Topic: Funding Concepts; Corresponding Goals & Grantors

Topic type:


The Funding Concepts:

  • The tenor of the fundraising is not based on the muddling along of uninformed citizens, but rather the leadership position that Montpelier has forged and is interested in moving forward. The goal of this fund raising is to have a full time energy coordinator for the City and that means overseeing about $1 million dollars of activities per year. The million dollars won't happen in 2010, but it should be the goal for 2011 and the coordinator needs to be in place soon to get it going.
  • Building on the success of what we have accomplished to date.
  • Going above/beyond repeated uninformed brainstorming to determine the future projects.
  • Leveraging the leadership position we have forged...
    • e.g. VCEM top results
    • e.g. Close involvement of the Mayor
    • e.g. Established liaisons from several state-prominent or nationally prominent energy NGOs
      • BERC
      • RAP
      • Clean States Energy ...
      • VPIRG
      • et al
  • and  moving it forward.



Corresponding Goals:

  • Showing obvious need to have someone working full time in Montpelier to move the ideas forward. This is not a volunteer effort.  Have a full time energy coordinator for the City, overseeing about $1 million dollars of activities per year.
    • The million dollars won't happen in 2010, but it should be the goal for 2011 and the coordinator needs to be in place soon to get it going.
  • Putting this in context:
    • Half of the million is $10,000 investment in 50 homes.  It isn't all public money, much of it will be leveraged homeowner investment, but it is the $10,000 level that moves people from energy as usual to an improved position for affordably living a low carbon future.
    • The other half million can be in lots of directions that meet the needs of the City and the goals of funders.
      • Mary Hooper's desire to do some transportation work - maybe vehicle sharing coordinated with networked ride sharing will put us on the map.
      • Maybe District Energy work: smaller, decentralized heat plants (think $100,000) that can fuel a cluster of buildings. Getting some funding for innovation can allow us to consider the micro scale combined heat and power options that folks are dreaming about.



Corresponding List of Potential Funders:

 

  • Ben and Jerry Foundation
    • Feb. 25, 2010:
      • An additional portion is earmarked for the employee-led Community Action Teams. The CATs distribute small grants to community groups within the state of Vermont. Please write to the Community Action Teams c/o Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. at the address above for more information).
      • “We currently are not accepting applications as we transition to an on-line application system. Please check back March 1, 2010. Thanks for your patience and feel free to call Debby Kessler at 802-846-1500 x 7484 if you have any questions.”
      • For a B&J CAT LOI example: http://montpelier.energy-team.org/en/cross_vermont_trail_association/all/topics?sort_direction=&sort_type=title
  • Lintilhac - They gave us some money eighteen months ago - we owe them an update showing how we used that money to build our leadership position and how we are ready for the next step.
    •  
      • SEE KEN’S “Lintilhac letter.doc” LETTER
      • Shelburne-based, originally Stowe-based.  Family & in-laws founded AIG and were execs at British company Imperial Chemical Industries (I.C.I.)
      • grants $500k - $1m /  year to not-for-profit organizations working for the medical, educational, environmental, and social well-being of Vermont.
      • annually supports over 100 projects and organizations across the state; nearly all its gifts stay in Vermont.
      • In recent years the Foundation has advocated strongly for clean water, renewable energy, and social justice.
      • The Lintilhac Foundation:
886 North Gate Rd.,cShelburne, VT 05482
Ph: (802) 985-4106; Fax: (802) 985-3725
www.lintilhacfoundation.org
lint@together.net
  • Waterwheel  - This is an example where we have to make the case that the potential is vast and they can foster the kind of community effort that is going to make a difference
    •  
      • Beth Montuori Rowles <beth@phish.com> is our contact for all things waterwheel.
      • Otherwise:
http://www.phish.com/waterwheel/
ww@phish.com
WaterWheel, PO Box 4400, Burlington VT 05406
          Vermont Giving: http://www.phish.com/waterwheel/giving.php
Phish energy-related stuff:

  • Efficiency Vermont - The All Fuels Utility work is floundering a bit. We need to find some Efficiency Vermont skeptics in the legislature (Stephen Wark, Deputy Commissioner at DPS is in  that camp) to put some pressure on them that they need to look for a community model to move forward.
    • Don’t know what this refers to; sent note to Ken 3/3/10 asking to clarify.
  • Clean Energy Development Fund  - If the District Energy thing is going to move forward, Montpelier needs to build on its experience to show that the standard model of District heat is not sufficient to move this effort forward. The Fund is supporting 3-4 of these kinds of projects but I doubt they are getting the kind of results that will show replicability. We need to describe to them why so that we can position ourselves to be the one municipality in the state that is going to move forward.
  • Mazer Foundation - They provided Montpelier money for Envision and MET got some of that. We should use our results, kiss up and show how it was fostered through enVision and request additional funds to move it forward.
  • ANR Climate Change Grants
    • As of 3/3/10, no next-round dates (last one was June 2009).
  • Vermont Community Foundation
    • Based in Middlebury
    • Has over $117 million in assets (as of December 31, 2008).
    • Is developing a carbon budget to decrease its carbon footprint and is participating in CVPS’ Cow Power Program.
  • Sustainable Heat Initiative (and Pellergy) - Anne Watson's group has provided pellet stoves to a couple of low income houses. Working with Pellergy, we can help some low income folks get a pellet conversion unit (Pellergy) and coordinate with weatherization so that the conversion is also right sized for the structure.
  • Clean Energy Assessment District  - The common wisdom around the recently passed legislation is "A lot of the details have to be ironed out." They are not going to be ironed out by waiting for someone to do something.  Montpelier wants in. Low interest financing is the path to getting significant investment by Montpelier homeowners. The Legislation opens the door and someone has to walk through it.


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