This grant from the Canaday Family Charitable Trust can help make efficient home heating projects, like heat pumps, a reality.

The average Vermonter spends $2,447 annually on heating their home. In the Upper Valley, many households spend more than $3,000. This is in part due to the age of our residential buildings. Vermont has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, with a quarter of units built in 1939 or before. Many of these homes are not well insulated and have outdated and inefficient heating systems that run on propane or heating oil. 

To combat these issues, we are thrilled to announce that Sustainable Woodstock has received funding to help residents lower their heating bills and reduce emissions. A two-year grant from The Canaday Family Charitable Trust will enable us to help local, low- and moderate-income residents make their homes more efficient. With this funding, we will:

•  Act as community advocates, guiding residents through weatherization and heating applications and upgrades.
• Conduct education and outreach on programs like SEVCA’s free weatherization program and Efficiency VT’s Home Performance with Energy Star program.
• Provide small grants of up to $2,000 to residents who are planning on an efficient home heating or weatherization upgrade to help make it a reality. These grants are available to residents of: Woodstock, Pomfret, Barnard, Bridgewater, Brownsville, Weathersfield, Killington, Hartland, Plymouth, and Reading.
• Hire an intern to help out at our Window Dressers build Nov 6-12th.

This project will allow us to dedicate one-on-one time to working with residents. This is one of the most important pieces of the grant, because there are many different programs that exist to help residents who are at different income levels, and it can be confusing and overwhelming to figure out the best path forward.

For example, many families who are eligible for free weatherization through the State of Vermont are unaware or do not know how to apply. In our area of VT, Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) runs the no-cost weatherization program. For one person, the income level is $62,580; for a family of two, it is $71,520. Look at the eligibility levels to see limits for larger families. Once you determine that you qualify, you need to fill out an application form that proves you own your home (the program is available for renters, but has some different requirements), and that you make less than the income limit.

The process of applying for free weatherization can be difficult, but Sustainable Woodstock is available to help guide you through the process–and it’s worth the effort. Once accepted, SEVCA will conduct a full energy audit of your home and insulate and air seal the entire building. Common home improvements include attic and wall insulation, weather stripping for doors, and sealing air leaks. On average, the program makes about $10,000 worth of improvements per home, adds about 1,500 square feet of insulation, and reduces drafts by about 40%.

If you don’t qualify for free weatherization, there are other programs available to help weatherize and/or upgrade your home heating system to something more efficient. These upgrades save money, increase comfort, and reduce fossil fuel emissions. We are excited to help fill in the “gaps” that prevent families from following through with these projects.