“Funders Are and Should Be Your Friends”: Funders Roundtable Expresses Importance of Relationships
The Southern Vermont Economy Project hosts quick hit webinar series called “Knowledge Bites,” focused on providing introductory information about economic and community development tools, programs, and funding opportunities.
Today, the Southern Vermont Economy Project hosted their Knowledge Bites webinar, hosting funders from philanthropic to federal on a Funders Roundtable. The webinar covered what types of projects they fund, but more importantly, it stressed the importance of relationships. Ben Doyle, the new President of Preservation Trust of Vermont, summed it up pretty well when he said, “Funders are and should be your friends.” Doyle urged fund-seekers to not have conversations in isolation, but to have a common conversation with multiple funders for the same project to move funding forward.
Liz Gleason, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, suggested to ask funders who they usually work with or for any suggestions of who else you, as a fund-seeker, should be reaching out to. Additionally, she added “You might want funders to think you have everything figured out, but its also ok to come to the table with more vulnerably and curiosity and work together on a project.”
You can view the full recording and find contact information for the funders here.
Funders on the webinar included:
- Preservation Trust: Ben Doyle
- Community Capital of Vermont: Abbey Salomon
- Thomas Thompson Trust: Susan Monahan
- Northern Borders Regional Commission: Rich Grogan
- Vermont Natural Resource Council: Kate McCarthy
- Vermont Department of Economic Development: Kristie Farnham
- USDA Rural Development: Jon Michael Muise
- Vermont Community Foundation: Kevin Wiberg
- VT Department of Housing and Community Development: Nathan Cleveland
- Vermont Housing and Conservation Board: Liz Gleason
- The Windham Foundation: Becky Bryant
