News & Events
Vermont Mentors! 2009: Applications Due October 17
The Permanent Fund is pleased to announce the 2009 Vermont Mentors! grant round. Vermont Mentors! is made possible due to the commitment of the Governor and the Legislature to mentoring. The grant round represents an innovative partnership between the Vermont Agency of Human Services and the Permanent Fund.
Vermont Mentors! grants are designed to:
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Increase the Quantity of Mentoring Matches:
We want more Vermont children and youth to benefit from a mentoring relationship with a caring adult.
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Increase the Quality of Mentoring Matches:
We want Vermont children and youth to experience high-quality mentoring matches.
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Increase the Sustainability of Mentoring Programs
We encourage mentoring programs to become more financially sustainable by raising 50 cents of private funds for each dollar of Vermont Mentors! money received.
Applicants, please download these three components:
Vermont Mentors! 2009 Guidelines
Vermont Mentors! 2009 Cover Sheet
Mentoring Emma: A Story Spanning 13+ Years
Sarah met Emma when Emma was just 5 years old. On June 13, Emma graduated from high school. Click here to read Sarah's reflections on their mentoring relationship in the Burlington Free Press.
Mentoring Children with Incarcerated Parents
With increasing rates of incarceration, more and more Vermont children are being impacted by parental incarceration. Mobius, the Chittenden County mentoring umbrella, partnered with the Vermont Children's Aid Society's Kids-A-Part program to successfully apply for a $99,000 federal grant to match these children with mentors statewide. The Permanent Fund was proud to support this effort with a $34,000 private match. 22 children have already been matched ~ call Mobius today to volunteer in your community: 802-658-1888.
April 9, 2008 Seven Days article:
http://www.7dvt.com/2008/lawmakers-move-bill-help-vermont-039-s-
children-incarcerated-parents
February 13, 2008 Vermont Public Radio, Vermont Edition:
http://www.vpr.net/flash/audio_player/audio_player.php?id=23977
Download Vermont Mentors! Report Guidelines Here
Click here to download the 2007 - 2008 Vermont Mentors! reporting guidelines: VM! Reporting Guidelines
May 29th: Sign up now for the Mentoring Conference!
Join your mentoring colleagues from across the state at the Hilton in Burlington from 9:00 to 3:00. Click here for more information, or email Kris@mobiusmentors.org with questions or to register. Our thanks to Mobius for organizing what promises to be a great day of learning and networking.
Permanent Fund Commentary: What about the children?
Long-distance parental incarceration has harsh impact on children: Times Argus Online
April 9, 2008 Seven Days article:
http://www.7dvt.com/2008/lawmakers-move-bill-help-vermont-039-s-
children-incarcerated-parents
February 13, 2008 Vermont Public Radio, Vermont Edition:
http://www.vpr.net/flash/audio_player/audio_player.php?id=23977
283 Vermont Children to be Matched with Mentors
Vermont Mentors! represents a partnership of the Vermont Agency of Human Services and the Permanent Fund for the Well-Being of Vermont Children designed to increase the number of young people matched in mentoring relationships with caring adults. Thanks to Governor Douglas and the Legislature, the 2007-2008 Vermont Mentors! funds will benefit 283 children and youth who will be matched through 24 mentoring programs statewide: 2007-2008 Vermont Mentors! Grants
Coming Together for Kids-A-Part
With soaring incarceration rates that follow national trends, Vermont is home to thousands of children impacted by parental incarceration. Hundreds of people gained an increased awareness of this vulnerable population at the September 24 conference organized by the Vermont Children's Aid Society and others. Click here for the front page story on the conference that appeared in the Times Argus: Times Argus Story
Vermont Mentors!
Matching Funds for Mentoring
Vermont Mentors! represents a partnership of the Vermont Agency of Human Services and the Permanent Fund for the Well-Being of Vermont Children designed to increase the number of young people matched in mentoring relationships with caring adults.
Spurred by the appropriation of $250,000 in funds for mentoring in May 2006, The Agency of Human Services and The Permanent Fund for the Well-Being of Vermont Children agreed to enter into an innovative public-private partnership to not only conduct grantmaking, but to also advance our shared goals of increasing the quantity and quality of mentor matches throughout the state of Vermont.
Since then, The Agency of Human Services and The Permanent Fund for the Well-Being of Vermont Children have worked together closely to develop the goals of the grant round, generate awareness of the funding opportunity, plan and execute a kick-off for National Mentoring Month, and develop strategies to advance the mentoring movement. It has been an honor for The Permanent Fund to collaborate with AHS.
Most importantly, our original goal of using the $250,000 in Vermont Mentors! funds to create 250 new mentor matches has already been exceeded by 43% . . . which translates to 358 young people being matched with caring adults across the state.
| Organization | Mentoring Program | Geographic Area Served | New Matches to be Recruited | Total Matches by Dec. 2007 | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barre City Elementary & Middle School | Barre Youth Mentoring | Barre City | 10 | 26 | $7,488 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Rutland County | Boys and Girls Club | Rutland and surrounding towns | 20 | 34 | $10,000 |
| Burlington City Arts | Mentor Arts | Burlington | 5 | 9 | $4,140 |
| Community Connections | Girlz/Boyz First! | Calais, Berlin, Montpelier, East Montpelier, Worcester, Middlesex | 20 | 63 | $10,000 |
| Connecting Youth in Chittenden South | Connecting Youth Mentoring | Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, Williston | 32 | 123 | $5,920 |
| DREAM | DREAM | Statewide. Grant funds will be used in the communities of Armory Square, Windsor and Forest Park, Castleton. | 10 | 133 | $10,000 |
| Essex CHIPS | Connections Mentoring Program | Essex | 8 | 23 | $5,471 |
| Everybody Wins! Vermont | Everybody Wins! | Addison, Chittenden, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windsor Counties | 64 | 625 | $10,000 |
| Floodbrook Community Collaborative | Collaborative Mentor | Windsor, Windham, Bennington Counties | 20 | 48 | $8,000 |
| Franklin County Caring Communities | Watershed Mentoring | Franklin and Grand Isle Counties | 15 | 55 | $10,000 |
| Green Mountain College | Poultney Partners | Poultney | 20 | 20 | $2,500 |
| Howard Center for Human Services | Community Friends Mentoring | Chittenden County | 5 | 105 | $5,767 |
| King Street Youth Center | Junior Senior Buddy | Burlington | 5 | 49 | $5,767 |
| Linking Learning to Life | Mentors for Kids | Burlington | 8 | 19 | $5,920 |
| Northeast Kingdom Youth Services | JUMP Mentoring | Caledonia & Essex Counties | 5 | 39 | $4,901 |
| Ottauquechee Community Partnership | Shining Light Mentoring | Barnard, Bridgewater, Killington, Pomfret, Reading, Woodstock | 9 | 20 | $4,500 |
| Partnership for Youth & Community Empowerment | Reach for the Stars | South Burlington | 11 | 22 | $5,328 |
| ReCycle North YouthBuild | Community Advisor Program | Burlington | 9 | 13 | $5,767 |
| Rutland Mental Health Services | The RAP Coalition! | Rutland County | 12 | 39 | $5,000 |
| Rutland Region Workforce Initiative Board | RRWIB | Rutland County. | 13 | 14 | $5,000 |
| Spectrum Youth & Family Services | Spectrum Mentoring Program | Chittenden County | 9 | 30 | $5,920 |
| Three River Regional Business & Education Partnership | Starfish Initiative | Windsor County | 10 | 82 | $10,000 |
| United Counseling Service | Big Brothers Big Sisters | Bennington County | 13 | 66 | $10,000 |
| Windsor County Partners | Windsor County Partners | Windsor County | 15 | 40 | $10,000 |
| Youth Services of Windham County | Big Brothers Big Sisters | Windham County | 10 | 78 | $10,000 |
| 358 Net New Matches | $177,389 Granted | ||||
Summary:
- 25 Total grants awarded to date
- Grants will create 358 net new matches serving 358 additional young people
- Grantees will host 1,763 Total Matches by the end of the grant periods
- Vermont Mentors! grants will have increased total matches and total children served by 25%
- $177,389 granted to date
- $88,695 in private funds will be raised to match the grants