institute. (www.vermontlaw.edu)
New Generation Partners (Vermont Energy Investment Corporation – VEIC)
New Generation Partners, currently in start-up phase as a project of the VEIC, is envisioned as an energy project development entity that will help build generation projects in Vermont that provide ongoing benefit to Vermont’s consumers, communities, utilities, and economy.
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont
The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources seeks to cultivate an appreciation of ecological and social processes, and cultivate values aimed at maintaining the integrity of natural systems. The School accomplishes these goals by generating and disseminating knowledge and by challenging students, colleagues, and citizens to acquire knowledge, skills, and values to become innovative and environmentally responsible leaders. (www.uvm.edu/envnr)
Smart Growth Vermont
Smart Growth Vermont works with local officials, developers, non-profit organizations, political leaders and businesses to develop creative land use policies that enhance the state’s prosperity and protect the state’s distinctive landscape. (www.smartgrowthvermont.org)
Southern Vermont Recreation Center Foundation, Inc.
Southern Vermont Recreation Center Foundation, Inc., operates a health and recreation center in Springfield, Vermont, where about 10% of the population lives below the poverty line. The Center offers aquatic, cardiovascular, and strength-training facilities to about 2000 members at an affordable cost and serves senior, families, and youth, regardless of income. We have supported its development and installation of solar energy.
Vermont Council on Rural Development
The Vermont Council on Rural Development is a dynamic partnership of federal, state, local, non-profit and private partners that helps Vermonters and Vermont communities develop their capacity to create a prosperous and sustainable future through coordination, collaboration, and the effective use of public and private resources. We have supported its review of energy and energy policy with the state and its look into the Vermont of tomorrow. (www.vtrural.org)
Vermont Land Trust
The Vermont Land Trust (VLT) works to permanently conserve working farms and forests, community and recreational lands, natural habitats, and family lands that are vital to Vermont’s rural economy, and to Vermont’s cultural and natural resource legacy. VLT also supports the sound stewardship of conserved lands, and the enterprises that depend on the state’s working landscape. We have supported its efforts to evaluate markets for "green wood" as part of its work with land resources for sustainable forests. (www.vlt.org)
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) aims to identify and fund market driven solutions to Vermont’s pressing economic, social, and environmental issues through grant making and technical assistance. The VSJF’s market building approach leads to increased supply and demand for sustainable products (such as sustainably produced biofuels, forest and agriculture products), which help solve complex problems such as climate change and peak oil, while preserving Vermont’s resources for future generations.