Mini-Grants
Each year VREC provides a range of mini grants to schools for innovative projects that promote youth leadership, place-based education, and foster inclusive practices and community partnership.
Mini Grant Opportunities for 2025–26
Student-led, Place-Based Learning Grants (up to $1,500)
VREC encourages classrooms or student groups of all levels to participate in our student led, place-based learning mini grant process. This process fosters student voice through the development of applications, pitching ideas, and giving & receiving peer feedback. Students engage in direct hands-on implementation of projects and present at our Annual celebration of Learning in May. Students learn many transferable skills throughout the process and make meaningful contributions to their school community.
Service Learning Grants (up to $500)
VREC offers grants for service learning projects to take during the school year. Applications must be submitted by a team of at least three students, one school staff member and one community partner. Projects such as (but not limited to) community gardens, local food shelf support, senior meals, or Green-Up Day activities that take place within a school community are all eligible. Rolling application process until funds are all allocated.
Inclusive Schools Grants (up to $750-$1,000)
VREC will provide grants to schools in support of diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Grants of $750 for single classrooms and grants of $1000 available for school-wide activities. Schools can use grants to support: performers, artists in residence, guest speakers, culturally responsive libraries or classroom collections or training for student groups or staff that foster D.E.I. awareness and best practices. Rolling application process until funds are all allocated.
Contact John A. Castle at vrecdirector@gmail.com for more information or to express an intent to apply for any of the above grants.
Student-Led, Placed-Based Learning Mini Grants
View MINI-GRANT Proposal Guidelines
Mini Grant Timeline 2025-26:
Inform the VREC Director of your intent to submit a grant by no later than Sept. 26.
“Pitch” your grant to teams from other schools and our pitch panel virtually and participate in providing feedback to other schools. Dates & times for pitches will be set up the week of Oct. 20. *these will be set dates & times that for schools to choose from
Finish putting together your grant proposal after receiving feedback and submit by Nov. 7
Each school team will provide feedback to two other proposals by November 14.
School Teams will be notified if you are awarded a grant by November 21. *or given additional feedback and a new date to resubmit a grant.
Checks will go out to schools in December.
School Teams will work on projects from November to May.
Teams will attend and present at the VREC Celebration of Learning in late May.
Click on a project to view the mini-grant presentation.
The team from Charleston enjoy a hearty lunch provided by the Sterling kitchen staff
Cornhole was a big hit!
VREC Mini Grant Celebration of Learning 2025
Over 70 students and staff from seven schools came together at Sterling College on May 27 for the VREC Annual Celebration of Learning. Students presented their student-led, placed-based learning mini grant projects from this past year. These presentations were the culmination of our mini-grant process that starts in the fall with students pitching grant proposals to a group of their peers and a VREC panel. Students then write and submit their final grants. Awards of $1500 are provided for a wide range of projects. This year, we had several schools address accessibility for outdoor classrooms, nature trails and recreation.
Glover School students present at the Annual Celebration of Learning
Students enjoyed visiting the animals on the Sterling campus
Students enjoy kickball on the Craftsbury Common
Presentations of Completed Projects
View reports of COMPLETED Mini-grants projects:
