KWCF gives out over $250,000 in Grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Lynn Boynton
802.770.8921
lboynton@kwcfgivesback.org



The Killington World Cup Foundation awards over $250,000 in grants to 22 nonprofits across the Northeast 


KILLINGTON, VT. (August 19, 2019) -- The Killington World Cup Foundation (KWCF) formerly the Killington World Cup Committee recently awarded 22 grants totaling $252,000 to Northeast area nonprofits in seven states through a competitive grant opportunity, according to a press release August 19th. KWCF supports programs seeking to increase winter sports participation for youth throughout the Northeast and to improve competition and training infrastructure. Combined with matching funds and multi-year grant commitments, the KWCF’s effort  will contribute more than $400,000 in resources to winter sports infrastructure in the region. 

These grants were made possible as a result of the 2018 Killington Women’s World Cup event.

"The Dublin School Nordic Center is humbled by the Killington World Cup Foundation’s generous grant to support our efforts to provide outstanding cross country skiing free of charge for our surrounding communities,” said Brad Bates, head of the Dublin School in New Hampshire and also head Nordic ski coach. “We have begun the process of adding snowmaking and lights to our FIS homologated race course so that skiers of all ages can have access to skiing during periods when there is little natural snow or daylight. We believe that skiing is a lifelong sport that contributes to healthy and happy communities. We appreciate the Killington World Cup Foundation’s willingness to partner with us in making skiing more accessible to all generations of skiers in New England."

“Our goal is to support those organizations who want to see our young athletes in the Northeast thrive and become life-long participants in winter sports,” said Phill Gross, KWCF board member and U.S. Ski & Snowboard trustee. “It is critical to support these programs in order to encourage and grow participants in winter sports and to support the dreams and aspirations of young athletes. The women on the World Cup circuit are incredible role models, and we are excited to have their visit to Killington for the World Cup lead to an opportunity to grow and enhance winter sports programs in the region.”

The KWCF grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000. Awarded projects include trail expansion and equipment for various racing venues in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and North Carolina, participation scholarships for adaptive, Nordic and alpine programs in Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, a Learn to Ski program in Vermont and Maine; and the expansion of adaptive learn-to-ski programs in Massachusetts, just to name a few.

Funding began June 15, 2019. All awarded projects will begin during the 2019 calendar year and all grant recipients are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or have a fiscal sponsor. 

Grant applications were reviewed by a committee that included: Tiger Shaw, CEO of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard; Tom Karam, founder of T2 Foundation and a U.S. Ski & Snowboard trustee; Tao Smith, Head of School at Killington Mountain School and VARA President; Grace Macomber Bird, Volunteer, Kelly Brush Foundation; Harry Ryan, Facey, Goss & McPhee, P.C.,  John Casella, Chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Management, Kenneth Graham, Founder and Chairman of Inverness Graham and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors and Gross.

“We are grateful to KWCF for their generous grant establishing the KWCF Race Program Scholarship, said Chris Adams, President Woodstock Ski Runners. “This scholarship provides an opportunity that would not otherwise exist for young athletes from our Friday Program to join one of our race programs and experience ski racing in the mid-Vermont council.” 

Willow Clifford was the first KWCF race program scholarship award winner. 

“The amount of growth in Willow’s skiing ability and the friendships she has made surpassed any expectations we had of this experience,” said Emma Clifford, Willow’s mother. It was a joy to witness my daughter complete her first competitive ski race successfully, and from there continue to flourish and enjoy the sport with her team. Willow has become a more confident and capable skier with only one season of the WSR Program under her belt, and that is all thanks to the generosity of the KWCF scholarship and Woodstock Ski Runners,” she added.

A list of all of 2019’s grant recipients as well as details for organizations interested in applying for future KWCF grants can be found at kwcfgivesback.org.

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About the Killington World Cup Foundation

KWCF was created to support the Women's World Cup at Killington and to benefit local and regional youth development programs. KWCF will consider and award grants to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations to facilitate training infrastructure in the Northeast and SARA region (ME/NH/VT/CT/NY/MA/RI/NJ/PA/NC,VA,WV) and to increase participation in competitive winter sports programs throughout the Northeast. Fundraising is a year-round effort, with an emphasis on VIP sponsorships during the 2019 FIS Women’s World Cup at Killington Resort in November. For more information, visit kwcfgivesback.org.


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