In March 2022, the New England Ski Museum’s Cal Conniff Grant program will distribute up to $3,000 in grant funding to support individuals and organizations that align with the Museum’s mission to preserve the history of skiing and winter sports.
The Cal Conniff Grant Program is open to individuals, organizations and educational institutions with an interest in winter sports, such as Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Any group that can demonstrate the need for funding for education related to snow sports, preservation of skiing history, or encouraging participation in skiing and riding is eligible.
The selection process is conducted by the Museum’s Grant Committee on an objective and nondiscriminatory basis. The committee selects applications based on:
- the proposal’s contribution to the preservation of ski or snowboard history;
- the extent to which the project encourages skiing or snowboarding participation;
- the importance of the grant to the success of the proposed program;
- the educational value of the proposal;
- the applicant’s degree of organization in the pursuit of the project.
The application process is informal. Applicants submit a letter that outlines a description of the project, its goals, the audience that it will impact, and the dollar amount requested. Supporting information for the application should include an organizational description or resume including contact name and mailing address, and two letters supporting the merits of the individual or program.
The application deadline is February 17, 2022. Questions or application materials may be e-mailed to staff@skimuseum.org or mailed to:
Cal Conniff Grant Committee
New England Ski Museum
135 Tramway Drive
Franconia, NH 03580-4403
These modest grants are funded with proceeds of the Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Race, held each March at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, New Hampshire. This year the successful applicants will be announced on Friday, March 4, 2022 at the opening reception of the 25th annual Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Race.
Cal Conniff had a distinguished career in the American ski industry, culminating in 16 years as President and Executive Director of the National Ski Areas Association. “Cal Conniff has led the ski industry through the greatest growth period that it will ever see in its evolution”, said Killington founder Preston Smith at the time of Conniff’s retirement. As it happened, much of Conniff’s energy following his retirement benefited the New England Ski Museum, which Conniff served as a director, president, and founder of the Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Race. In recognition of those contributions, in 2006 the ski museum designated its existing grant awards the Cal Conniff Grant program.
What a life! Cal Conniff with Brooke Shields in Sun Valley, 1987.
In 2020, Cal Conniff Grants were awarded to these groups:
The JETS Foundation, Thornton, NH: $500. The Junior Enrichment Through Sports program provides affordable skiing and snowboarding at Waterville Valley for area youth in grades 1 through 8.
The Moretown School Parent Teacher Organization, Moretown, VT: $500. The PTO funds their small winter sports program that offers skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing programs to students at the Moretown Elementary School.
Ski Like a Girl Program, Yawgoo Valley, RI: $500 to support their program that encourages girls to learn to ski with the help of Yawgoo’s female ski coaches.
Franconia Ski Club, Franconia, NH: $500 to create a History Wall in the new Mittersill Performance Center at the base of the Taft Training Slope at Cannon Mountain.
Mount Washington Valley Ski Jumping, North Conway, NH: $500 to support their campaign to add snowmaking to the Kennett High School ski jump hill on the Kancamagus Highway in Conway, NH.
Lebanon Outing Club, Lebanon, NH: $500 to go toward the cost of modern, releasable ski jumping bindings to pair with the modern ski jumping boots that they have recently purchased.