We are pleased to announce the 2024 WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund Grantees!
One of the many ways WinterKids expands our reach across Maine is by forging strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations. These collaborations are pivotal in advancing our core mission of encouraging children to embrace being active outdoors. A great example of this is the WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund!
The WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund was established to further WinterKids’ mission of getting kids outside and active with funds raised at the annual Downhill 24 event.
For our 3rd year of the WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund, 47 organizations across Maine competed for ten grants totaling $25,000, aimed at helping to get kids outside and active within the communities they serve.
From July 1 to July 31, 2024, an online voting process took place, during which over 6,400 members of the public chose the winners in three distinct categories:
- Maine 501(c)(3) nonprofits
- Maine Public Schools
- Maine Parks and Recreation departments
2024 MAP OF NomineeS
2024 grants to be awarded:
1st Place in each category / $5,000: The top vote-getters in each category will each be awarded a grant of $5,000.
2nd Place in each category / $2,000: The second-place winners in each category will receive a grant of $2,000
3rd Place in each category / $1,000: The third-place winners in each category will receive $1,000.
Honorable Mention / $1,000: One honorable mention has also been selected to receive $1,000.
Final Results: Maine Nonprofits
$5,000 Grantee
Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine, Inc.
Location: Bangor, ME (home office)
County: (funds to serve Hancock/Penobscot)
Est # Impacted: 33
Intended Use: The WinterKids grant will be matched for the Snowbuster program, which is currently only provided in a few rural counties. Funds would allow expansion to Hancock and Penobscot counties. The Snowbuster program provides quality winter outerwear for youth in foster care or living with a kinship caregiver.
Website: https://affm.net/
$2,000 Grantee
Saddleback Maine Community Corps
Location: Rangeley, ME
County: Franklin
Est # Impacted: 120
Intended Use: Enable children in grades 1-8 to get free season-long equipment loans and lift tickets, then participate in Ski Tuesday, Saddleback’s 8-10 weekly 3-hour professionally instructed group ski/ride lessons accompanied by their Community Corps.
$1,000 GRANTEE
Big Rock Mountain
Location: Mars Hill, ME
County: Aroostook
Est # Impacted: 2,200
Intended Use: Purchase skis, boots, poles, helmets, and snowboards to expand the rental fleet that supports the community ‘Ski4Life’ program.
Website: https://www.bigrockmaine.com
Final Results: Maine public schools
$5,000 Grantee
Oak Hill, Gray/New Gloucester, and Lisbon High Schools and Middle Schools
Location: Wales, ME
County: Androscoggin
Est # Impacted: 500
Intended Use: Rent out Lost Valley for a day for their students. This will cover tickets, rental equipment, lessons, and transportation.
Website: https://www.oakhillhigh.info/
$2,000 Grantee
Noble Middle School
Location: Berwick, ME
County: York
Est # Impacted: 350
Intended Use: Purchase skateboards, cross-country skis, sleds, archery resources, and additional outdoor supplies and/or fund transportation costs for hiking, skating, and fishing trips.
Website: https://www.nms.rsu60.org/
$1,000 Grantee
Dirigo Elementary School
Location: Peru, ME
County: Oxford
Est # Impacted: 500
Intended Use: Replace old and worn-out gear for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and purchase pedometers to help students track their activity.
Website: https://www.rsu56.org/o/dirigo-es
Final Results: Maine parks & recreation programs
$5,000 Grantee
Eustis/Stratton Recreation Department
Location: Stratton, ME
County: Franklin
Est # Impacted: 50
Intended Use: Train Water Safety Instructors and purchase lifejackets, safety equipment, and learning tools to create a strong swim lesson and water safety program.
$2,000 Grantee
Biddeford Recreation
Location: Biddeford, ME
County: York
Est # Impacted: 30
Intended Use: Offset the cost of ski programming to make it more accessible to children of all socioeconomic backgrounds and/or purchase additional equipment for seasonal outdoor recreation to allow more children to participate in water programming.
$1,000 Grantee
Easton Recreation
Location: Easton, ME
County: Aroostook
Est # Impacted: 50
Intended Use: Offset costs for their work with a local mountain to provide “ski for life” rates that include rental equipment and lessons for children in their downhill ski program and/or use a portion of the grant to finish groundwork at the public playground.
Website: https://eastonme.com
HONORABLE MENTION
Princeton Playground Committee, a subcommittee of Princeton Parks & Recreation, under The Town of Princeton
Location: Princeton, ME
County: Washington
Est # Impacted: 250
Intended Use: Support the addition of a bay of swings and playground accessories
Congratulations to all of these deserving grantees! We thank ALL of this year’s nominees for their commitment to getting kids outdoors and active, positively impacting the physical and mental well-being of countless children across Maine.
For more information about the WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund, please visit https://winterkids.org/downhill-24/winterkids-downhill-24-outdoor-fund/.
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