Killington World Cup Committee Awards More Than $200,000 in Grants

Members of the Killington World Cup Committee (KWCC) recently awarded 16 grants totaling $207,000 to Northeast area nonprofits in seven states through a competitive grant opportunity. KWCC, formed during the women’s World Cup this season at Killington, supports programs seeking to increase winter sports participation for youth throughout the Northeast and assist with competition and training infrastructure.
Combined with matching funds and multi-year grant commitments, the KWCC will bring more than $350,000 in incremental resources to the winter sport infrastructure in the region as a direct result of the 2017 Killington Women’s World Cup event.

“WinterKids is thrilled to receive a grant from the Killington World Cup Committee,” said Executive Director Julie Mulkern. “Funding will allow us to expand on our Nordic program for elementary school kids. Currently, we support immigrant and refugee students in Portland to participate in Portland Nordic’s 12-week XC skiing program. This grant will allow us to expand the program to more rural parts of the state, including northern Maine and the western Mountains where formal cross-country training programs in rural communities do not currently exist. The opportunity to participate in winter sports at a very early age will help these kids to become competitive for their middle school and high school teams, an invaluable experience they would not otherwise get.”

The KWCC received more than 24 grant applications. All awarded projects will begin during the 2018 calendar year, and all grant recipients are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or have a fiscal sponsor. The KWCC grants ranged from $3,000 to $25,000. Awarded projects range from a waxing trailer for a nordic racing program in New York, 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 the addition of 35 children to adaptive learn-to-ski programs in Massachusetts, just to name a few.

“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, KWCC committee 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.”

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, Ryan, Smith & Carbine, Ltd.and John Casella, Chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Management, and Gross. Funding begins June 30, 2018.

“Grant funding from the Killington World Cup Committee will enable Youth Enrichment Services to have a greater impact on young people with disabilities and in Boston’s adaptive community,” said Bryan Van Dorpe, Executive Director. “Our Adaptive YETTI (Youth Excel Through Tailored Instruction) program will provide youth with physical, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities with multiple sessions of downhill skiing and snowboarding as a result of this grant and our matching fund commitment.”

A list of all of 2018’s grant recipients can be found at www.kwccgivesback.org. Organizations interested in applying for future KWCC grant opportunities can find all the details, review the grant guidelines and learn how to apply for the 2019 grant cycle at www.kwccgivesback.org as well.

Release courtesy of Killington World Cup Committee