Basin Harbor on Lake Champlain - photo ©Carolynbates.com

Nomination Process

Information for our Members:

We strive to help our local community by supporting nonprofits whose primary purpose is charitable service to the community. Our hope is to reach the causes with the greatest need and make an impact for positive change by pooling our resources. Each member can nominate one (1) organization per quarter.

Some organizations will be nominated more than once by different members. The more times a nonprofit is nominated, the more slips of paper go in the hat for the random drawing that takes place a week before the scheduled quarterly meeting. The Steering Committee will blindly pull 3 slips of papers from the hat, those 3 organizations will be notified and a representative of that nonprofit will speak at our meeting. They will share their mission and message with all members who are present.

Once the 3 organizations have been randomly drawn from the hat, we notify our members 2-3 days prior to the quarterly meeting. This way, if anyone wants to look them up and prior to their sharing with us you are welcome to. However, only members present at the meeting (via ZOOM or in person) are allowed to cast a vote. Early or absentee voting is not allowed. After hearing the 3 nonprofits share about their organization and how some of the money would be used in our community, the members present vote for who they would like as the Primary recipient. A few minutes later, we will announce the Primary recipient selected by the members. The proceeds of our combined quarterly donations will be distributed $10,000 to the Primary and the remainder 50%/50% will be divided equally between the other 2 nonprofits who spoke.

As nominations come in, we will list the name of each organization below and if they received multiple nominations, it will be noted in parenthesis . Once they are listed you may click on the nomination name to go to their website and learn about them.

Please scroll down until you reach the NOMINATION FORM, fill it out and submit it!

16th QUARTER NOMINATIONS (For May 1, 2024 Meeting):

(In order of submission)

Prior Nominees - Eligibility Timeline

Since we are donating $10,000 to the Primary recipient and also giving a sizable donation to the other 2 organizations who come and share at the quarterly meetings, we have changed the eligibility timeline for re-nominating those organizations.

*Prior nominees who have come and shared their mission & message with us at a Quarterly Meeting and were voted to be the PRIMARY recipient, may not be re-nominated for 24 quarters (6 years)

The other two organizations who spoke at a quarterly meeting and were not selected as the PRIMARY recipient, may not be re-nominated for 20 quarters (5 years).

ELIGIBILITY LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS:

  • SPECTRUM (JULY 2026)

  • PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND (OCTOBER 2026)

  • SARA HOLBROOK COMMUNITY CENTER (JANUARY 2027)

  • GREEN MOUNTAIN FOSTER BIKES (JANUARY 2026)

  • VERMONT FAMILY NETWORK (APRIL 2027)

  • THE SAFETY TEAM (APRIL 2026)

  • KING STREET CENTER (APRIL 2026)

  • ASSOCIATION OF AFRICANS LIVING IN VERMONT - AALV (JULY 2027)

  • JOINT URBAN MINISTRY - JUMP (JULY 2027)

  • TURNING POINT (OCTOBER 2027)

  • ANEW PLACE (OCTOBER 2026)

  • VERMONT YOUTH ORCHESTRA - VYO (OCTOBER 2026)

  • VT WORKS FOR WOMEN (JANUARY 2028)

  • INCLUSIVE ARTS VERMONT (JANUARY 2027)

  • GIRLS ON THE RUN (JANUARY 2027)

  • US COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS - USCRI (APRIL 2028)

  • CANCER PATIENT SUPPORT FUND (APRIL 2027)

  • NORTHEAST DISABLED ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (APRIL 2027)

  • BOYS & GIRLS CLUB - EARLY PROMISE PROGRAM (JULY 2028)

  • AGE WELL VT (JULY 2027)

  • SAIL BEYOND CANCER (JULY 2027)

  • GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA - EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM (OCTOBER 2028)

  • VERMONT ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM (OCTOBER 2027)

  • CHAMPLAIN COMMUNITY SERVICES (OCTOBER 2027)

  • VERY MEERY THEATER (JANUARY 2029)

  • MILTON ARTISTS’ GUILD (JANUARY 2028)

  • ETHAN ALLEN RESIDENCE (JANURAY 2028)

  • JANET S MUNT FAMILY ROOM (APRIL 2029)

  • FEEDING CHITTENDEN (APRIL 2028)

  • HINESBURG COMMUNITY RESPURCE CENTER (APRIL 2028)

  • INTERVATE CENTER (JULY 2029)

  • VERMONT MAIN STREET FLOOD RECOVERY FUND (JULY 2028)

  • OUTRIGHT VERMONT (OCTOBER 2029)

  • LUND (OCTOBER 2028)

  • VERMONT FRENCH CANADIAN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (OCTOBER 2028)

  • CHITTENDEN ASYLUM SEEKERS ASSISTA NCE NETWORK - CASAN (JANUARY 2030)

  • HELPING & NURTURING DIVERSE SENIORS - HANDS (JANUARY 2029)

  • PATIENT CHOICES VERMONT (JANUARY 2029)

How to Nominate Your Non Profit Organization:

Eligibility Requirements

(Information for the Non-Profit)

To be a potential recipient, an organization must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In general, no schools, booster clubs, political parties, or religious organizations (i.e. churches, synagogues, mosques).

  • In operation for at least three years as of the date of nomination.

  • The organization must be located and serve Chittenden County.

​In addition, all potential recipients must agree to:

  • Complete the Prequalification Form that the Steering Committee will send to you following nomination.

  • Not create, sell or distribute a list with any of our members’ contact information or solicit members for additional contributions, unless an individual member opts-in directly.

  • Provide individual thank you/tax receipts directly to members.

  • Give a brief presentation at the quarterly meeting

Selection Process:

(Completed by the Steering Committee)

  • All potential recipients must have a Nomination Form and an Acceptance Form on file. The Steering Committee will contact and follow up.

  • Three organizations are drawn at random from the potential recipient pool a week prior to each quarterly meeting.

  • Those three organizations will be asked to give a 5 minute presentation during the quarterly meeting followed by a brief Q & A.

  • The members will vote for one of the three presenting organizations by a majority polling system at each quarterly meeting.

Nomination Form

Simply fill out the form below to nominate your chosen nonprofit. The Steering Committee will notify the organization of your nomination and email them the Pre Qualification Form to get them in the pool of recipients.