VOREC COMMUNITY GRANT
PROGRAM
2023 APPLICATION GUIDANCE
2023. Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
CONTENTS
Contents .................................................................................................................................................... 1
 .............................................................................................................................................. 2
How to Apply ............................................................................................................................................. 3
 .................................................................................................................................. 4
Grant Program Webinar  ............................................................................................ 4
 ........................................................................................................................................ 4
 ......................................................................................... 4
 .................................................................................................................................... 5
General Appli ................................................................................................................................... 5
 .................................................................................................... 5
 ...................................................................................................................... 9
 ............................................................................................................... 9
  ...................................................................................................... 12
 ..................................................................................................................... 14
 ............................................................................................... 
 ................................................................................................................................. 
Page 2 of 16
INTRODUCTION
c

will award $ million to non-profit
organizations, businesses –Implementation,
 grant application form  a general
application for all applicantsation, 
 and track-specific questions depending 
selected track. 
Implementation Track: economies and will be
Any necessary 
be secured  include
, adding a wayfinding 
find outdoor recreation opportunities or acquiring a property and building a trail

Project minimum: $50,000
Project Development Track: , but
need design, scoping, or planning work done in order to be ready to implement. Examples of
funding 
-focused recreation plan, or designing a trail
system on a new town forest.
Project minimum: $20,000
Outdoor Equity Track (implemented through a partnership between the Office of Racial Equity
(ORE) and FPR): will reduce barriers and expand opportunities for people to access
Vermont’s outdoors. In particular,   , 
people, people low incomes, /or 
disabilities. ude lowering costs for a bike rental and
instruction program for kids, adding information on kiosks in 
, or planning -
equity and inclusion in outdoor 

Project minimum: None
Flood Recovery Track: 
damaged between July 10, 2023 and August 15, 2023 referred to going forward
as summer 2023. T
t was
planting a buffer of 
 .
Project minimum: None
Page 3 of 16
asking applicants to 

onents
. We welcome as intertwined
  across
Vermont, not as nts to fit into precisely. 
 
applicantto 



s you fill out

d amount.
HOW TO APPLY
nline portal.

1. 

2. rant Application Form.
All downloadable documents are located ge for  under
 “Instructions page.”

11:59 p.m. EST on December 15, 2023. Incomplete or late applications
will not be considered.
ster an Account” button and fill out

 and confirmation emails about
your application.
applications in a separate document.
Once you begin your application online, you will be able to 
your responses, but it is easier to draft and refine language outside application portal. You will not
be able to  
copy of your responses for your records.
VOREC Community Grant website 

program.
Page 4 of 16
 
Application Inquiry.”
APPLICATION SUPPORT
  VOREC Community
Grant Program.
Grant Program Webinar
-

for 
webinar will be recorded and posted VOREC Community Grant Program webpage.

Open Office Hours
 learn more details

-
session will be open for q
recorded and posted VOREC Community Grant Program webpage. 
.
Email Support
Iwebinar and op’t work for you, please email us at
ANR.FPR.
Additional Technical Support for Applicants
Municipal Technical Assistance Program
 
 . 
limited capacity for accessing and applying for state and federal grants. To be
-is
 pre-. 
 at .
Page 5 of 16
Rural Economic Development Initiative
T , d 
or community and business
- 
 populon of less than 5,000 people. If you qualify and are
  REDI inquiry form by Friday, October 20,
2023. cb.org
APPLICATION REVIEW
 by a commiexperts from across on economy
and equites and following rubric as a guide for making
recommend for on
Component Points Characteristics of high scoring projects
team, management and
urgency
20
A well-appropriate expertise
and .
Clearly defined and balanced decision-making structure
.
t is well-timed for addressing 
n to VOREC
pillars
15
’s pillars.

well-articulated.
Work plan and budget 25
Work plan and budget are well-

Timeli between May 2024 and December
2025.
Outcomes listed on wor
.
 40
s a clearly articulated 
community it is supporting.
-
articulated.
GENERAL APPLICATION
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SECTION 1: Background Information
Page 6 of 16
Name and address of lead municipality or non-profit organization
T
Contact information
  contact informa
project manager 
managork
authorized representative  to sign
legal and financial docu For a non-
prfinancial manager.
Project title
Please c  concisely xample, “Connecting trails to
downtown Waterbury” or “Planning for an out.”
Project location
Pro n.  If your
“all” questions.
Overall amount requesting
Please ensure . Also not
following paramete
Imp
Project
Development
Outdoor Equity Flood Recovery
Maximum Request None None None None
Minimum Request $50,000 $20,000 None None
Brief description of project
1 issue or opportunity,  
  long term outcomes. 

Here is an example description for a bike instruction program for kids
Despite the world-class trail system in their town, many local children do not have access to the gear
or skills necessary to try mountain biking. To remedy this, we will visit local schools with a fleet of
bikes and provide curriculum and instruction support for gym teachers to teach mountain biking to
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fourth graders in their gym classes. The project will result in up to 100 kids with the skills to try
mountain biking, creating a pipeline for healthy habits and a love for outdoor recreation.
Project management
Collaborave projects oen succeed or fail based on the ability of a person or group to lead the project
and make effecve decisions. A responsive project manager with an engaged and representave steering
commiee is a key success factor.
For pnt, please describe   and any contractors will be managed. For
example, if  
comp -makers are for ea s

replacing 
pr, and landowner engagement, if
needed.
Project partners
 is needed
to m
we strongly encourage professional ement experience
rly if your prany 

For your response may be quite detailed. We encourage you to describe your team as
y, we ’t be quite as
detailed.
Funding resources
grant program is 
Project issue and urgency
; clearlexplaissue or opportunity 
communi
Measures of success
 ese
 it iult to measure
success of 
team, if you are awarded a VCGP grant.
Page 8 of 16
An example using concept could look l
The bike instrucon program will be considered a success by our team if we are able to complete all
of the acvies outlined in the workplan and we’ve achieved the ancipated outcomes in the
meline idenfied. Parcular success will be noted if we hear from schools that they’d like to repeat
the program the next year, and if we have interest in the associated bike rental program from
instrucon program parcipants. Specific metrics we will use to measure success include the number
of schools/organizaons that use the curriculum made available for free, the amount of site visits
carried out with teachers in the grant period and the number of children that take part in the
program during the grant period.
Compliance documentation
We are not requisin order to apply for a VCGP grant.
Howe lowing if you are  
 – You must be in good 
to rec
Vermont F – You must 
 ld be
’ncial .
W-9 – A completed W- of
submission to . ot accept digital signatures on a W-9. If you need
ccountant or tax preparer.
urance  – 
a grant agreement can be s
te of Insurance 
• 
• General Liability and Pr 

o Premises - Operations
o Products and Completed Operations
o

o
Contractual Liability
-

o

o
$2,000,000 General Aggregate
o
$1,000,000 Products/Completed Operations Aggregate
o
$1,000,000 Py
•
 g -imit not less

.
Page 9 of 16
•  e of Vermont and its agencies, departments, officers and employees as
Additional Insured. Grantee must submit a COI for eery .
If fiscal , please
consider an alternate fisare selected for a grant and cannot 
fiscal compliance requirements, you will not be awarded a grant.
SECTION 2: VOREC Pillars
VOREC estabri or pillars . Tis
unity 
economy in Vermont . 
downgraded if it only supports one pillar. r you to build on 
impact and urgency s 

 VOREC website.
SECTION 3: VOREC Workplan
Te workplan is yoemon“” oTe workplan template is
s line portal.
Tere plan. Te 
Please see below for an example of a workplan for a bike instprogram for ren.
proposed scope of work. You can copy and paste 
table as needed.
Example Wor
Activity 1 –
Bike Instruction Program
Anticipated Outcomes
(projected results,
effects, improvements)
Anticipated
Start Date
(Month/Year)
Anticipated
End Date
(Month/Year)
Curriculum Development
Curriculum tailored to NEK

bike rental program


like-minded organizations
can u

May 2024 August 2024
Bike and helmet acquisition
May 2024
Page 10 of 16
100 bikes and  for
instruction
program
Communications and
planning with Gym Teachers
Up to 5 site 
Materials offered to

July 2024 August 2024
Site visits to up to 5 schools
ren 
bike safe curriculum
August 2024 December 2024
Construction Projects
Iincludes epair or reinfrastructure including trails,
parking lots, kiosks, picnic table, etc., .
Project Map
Maps must be 
orial demoplan. Maps m
-  
- A 
- , trail namemarkers 
- area of and work components 
- 
- 
- Names of city/towns
-   a 
- 
- 
- 
 expse to create a map, please contact us and we will
wi step-by- - ANR.FPR.
Wrien Landowner Permission
Landowner permission is required for all F Landowner permission can be 
 permission form found in Aon downloads, an easement publicly
owned land, in f, town manager or state or federal land manager
assuring p. 
form for all parcels  
o
Page 11 of 16
lene required work
being funded
- 5 years for general maintenance   as 
corridor, cleaning out and impro drainages, clipping  to create a passable
corridor, and adding kiosks, signage  minor assets; for minor trail drainage and treadway
-5 step 
s-
- 10 years for new trail e like parking lots or
boardwalks; large-scale 

feet.
 Permanent  or structures  bridges,    will need a
permanent easement or a term easement of at least 25 years .
 s, please contact us -
ANR.FPR
Project Perming
Armits are not required in order to be selected for a grant, all permits must be in place before
consts. Amust demonstrate 
taken to understand  

p applicants
may be or tool is found 
. All applstr components must
upload  igator guide df form.
gator is d as
necessary permits will be obtained before
const

begin. pal permits, 
 please contact us -
ANR.FPR
Land Acquisition
I
grant to be successful in  

being ready for closing aisals,
purements, and 
Page 12 of 16
 please contact us -
ANR.FPR
SECTION 4: VOREC Project Budget
an 

expenses including labor, material, admiand  well
-documented budget will clearly explain all funding sources and eligible expenses and


applicatio
are intended to be bursemegrant.

.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself udget Wo
-   task workplan?
- budget  realistic?
-  to
carry out 
- 

Note: If your project includes land acquisition, you will need to itemize acquisition costs in your budget.
Eligible acquisition costs include Purchase price, closing fees, title search, title insurance, survey cost,
appraisal fee, stewardship funding, administration costs.

Page 13 of 16
Te following is a matrix of eligible expenses by grant track
Eligible Expense
Flood
Recovery
Project
Development
Implementation
Outdoor
Equity
Trail Repair/Rehabilitation
X
X
X
Trail Relocation
X
X
X
New Trail
X
X
Bridge repair
X
X
X
Bridge Replacement
X
X
X
New Bridge
X
X
X
Culvert Repair
X
X
X
Culvert Replacement
X
X
X
New Culvert
X
X
X
Parking Lot
repair/expansion/reconfiguration
X
X X
New Parking Lot
X
X
New Kiosks and trail accessories
X
X
X
Kiosks and trail accessory
replacement and/or repair
X
X X
Sports field/playground/park repair
and rehabilitation
X
New signage and wayfinding
(including digital)
X X
Staff time - planning
X
X
X
Staff time - admin
X
X
X
X
Staff time - implementation
X
X
X
Staff time - programming
X
X
Staff time - added capacity
X
X
Contracted Work
X
X
X
X
Supplies & Tools
X
X
X
X
Stakeholder engagement
X
X
X
Marketing/Communication
materials and design (including
digital)
X X X
Land Acquisition
X
X
Trail assessment
X
X
X
Administrative Costs
X
X
X
X
Administrative Costs
10% 
can ime nisteris amount must be
broken out in your budget.
Page 14 of 16
Employee Time
-based 
paying employees. In your budget, please include t  and a
 will be completed. at some employe
some by salary so mate 100
$.  to track and report on ese
 in detail.
Description of activity
Time estimate
Budget estimate
Project Manager helps teach
biking at 5 gym classes
15 hours
$600
Payment
VOREC Community Grants are reimbursement grants. Tis d to pay for
expenses related tom FPR. Reimbursement can take 4-
weeks. ’ before building your budget.
Flood recseek reimbursement for eligible expenses from July 11, 2023.
Ple of expenses will be required for reimbursement and will be sp
your grant agreement.
Questions
If you are not sure , you 
docu nsib,
please contact usANR.FPR
SECTION 5: Project Track
to describe 
  2023 VOREC Community Grant Program. Don’t lose s


Once yo track-

Priorities by Track
Implementaon Track
- Community Planning: 

Page 15 of 16
- Economic and Community Need: 

- Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship: 
protect natural resources and increase resilience.
-  

-   

Project Development Track
- Community Planning: 

- Economic and Community Need: 
economy or str
- Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship: 
protect natural resources and increase resilience.
-   

-  
 equitable access to ou
Outdoor Equity Track
-  

- Partnership and Public Engagement: Pr

encouraged.
- Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship:  
protect natural resources and increase resilience.
-  
 are encouraged.
Flood Recovery Track
- Economic and Community Need:  

community.
- Resilience: 
a well-described, and considered design.
- Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship: 

.
- Inno 

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-  
comm
Describe how the proposed project advances the priorities listed
  
wor  program.
Please describe 
cVOREC pillars  and t 
addresses an issue or meets an urgent need as n.
Letters of Support

qucommitment from organi- 
 princi
 rom a downtown
connect Main

 of support are not required for 
SECTION 6: Supplemental Information
Please upload any a 
 
r tand your  will not be speciused for any poi
.
REVIEW AND SUBMIT
W
us to ask
on Dece
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e it is 
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