Sponsorship

NENSA is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a Killington World Cup Foundation grant in support of our Nordic Rocks program, a low-barrier program developed to introduce a new generation of children in grades K-6 to the excitement found in the sport of cross country skiing. Our KWCF grant helped fund an opportunity last year for 2,642 children in 28 schools across the Northeast to experience skiing during the school day with teachers and classmates and to learn the health and lifestyle benefits associated with exercise and outdoor fun. NENSA’s Nordic Rocks program serves youth in lower income communities, areas with greater demographic diversity, and communities where young people might not otherwise have the opportunity to try cross country skiing. Through collaboration with local ski centers and NENSA clubs, we are creating partnerships and fostering community involvement to provide ongoing and expanded recreational programming for Nordic Rocks skiers. As a result, we have been able to introduce thousands of children to skiing in a fun, safe, and supportive environment and provide connections to and resources from our network of NENSA clubs. These partnerships are key to promoting opportunities, friendships, and more diverse communities.

Funding from KWCF this year will help us significantly expand opportunities to introduce children to the joy of skiing during the school day and beyond. We share the PR from KWCF below – and also our sincere gratitude for the wonderful work they do to grow our sport and our community!

KILLINGTON, VT (June 28, 2023) —The Killington World Cup Foundation (KWCF) has awarded 31 grants totaling $270,000 to Northeast area nonprofits in nine states for the upcoming ski season (23/24). Grant amounts ranged from ~ $1,500 to $18,000, and all recipients are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or have a fiscal sponsor.

The KWCF grants were created with the aim of promoting winter sports and enriching communities. KWCF serves as a steward for this cause by providing financial assistance in various areas. In order to increase diversity and equity in sports, KWCF supports initiatives that focus on creating opportunities for underrepresented groups. This includes initiatives that help remove barriers to entry, such as providing equipment and training opportunities. Additionally, KWCF aims to create new growth opportunities in winter sports by improving safety mechanisms and infrastructure, as well as funding events that promote the sport to a wider audience. By doing so, KWCF hopes to foster a love for winter sports in individuals of all ages and backgrounds, and to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

For instance, Mt. Abram Ski Club (MASC) partnered with Mt. Abram Ski Resort to fund a Youth Community Pass Program (YCPP) available to public school students in Maine. The YCPP provides winter season passes to Mt. Abram for students aged 6 to 18. Although many children live near local ski areas, few have the opportunity to ski or ride without financial assistance. KWCF awarded MASC a grant to provide an even greater number of talented and deserving youth with the chance to learn or continue pursuing their love for skiing and snowboarding. MASC remarks, “The KWCF grant has provided us with the resources needed to provide access to skiing and snowboarding for the youth in western Maine. When children are engaged in outdoor activities they are healthier and happier and become more engaged within their community and their futures.”

Lebanon Outing Club also identified an opportunity to optimize their learning experience: they have a large number of beginner skiers and snowboarders (ages ranging from around 3 years to adulthood) who are just beginning their learning process and have not yet gained the skills to safely and effectively use the surface lift and trails. To address this issue, the club sought to create a safe learning-only area that would be serviced by the installation of a “magic carpet” surface lift. They received a KWCF grant to expand and improve their magic carpet learning program at Storrs Hill Ski Area. The magic carpet will provide affordable options for beginning skiers, expanding safe access at their base area.

Hanover’s Oak Hill is a vital part of the cross-country skiing community in the Upper Valley (NH). The recent trials and tribulations of the global pandemic have only increased interest in promoting a healthy lifestyle through sport. To cater to this increased interest in cross-country skiing, trail lights were requested for the facility. These lights will improve access to the trails for more kids to use after school in an effort to combat the early sundowns typical of New England winters. Further, the elementary and middle schools have direct trail access to the system without even setting foot on a sidewalk or a road. With a KWCF grant, we hope to maximize productive ski hours for the next generation; providing light (no pun intended) for our youth is a key ingredient to make this happen.

KWCF’s contribution towards athletic excellence is also evident through the support of the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA). Currently, 2,642 youths are participating in NENSA’s “NENSA Nordic Rocks introductory youth XC ski program” across 28 schools in the Northeast. The Nordic Rocks (NR) program was developed to introduce a new generation of children in grades K-6 to the joy of cross country skiing. NR provides elementary school students with an opportunity to experience cross country skiing during the school day with their teachers and classmates, usually during PE class, to learn about the health and lifestyle benefits associated with exercise and outdoor fun.

KWCF’s grant supports the funding of NENSA’s Youth & Introductory Program Director (Y&IPD). The Y&IPD organizes and implements the Nordic Rocks (NR) program for NENSA, and supports the Bill Koch Youth Ski League, which is the next-level-up youth ski program.

The Share Winter Foundation aimed to expand its program with the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV) by increasing support to 90 youths by Winter 2024. To support the existing and future programming, they planned to purchase hard and soft goods to alleviate capacity issues and facilitate higher rates of improvement. Last year, AALV staff and youth were new to skiing and the winter sports industry; through the guidance of Share Winter, AALV is currently in year two of their ‘learn to ski/snowboard program’ at Sugarbush, VT, which has been wildly successful. With a KWCF grant contribution, AALV will continue to foster a sustainable future.

At KWCF, we are moved and motivated by the narratives that have been crafted and enriched through our grants. A key factor in this has been our investment in the future of winter sports athletes in the United States. To achieve this, KWCF has provided numerous grants to stakeholders that address youth enrichment, which we understand to be paramount for creating champions. Through our fundraising efforts, we have been able to foster meaningful and tangible change for individuals, their families, and the communities that support them. KWCF recognizes that this effort will be beneficial in a holistic manner. By increasing access and opportunities for participation in winter sports, we can create a deeper pool of athletes competing for the United States of America, ultimately leading to greater success.

A committee consisting of Tiger Shaw, CEO of Wasatch Peaks Ranch Club; Grace Macomber Bird, volunteer at the Kelly Brush Foundation; Harry Ryan, attorney at Facey, Goss & McPhee, P.C.; Victoria Hone, attorney at 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 Phill Gross, Managing Director at Adage Capital Management and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors reviewed grant applications.

To access a list of all 2023 grant recipients, and for details on how to apply for future KWCF grants, please visit kwcfgivesback.org

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. The foundation 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. For more information, visit kwcfgivesback.org

About NENSA:
The New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) is the umbrella organization for Nordic skiing events in the region. We are a member-supported service organization that promotes the culture of cross-country skiing by creating opportunities for youth, athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all levels. NENSA provides the support structure necessary to bring cross-country skiers to their highest potential at regional, national and international events.