In March 2018, 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 judges applications based on the following:
- 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:
- organizational description or resume, including contact name and mailing address;
- two letters supporting the merits of the individual or program;
- representative photograph for publication if the applicant is successful.
Questions or application materials may be e-mailed to staff@skimuseum.org or mailed to:
Cal Conniff Grant Committee
New England Ski Museum
PO Box 267
Franconia, NH 03580-0267
The deadline for applications is February 16, 2018.
The 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 9, 2018 at the opening reception of the Hannes Schneider Race in Cranmore’s Eating House Restaurant.
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 benefitted 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.
In 2017, Cal Conniff Grant were awarded to these three groups:
The Granite Backcountry Alliance of North Conway, NH received $1,000 to promote the sport of backcountry skiing in New Hampshire and Western Maine. Specifically, the group hopes to restore some former CCC ski trails, and will become the trail adopter of the Doublehead Ski Trail in Jackson. The grant will help with costs of surveying, trail design, signage, tools and other expenses.
Christof Thöny of Bludenz, Austria was awarded $1,000 toward his project named “On skis against Hitler.” This will focus on skiers from Austria who served with the 10th Mountain Division and will result in an internet film and published article in German and English.
The Symonds School Afterschool Ski and Ride Club of Keene, NH received $1,000 to support outdoor winter activity and social opportunity for their student participants. The school sponsors Friday afternoon lessons and skiing and riding at Granite Gorge and Crotched Mountain, and will use the grant to cover the cost of the program for four scholarship students who will benefit from learning to ski or snowboard.