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Sunshine Fund

Helping Local Communities Thrive

Helping Local Communities Thrive

At Lawson’s Finest, giving back to our communities is at the heart of what we do. Our Sunshine Fund allows Taproom guests to support local nonprofits by donating in lieu of tips. 100% of these gratuities go directly to the current Sunshine Fund recipient “On Tap” with recipients rotating every two weeks. This program helps communities thrive across the Mad River Valley, Washington County, and the state of Vermont, and is a key part of our broader Social Impact Program.

Q4 2026 Sunshine Fund Recipients

Lund helps families all over Vermont so kids can grow up safe, healthy, and loved. Right now, we’re raising support for our one-of-a-kind program where parents can get help with substance use or mental health challenges while living with and caring for their young children.

Steps to End Domestic Violence provides direct service to Chittenden County survivors and their families, and engages in critical education work to prevent violence before it occurs.

Central Vermont Prevention Coalition is a group of community-based public health advocates and health care providers building strong, healthy communities free from the harms of opioids and other substances by collaborating in substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.

FEAST Senior Meals provides over 18,000 nutritious, locally sourced meals each year to seniors and individuals with disabilities in Washington County, prepared in our intergenerational kitchen at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center.

The Mad River Valley Backcountry Coalition (MRVBC) works to build a community around safe and sustainable human-powered wintertime backcountry recreation. MRVBC does this by serving as a voice in land use planning, maintaining trails and glades, promoting environmental awareness, advocating for responsible use, and providing backcountry safety education.

We deliver nutritious, home made meals to the seniors in our communities and at the same time provide a wellness check. Our goal is to keep our senior neighbors active in their community and keep them in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Eligibility & Guidelines

We prioritize organizations serving the Mad River Valley, Washington County, and Vermont that focus on healthy communities, food and economic security, natural resource protection, or sustainable recreation. Applicants must be Vermont 501(c)(3) nonprofits and cannot have received a Sunshine Fund award previously. The Sunshine Fund does not support individuals, scholarships, educational institutions, religious organizations, labor or fraternal groups, or any organizations that discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.

Questions & Notifications

The Sunshine Fund application portal is closed for the 2027 calendar year. Guests and nonprofits can sign up to receive an email notification when the application reopens next summer by filling out the form below. For questions, please contact sunshine@lawsonsfinest.com.

Our Social Impact Program (SIP) Initiatives:

Good Brews for a Cause

collaborative batches for worthwhile causes

Great Place to Work

providing a generous wage and total compensation package to all employees

Green is Grand

greening up for the planet’s health

Sip of Support

providing donations for charitable fundraisers and events

Sunshine Fund

helping local communities thrive

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