Search Through Grants for Community Service Projects in Vermont in the U.S.

About the Trust

For over 81 years, The Agnes M. Lindsay Trust has been providing financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that help those in need. The Trust's focus areas of giving include Health and Welfare, Dental/Oral Health, Recreational/Camperships (camp scholarships), Education and Homeless Shelters, our newest initiative. Our geographic giving areas include the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Our Priorties

Health and Welfare

Impacting health and welfare organizations with grants that support capital projects for those with special needs, including the blind, deaf, learning disabled, elderly, youth and family service organizations, homeless shelters, and food banks to name a few.  

Dental Health

Expanding our reach to nonprofits that provide free dental clinics, and dental care to low income , needy populations to include children, families and the elderly through capital grants for dental equipment needs and program support.CampershipEnhancing children's lives through camp scholarships that provide a child with an opportunity for a summer camping experience/summer enrichment who would otherwise be unable to attend without this scholarship support.EducationAdvancing education through scholarship support to community colleges and preselected four-year colleges and universities to needy students from rural areas. Grants are awarded directly to the institutions who select recipients based on the Trust's criteria.  The Trust is not accepting any unsolicited requests from community colleges, 4-year colleges or universities at this time. Homeless SheltersResponding to the needs and demands placed on homeless shelters due to socioeconomic factors that impact individuals due to unemployment, addiction, behavioral disorders and other circumstances. We strive to work together to end homelessness. Capital and operating support grants are available.Food Banks/ Food PantryRecognizing the escalating need placed on food pantries and food banks due to inflation and the increased costs of food and basic necessities, we are committed to working with organizations to eliminate food insecurity and are dedicated to making a lasting impact by providing support through capital and operating grants.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Green Mountain Fund

The Green Mountain Fund was established at the Vermont Community Foundation in 1993 to support charitable activities in Lamoille County. Grantmaking has since been expanded to include Orleans County and neighboring communities and counties.

Grant Size

The Green Mountain Fund makes grants ranging from $500-$5,000.

The Vermont Community Action Teams (CATs) offer general or project support within the broad guidelines and funding provided by the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. Every month, the CATs make small grants, generally under $2,000, to various local, community-based Vermont non-profit programs and community celebrations. In addition to making small grants, the CATs plan community service projects for all employees at their sites.

Applications for the Vermont Community Action Teams may be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a monthly basis.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

About the Foundation

The mission of the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation is to improve the access to, and the quality of, oral health care and education for the public and the dental communities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. This mission is in harmony with the mission of Northeast Delta Dental to increase access to oral health education and dental services.

Delta Dental Plans of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont jointly do business as Northeast Delta Dental. The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation is funded by each of these companies and many businesses and individuals who appreciate and support our oral health mission.

The Foundation holds a golf tournament annually to spotlight the Foundation’s oral health mission and raise funds. We appreciate sponsors and participants. Gifts to the Foundation are welcomed at any time.

Healthy Smiles

The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation is on a mission to improve the education, quality and access to oral health care throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Foundation funds directly engage the people in our communities and create a powerful impact.

Award Objectives

Award objectives will concentrate on supporting the following types of oral health initiatives:

• Educational programs enhancing the awareness of good oral health, with particular focus on children, the elderly, the indigent, or other populations with identified oral health needs.
• Oral health care programs that are preventive in nature and are aimed at decreasing the incidence, prevalence, and severity of dental disease.
• Dental clinics or centers established as a 501(c)(3) or Federally Qualified Health Center working to make oral health care more accessible and affordable to people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Most typically, this takes the form of helping with the costs of equipment and dental supplies.
• The education of dental health professionals through scholarships and the continuing education of dental health professionals through financial support, particularly to enhance the availability and retention of such dental health professionals in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
• Research efforts that will improve oral health by enhancing the art and science of dentistry, address an oral health disease or issue impacting one or more of our states, or that will lay a sound groundwork for oral health initiatives.
• Improve dental health workforce through scholarship and loan repayment programs.

Award Frequency and Amount

Typically, grants are awarded for one year, and an organization receives no more than one grant a year. Applications for additional years must be submitted annually, accompanied with an annual outcomes report.

Grants of more than $5,000 are less typical than those most often awarded by the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation. Especially as the amount of the grant for which the applicant is applying increases, the expectation is that the information required during the application process will be well documented and detailed, with particular attention to how the Foundation will be recognized for its financial support.

The primary purpose of the Canaday Family Charitable Trust is to encourage and support not-for-profit organizations that work in Vermont to improve the lives of children and families, promote environmental conservation and education, and reduce economic and racial inequality. The foundation seeks to fund innovative programs with clear, measurable goals for creating unique and significant improvements in the lives of children and in the environment.

The Trustees favor programs that advance the following Canaday Family values:

• Making a difference
• Having a measurable impact
• Sustainability
• Building knowledge, skills, & values
• Promoting self-sufficiency
• Advancing racial equity

Fields of Interest

Children And Youth Services

• Grant areas include, but are not limited to, children’s education, health, housing, and insofar as it is in keeping with the Trust’s charitable nature, advocacy for children. Projects may directly benefit Vermont children, or might engage in public education on children’s issues or in research to identify, characterize, and measure children’s needs.

Environment

• Grant areas include, but are not limited to, quality of land, water, and air, land use, waste disposal, biodiversity, sustainability, community involvement, and education.
• Vermont already has some of the most stringent environmental laws in the country; research into non-regulatory means of achieving environmental goals is encouraged.

Economic Opportunity

• Consistent with its support for programs that benefit Vermont’s children, the Trust’s newest area of interest makes grants to programs that increase the standard of living for Vermont families.
• This has included job training programs, community organizing for affordable health care, and programs that encourage affordable housing and development. Programs supported share the Trust’s value of responsible environmental stewardship

The trustees have established a set of informal guidelines:

• When a project has activities partly inside and partly outside of Vermont (for example, the project’s boundaries are watershed-driven, as opposed to political), we will consider funding the Vermont portion of the project, but other funding must be found for the non- Vermont portion.
• We provide operating funding for existing organizations by invitation only. Proposals for funding for capital purchases (e.g., equipment) are considered.
• We are open to experimental projects even when a successful outcome is not assured, provided the impact of the projects is significant.
  • We believe that a failed project that discovers why it failed may in the long run be more valuable than a successful project that learns nothing from its success.
• Specificity, clarity, and brevity are encouraged.
• A proposal for a school curriculum project should identify teachers, administrators, parents, and others who have requested and will be prepared to support the project.
• Familiarity with programs previously funded by the Canaday Family Charitable Trust is assumed and proposals for similar work should explain how that work expands or improves previously-funded work.
  • For example, proposals for restorative justice programs should incorporate the policy work by Voices for Vermont’s Children in this area.
• We provide operating funding for existing organizations by invitation only.
  • Proposals for funding for capital purchases (e.g., equipment) are considered.

Our Funding Focus

The Turrell Fund supports:

• Increasingly strong focus on early childhood, prenatal-3.
• Within prenatal-3, we have increased our funding to policy and advocacy initiatives.
• Additional focus areas include:
  • Arts and music education
  • K-12 education
  • Direct social services for children and families

Early Childhood (0-3)

Early investments open up a lifetime of potential and opportunity

Healthy development for children ages 0-3 provides the building blocks for strong communities, lifelong health, and educational and career success. This period represents a time of incredible growth and potential for young children and families. Early relationships with caregivers can promote healthy development and encourage early literacy for infants and toddlers.

In addition, early experiences, positive and negative, impact the developing brain and make it vital that we address issues societal and racial disparities, support the whole family, and treat caregivers and early educators as equal partners in widespread social change.

K-12 Education

A solid, high-quality K-12 education is essential for long-term college and career success, as well as for general well-being and personal growth.

We know that students succeed when teachers have real-time support; schools are well-resourced; and schools take a compassionate, strengths-based approach to engaging kids. We want all students to gain entry to college or career training programs, and to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their entire educational experience. To create upward mobility for children, we need to improve and align the institutions that serve them.

Music & Arts

At the Turrell Fund, we believe that music and the arts change lives

Learning an instrument, developing artistic skills, and being part of a community of practice instills self-esteem and new pathways for connecting with others. We believe the potent benefits of arts education extend past the early years for children and families across the age range. All children, regardless of socioeconomic background or zip code, deserve access to high-quality arts education opportunities.

Social Services

Direct services are essential to providing support to children and families who need them.

From shelters, to food banks, to mental health services, these programs improve the well-being of individuals in their communities and respond to all types of need.

Every family is entitled to nutritious food, high-quality early care, compassionate healthcare, diapers, and every resource necessary to give their children a strong start. Ultimately, these services promote equity and opportunity in communities, providing a safe space for individuals to garner expert support and overcome hardship.

Systems Change

Systemic racism, entrenched poverty, and flawed policy decisions punish BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) families, stifle social mobility, and hold our communities back.

We fight alongside our partners to ensure access to high-quality, affordable child care, enhanced pediatric care, and trauma-informed service delivery. We also work to ensure equity and compassion in the child welfare system.

What does this program do?

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

What kind of funding is available?

There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.

How may funds be used?

Enterprise grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:

• Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports or producer service improvements.
• Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
• Pollution control and abatement.
• The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
• Distance adult learning for job training and advancement.
• Rural transportation improvement.
• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Opportunity grants can be used for:

• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

What funding is available for Vermont?

There is no maximum grant amount for the program; however, due to the limited amount of Vermont's allocation, we ask that applications within the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont (Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans) a designated Rural Economic Area Partnership zone, be limited to no more than $100,000. For applications outside the NEK (all other counties in the state of Vermont) be limited to no more than $30,000; smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost-sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.

What does this program do?

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue. 

What kind of funding is available?

There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.

How may funds be used?

Enterprise grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:

• Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports or producer service improvements.
• Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
• Pollution control and abatement.
• The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
• Distance adult learning for job training and advancement.
• Rural transportation improvement.
• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Opportunity grants can be used for:

• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

About the NBRC

The Northern Border Regional Commission is a Federal-State partnership for economic and community development in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Each year, the NBRC provides Federal funds for critical economic and community development projects throughout the northeast. These investments lead to new jobs being created and leverages substantial private sector investments.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Northern Border Regional Commission is to catalyze regional, collaborative, and transformative community economic development approaches that alleviate economic distress and position the region for economic growth.

Program Priorities

The Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. NBRC encourages projects that take a creative approach to addressing an economic need or opportunity in the region, alleviate economic distress, and contribute to economic growth.

Successful projects support a broad range of economic development initiatives such as, but not limited to, projects that modernize and expand access to public water and wastewater services, revitalize transportation infrastructure, establish workforce development programs and facilities, grow the outdoor recreation economy, and provide access to new childcare and healthcare facilities.

Consumer Financial Education Fund

The Consumer Financial Education Fund supports projects that relate to consumer financial education, with an emphasis on issues related to just and equitable banking, basic banking, financial literacy, access to financial services, retail banking accounts, and underbanked and/or vulnerable populations. 

Funding

It is expected that most proposals will be for 12-month grant periods; however, multi-year proposals are encouraged where appropriate. The maximum grant amount is $100,000, even for multi-year proposals.

The Vermont Arts Council is offering a funding opportunity to communities poised to integrate works of public art into upcoming infrastructure projects. The Council seeks proposals for projects that provide opportunities for artists to engage with the community in the design and/or fabrication of permanent or temporary public art for an interior or exterior site that is accessible and open to the public.

The Animating Infrastructure program is designed to foster partnerships between communities and artists. The intent is to enhance a sense of community pride and identity, foster social connections, and improve the livability and vibrancy of Vermont communities, downtowns, villages, and neighborhoods. Through the development and installation of site-specific works of public art, Vermont communities can reflect their vision, values, and creative spirit.

For this program’s purpose, the Arts Council’s definition of infrastructure is broad and includes community facilities and services such as buildings, trails, water or sewer systems, roads, power systems, parks, and more. Functional components of infrastructure such as sidewalks, railings, benches, walls, signs, stairs, tree grates, fences, water fountains, and more in the built and/or natural environment have the potential for artistic enhancement that creates unique places where people want to live, work, visit, and play.

A panel will review the project pitches and select a small number of applicants to invite to submit full proposals. The Arts Council will award funds to four to six projects that demonstrate a collaborative process that sparks a creative, lively integration of public art into existing or proposed community infrastructure projects. For the funded projects, the Council will provide guidance to the grantee in the artist selection process and assist in outreach to Vermont artists. The community will be responsible for implementation. Grantees will be asked to document their process and product through stories, photos, videos, models, etc.

Funds will be awarded for:

Public Art Design($5,000 maximum): Grant funds may be used to conduct a process to select an artist(s) or to work with an already identified artist for your public art project. The grant should support the artist(s) fees to design the artwork and to engage the community.

Public Arts Implementation ($15,000 maximum): Grant funds may be used to support an artist in the fabrication and installation of public art for a previously designed project.

Couch Family Foundation

The mission of the Couch Family Foundation is to be a catalyst for change in the lives of children and their families by creating quality and equitable opportunities to help them learn, thrive, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

The Couch Family Foundation partners with organizations serving the Upper Valley Region of New Hampshire and Vermont. We support people and programs working to improve children’s health and well-being, early learning and development, family resiliency, and community vibrancy.

Cherished Communities: Upper Valley and Martha’s Vineyard

Given the Couch Family has deep ties to the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire (Grafton and Sullivan Counties) and Vermont (Orange and Windsor Counties) and the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, the Foundation prioritizes nonprofits serving these localities that are focused on ensuring child and family well-being and promoting healthy communities. 

Furthermore, the Foundation provides grants in these cherished communities to organizations that align with its mission, have demonstrated impact and strong leadership, implement a collaborative approach to community change, and a focus on racial equity and justice.

Within this priority, the strategy is to strengthen organizational capacity and services to:

• Enhance early childhood (Prenatal-5 years) through early learning and development, health and mental health, and family support services to promote the well-being of young children and their families.
• Nurture vibrant communities to fulfill a significant community need, address an emerging issue and/or promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Eligibility Parameters

The Foundation prioritizes grants to organizations that have strong leadership, deep community relationships, a collaborative approach to community building and that have demonstrated focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

The Foundation provides the following types of grant support:  

• Unrestricted (i.e., General Operating)
• Project
• Capital
• Event Sponsorships

Please note for Capital Support and Event Sponsorship, contact a member of the Foundation staff prior to applying for support. The Foundation only considers such applications that are closely aligned with the Foundation’s mission and priorities. Event Sponsorships are only supported for organizations that have an established relationship with the Foundation.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Background

Through its grant making, the Windham Foundation seeks to support organizations concerned with the needs and quality of life of Vermonters. Those organizations include, but are not limited to, those dealing with:

• Agriculture, Food, Land, and the Natural World. Examples include: cultivation of food; food security; food processing and distribution; healthy forests and streams; conservation; climate change adaptation.
• Arts, Culture, and Education. Examples include: community arts; enhanced learning; mentoring; historic places and preservation.
• Preserving and Developing Resilient Communities. Examples include: economic development; workforce development; job readiness
• Healthy and Vibrant Communities. Examples include: wellness; housing; outdoor activities; health access; senior programs

In making decisions, the Foundation will look at an organization's competence in the proposal area and its track record, the stability of its financial base and fundraising strategies, the strength of its leadership and the long-term viability of the program in question.

• Approximately $65,000 in grants will be awarded each quarter.
• An organization should apply for no more than three consecutive years of funding. After three years, the organization should take at least one year off.
• Grant amounts rarely exceed $10,000 with an average of $2,500-$5,000
• Project collaboration with other non-profit organizations, where applicable, is strongly encouraged.
• A project budget, financial statement, and list of funding or anticipated funding of $1000 or more is required.
• The Windham Foundation reserves the right to request a recent audit of a grantee organization.
• Grant recipients of $5,000 or more will be expected to report back to The Windham Foundation on the success of project implementation.

The types of proposals the Foundation funds are wide ranging. They include operational support, special initiatives, capacity building, matching and challenge grants. Support for operations will be considered where it strengthens organizational capacity.

Our Purpose

Innovative ideas, multi-sector partners, and creative solutions. At HRiA, we improve population health by catalyzing social change within and among individuals, institutions and communities.

As a public health institute, a belief and commitment to equity is central to our work. We believe that good health is a right, not a privilege. So, how do we as a society attain health equity? How do we ensure health and safety in the places where we live, work, and play? How do we ensure equitable access to information, fair distribution of resources, adequate investment in biomedical research, and empowerment of citizens? This is our work.

For HRiA, health equity is where population health, policy, research, and practice come together. We work at the junction of these approaches helping clients and funders in private philanthropy; local, state, and federal government; community organizations; and health care systems address and solve some of the nation’s most fundamental health challenges.

Our Vision

A world where social conditions and equitable resources foster healthy people in healthy communities.

Our Mission

To help people live healthier lives and create healthy communities through prevention, health promotion, policy and research.

Fanny Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund

The Fanny Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund (the Holt Fund) was created at Edna Louise Holt’s instructions, and established in 2000, with Bank of America as the Trustee. Miss Holt and her sister were longtime residents of Grafton, Vermont; they held a deep and abiding concern for the health and well-being of the residents in the communities where they lived. The Fund’s objective is to meet the health and medical needs of Grafton, Vermont and surrounding towns with primary consideration given to Grace Cottage Hospital. The Trustee has contracted with Health Resources in Action to support the charitable purpose of the Holt Fund.

To date, the Holt Fund has invested more than $18.7 million in programs to improve community health outcomes in Grafton, Vermont and surrounding towns. The 2025-2026 grant application process is Open for Traditional and Housing grant opportunities.

Grant Category

Traditional:

• Small Grants – Applicants may apply for single-year grants of up to $15,000 for discrete projects or programmatic expenses. Applicants must complete the parts of the online application required for small grants.
• Large Grants – Applicants may apply for single- or multi-year requests (up to three years) of over $15,000 for program or project support, operating expenses (for organizations with annual budgets less than $1 million), or capital support.

Housing Initiative: 

• Established in 2019 in response to community input and demonstrated need to invest in initiatives or projects related to housing as a social determinant of health.
• Applicants may apply for a single- or multi-year request (up to three years), up to $100,000 per year

Our Purpose

Innovative ideas, multi-sector partners, and creative solutions. At HRiA, we improve population health by catalyzing social change within and among individuals, institutions and communities.

As a public health institute, a belief and commitment to equity is central to our work. We believe that good health is a right, not a privilege. So, how do we as a society attain health equity? How do we ensure health and safety in the places where we live, work, and play? How do we ensure equitable access to information, fair distribution of resources, adequate investment in biomedical research, and empowerment of citizens? This is our work.

For HRiA, health equity is where population health, policy, research, and practice come together. We work at the junction of these approaches helping clients and funders in private philanthropy; local, state, and federal government; community organizations; and health care systems address and solve some of the nation’s most fundamental health challenges.

Our Vision

A world where social conditions and equitable resources foster healthy people in healthy communities.

Our Mission

To help people live healthier lives and create healthy communities through prevention, health promotion, policy and research.

Fanny Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund

The Fanny Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund (the Holt Fund) was created at Edna Louise Holt’s instructions, and established in 2000, with Bank of America as the Trustee. Miss Holt and her sister were longtime residents of Grafton, Vermont; they held a deep and abiding concern for the health and well-being of the residents in the communities where they lived. The Fund’s objective is to meet the health and medical needs of Grafton, Vermont and surrounding towns with primary consideration given to Grace Cottage Hospital. The Trustee has contracted with Health Resources in Action to support the charitable purpose of the Holt Fund.

To date, the Holt Fund has invested more than $18.7 million in programs to improve community health outcomes in Grafton, Vermont and surrounding towns.

Grant Categories

Traditional:

• Small Grants – Applicants may apply for single-year grants of up to $15,000 for discrete projects or programmatic expenses. Applicants must complete the parts of the online application required for small grants.
• Large Grants – Applicants may apply for single- or multi-year requests (up to three years) of over $15,000 for program or project support, operating expenses (for organizations with annual budgets less than $1 million), or capital support.

Program Overview

For the purpose of the Holt Fund, the term “medical needs” encompasses a broad range of activities including but not limited to: the social determinants of health (i.e., housing, education, food access, etc.); the provision of chronic, acute and long-term care services; diagnostic screening; emergency medical services; community-based prevention and health promotion activities; treatment; and health education efforts.

The Holt Fund makes grants on an annual basis to support programs and organizations that: seek to address health inequities within the Holt service area; improve access to care, particularly for vulnerable populations; and focus on prevention, health education, intervention, treatment, evaluation, and a personalized approach to care. In addition, the Holt Fund supports grants to build the organizational capacity of individual organizations or partnerships that provide health and medical services within the Holt catchment area.

Selection Critera

Applications to the Fanny Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund will be reviewed based on the following criteria for all grant categories:

• Adherence to the mission of the Holt Fund
• Significance of need
• Demonstration of how approach addresses health inequities for population(s) served
• Evidence that approach is feasible and appropriate to the proposal’s aims
• Ability of applicant to measure impact of grant funds on proposed need
• Evidence that the outcomes are well-conceived, realistic and measurable
• Ability of applicant to demonstrate sufficient experience and capacity to conduct program/project
• Use of collaborative approach(es) where appropriate

In addition, Large Grant requests will also be reviewed on the following criteria:

• Likelihood that the proposed program/project will have a lasting impact on the need
• Ability of the applicant to sustain the program/project once Holt funding ends

About the Vermont Community Foundation

We are a collective of more than 1,000 funds and foundations, created by Vermonters to fulfill their charitable aspirations. We are proud to support our nonprofit partners with nonprofit reserve and endowment funds, planned giving partnerships, grants, and integrated capital.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Equitable & Inclusive Communities

The Vermont Community Foundation supports Vermont villages, towns, and cities that close the opportunity gap by supporting local efforts to foster inclusion and belonging for people of all races and backgrounds.

We recognize the powerful leadership roles that local governments can play in removing structural barriers and building a more inclusive and diverse state, and want to support communities in fulfilling that potential.

This grant program, which was developed in cooperation with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns and Vermont’s Office of Racial Equity, is intended to support communities participating in the IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Action, and Leadership) Vermont program.

The vision we hope to advance with this grant program is a Vermont where:

• All people feel connected to their communities, and do not feel afraid to visit, live, or conduct business in certain towns because of a reputation for exclusion, intolerance, or bias, nor because of a person’s own appearance.
• Businesses and local governing bodies can easily recruit or be led by people who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) because they feel safe and supported as members of the community.
• Educators, students, local leaders, and families have tools and resources to handle issues of discrimination, exclusion, intolerance, or bias as soon as they happen.
• It doesn’t matter how long someone has lived here to be considered a part of the community.

Grant Size

This program will award grants of up to $10,000 for an 18-month project period.

Program Overview

FThe purpose of this grant is to expand farm to school and early childhood programming in Vermont by amplifying innovative work in individual school communities, strengthening farm to school support services, and reaching underserved school and early childhood communities. Strong proposals will improve child nutrition, enhance educational experiences, and connect youth with the land, local farms and their local community.

Proposals will address specific challenges related to the interconnections between agriculture, nutrition, community and health. Applicants will be required, using qualitative and/or quantitative evidence, to identify a challenge impacting their community. Applicants will then need to demonstrate how they seek to address that challenge through their proposed farm to school project.

Strong proposals will give opportunities for youth to learn about and engage with contemporary issues impacting agriculture, health, and Vermont youth. Examples include, but are not limited to: climate change resilience, farm viability, food security, food sovereignty, health and nutrition equity, and racial and social equity.

Strong proposals will build partnerships between schools and community partners, including farms and non-profit organizations. Strong proposals will include at least one committed organizational partner and a qualified project team.

A total of $275,000 is available through this competitive funding opportunity. The minimum award is $10,000 and the maximum award is $60,000. No matching funds are required for this grant.

Strong proposals will:

• Clearly articulate the problem they seek to address
• Engage multiple community stakeholders
• Demonstrate a high likelihood of success
• Demonstrate an ability for the project to be easily scaled and/or replicated
• Demonstrate the likelihood of continued impact beyond the grant period

Our Foundation

Since 2003, our annual Claremont Savings Bank Foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $2,700,000 to local non-profit organizations for a wide range of charitable initiatives. These grants, which typically range from $500 to $5,000 each, help to ensure the success of local programs and projects that benefit all of us as members of the community.

Each year we award grants to help ensure the success of charitable programs and projects dedicated to the betterment of the communities we serve.

Claremont Savings Bank Foundation Grant

Claremont Savings Bank Foundation makes grants one time each year to local non-profits that significantly enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in the communities that we serve. These grants are in addition to the bank’s regular contributions and the extraordinary volunteer efforts by our employees.

The sizes of our grants generally range from $500 to $5,000. Applicants may apply for amounts outside of these guidelines if documentation supports the nature of the request.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

History 

Walter Cerf was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1907. The son of a successful businessman, he spent most of his youth in Berlin. He attended university in Freiburg, Heidelburg, and elsewhere before being awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Bonn in 1933. In 1936, he relocated to the United States and in 1941, he earned a second Ph.D. in philosophy at Princeton University. After becoming a United States citizen, he served in military intelligence with the 35th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1947, he began a twenty-five year career as a Professor of Philosophy at Brooklyn College. He retired to his summer home in Leicester, Vermont in 1972.

Although his father’s business, Gesellschaft für Eigentumsschutz, a night security agency, was expropriated by the Nazis in 1938, one-half of the company was returned to the family after World War II. In 1987, Mr. Cerf sold his interest in the company. During the last twenty years of his life, Walter Cerf made gifts exceeding $10 million to more than 100 different organizations in Vermont. At his death in 2001, a permanent endowment, the Walter Cerf Community Fund, was established at the Vermont Community Foundation. The Fund will make grants annually in Walter’s name and will continue the generosity of this remarkable man in perpetuity.

Grant Size

Large Grant Eligibility:

• Project/program specific
• From organizations in or serving the Addison County/Brandon area
• Up to $25,000

What does the WCCF Fund support?

The Walter Cerf Community Fund (WCCF) makes grants to address charitable needs in the state of Vermont.

Priority interests are the:

• arts,
• education,
• historic preservation, and
• social services, reflecting the pattern of giving established by Mr. Cerf over many years.

We highly value the input of the Preservation Trust and strongly encourage grant seekers for historic preservation projects to consult with the Trust before submitting an application.  Approximately 70% of funds available will be awarded to programs and projects in and/or serving the Addison County/Brandon area; the remaining 30% of available funds will support programs and projects serving a statewide constituency. The Fund will consider both small ($500-$5,000) and large (up to $25,000) grant requests, but will only award one to two large (up to $25,000) grants.

Organizations applying for a small grant are invited to request program/project support or general operating support. Requests for the large grant must be program/project-specific and must be from organizations serving Addison County or Brandon.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Walter Cerf Community Fund 

Walter Cerf was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1907. The son of a successful businessman, he spent most of his youth in Berlin. He attended university in Freiburg, Heidelburg, and elsewhere before being awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Bonn in 1933. In 1936, he relocated to the United States and in 1941, he earned a second Ph.D. in philosophy at Princeton University. After becoming a United States citizen, he served in military intelligence with the 35th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1947, he began a twenty-five year career as a Professor of Philosophy at Brooklyn College. He retired to his summer home in Leicester, Vermont in 1972.

Although his father’s business, Gesellschaft für Eigentumsschutz, a night security agency, was expropriated by the Nazis in 1938, one-half of the company was returned to the family after World War II. In 1987, Mr. Cerf sold his interest in the company. During the last twenty years of his life, Walter Cerf made gifts exceeding $10 million to more than 100 different organizations in Vermont. At his death in 2001, a permanent endowment, the Walter Cerf Community Fund, was established at the Vermont Community Foundation. The Fund will make grants annually in Walter’s name and will continue the generosity of this remarkable man in perpetuity.

Grant Size

Small Grant Eligibility:

• Project/program specific
• General operating funds
• From organizations in or serving the Addison County/Brandon area
• From organizations serving a statewide constituency
• $500 - $5,000

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Northeast Kingdom Fund

The Northeast Kingdom Fund is a permanent philanthropic resource that makes annual grant awards to support the people and communities of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties.

For the Kingdom, by the Kingdom.

The fund was established in 2011 by the Community Foundation and local partners with the strong belief that this region exemplifies the best of Vermonters’ aspirations for their communities, and through its annual grantmaking, offers opportunities for people in the Kingdom to help each other.

More than 90 nonprofits, municipalities, and schools in the region have received grants from the fund since 2012. A committee of local residents carefully reviews all proposals and chooses the grant recipients. This is the philanthropic equivalent of the “buy local” movement—philanthropy for the Kingdom and by the Kingdom. In most cases, grants are awarded to small-scale projects where a modest philanthropic investment makes a big difference. In some cases, more established organizations are also included in the awards. In all cases, grantees must demonstrate that their projects are led by Kingdom residents and support people living in the three counties.

The fund’s assets are invested by the Foundation to support the region’s current needs while providing resources for future generations to address emerging needs. Five percent of these assets are invested in Vermont, including the Northeast Kingdom.

 Grant Size

The Northeast Kingdom Fund funds grants up to $5,000. We continue to value small, community-based projects and intend to fund a range of grant types and sizes.

About VCTF

Our Mission

The Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation promotes the well-being of children and families in Vermont by raising funds for community-based prevention programs.

Ensuring that every child in Vermont has a fair chance at success is what drives our work. The money raised by the Foundation supports community-based prevention programs, a ground up approach to making sure children are safe and secure, they make wise choices, they are prepared to be good students, and are encouraged to feel good about themselves.   

Funds are granted to programs that meet the following outcomes:

• Vermont’s families are safe, nurturing, stable, and supported.
• Vermont’s children and young people achieve their potential.

Examples of the types of programs supported by VCTF include:

• After-school programs
• High quality child care and preschool
• Literacy initiatives
• Parenting education
• Mentoring programs
• Teen Centers
• Substance abuse prevention programs

Special Program or Project Grant

The Vermont Children's Trust Foundation is pleased to offer a special program or project grant in the amount of $50,000 to a non-profit organization serving Vermont Children.

We seek to fund a well-conceived, primary prevention program or project, conceptualized locally.  A successful grant application shall clearly explain how a community need will be addressed and how the children served will benefit.  We will consider construction projects.

The Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation supports primary prevention programs, serving children ages 0-18. We fund prevention programs or projects aimed to reduce the likelihood of juvenile delinquency, truancy, substance abuse, child abuse and other socially destructive behaviors before intervention by authorities, through strength-based activities in a community-based setting.  The program or project shall:

• Affirm and promote positive family functioning;
• Work to positively impact societal forces that affect parents, children and youth;
• Strive for coordinated and effective youth services, including service to at-risk youth
• Advance the equity and inclusion of underrepresented populations you serve.

Adelard A. and Valeda Lea Roy Foundation Grant

The AV Roy Foundation has historically supported a broad range of organizations working in the areas of arts and culture, churches, education, environmental education, food access, health, land trusts, museums, and social services. The Trustees prioritize grants serving greater Boston and underserved rural and urban communities in Massachusetts, with some additional grantmaking in other areas of Northern New England.

In an effort to ensure that applications to the Foundation closely match current giving priorities, the Trustees will give priority to Massachusetts and Northern New England applicants focused on the following:

• Environment: requests focused on land conservation, in particular projects close to completion and projects resulting in easements held by accredited land trusts; environmental education; and climate change
• Health and Welfare: basic human needs (with priority given to food security and housing); hospice and home health care
• Arts and Culture: in particular, arts access and education for disadvantaged, elderly, or youth populations, and historic preservation
• Education: schools serving youth from low income backgrounds, including independent schools
• Churches providing basic needs support and other social services programming, as well as capital needs for facilities or historic preservation

Funding

Grants typically range from $2,500 to $10,000. In 2023, the average grant was $3,800. The Trustees anticipate a slightly higher average grant size this year, and fewer grants in total.

Autism Community Impact Grant

The Flutie Foundation recognizes not-for-profit organizations who share our mission to help individuals and families with autism live life to the fullest. For our 2023 Autism Community Impact Grant, we will continue granting these organizations with a particular emphasis on supporting traditionally under-served, under-funded, culturally diverse communities.

Our Autism Community Impact Grant cycle will consider requests that will help fund programs and projects showing potential to make an IMMEDIATE impact in the community and align with the Flutie Foundation priorities as stated in our Seven Key Dimensions described below. We especially encourage organizations with programs serving those most profoundly affected by autism to apply and share their stories.

Grant Funding Priorities

Work/School

Providing a path for educational opportunities, vocational skills programs, employment, housing, transportation and healthcare delivery for individuals on the autism spectrum.   

Active/Social

Support for recreational and sports programs, aquatic programs, social skills training, family events and summer camps for all individuals on the autism spectrum.

Safe/Supported/Informed

Funding for community organizations and schools who are providing vital resources and actively assisting individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families through advocacy programs, diagnostic and clinical services, direct family support, safety equipment, emergency care, respite services and other opportunities that will enhance the quality of life for those affected.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. We are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. We provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make your giving easy and inspiring. Together, our funds and programs put more than $60 million a year to work in Vermont and beyond, through grants and investments.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont.

Hills Fund

The Hills Fund was established at the Vermont Community Foundation in 2003 to support educational opportunities, children and families, and efforts that foster the future sustainability of Poultney and its nearby communities. 

Grant Size

Hills Grants ($1,501 - $7,500)

The larger grants from the Hills Program consider projects that address long-standing local needs as well as immediate situations. We encourage fresh ideas that engage Poultney residents in their planning and implementation. Special attention is given to proposals where our grant will leverage additional dollars and resources for the project from the community.

About the Vermont Community Foundation

We are a collective of more than 1,000 funds and foundations, created by Vermonters to fulfill their charitable aspirations.

Our Mission

Better Together: Inspiring giving and bringing together people and resources to make a difference in Vermont. 

Nonprofit Capacity Building

The Nonprofit Capacity Building grant program supports consultant fees for nonprofit organizational capacity building work.

To do great work, nonprofits and municipalities need clear plans for strategic and financial sustainability. High-level planning takes time and resources, which can be a challenge for many nonprofits on limited or restricted budgets. The Nonprofit Capacity Building grant program supports proposals for planning work that helps build your organization’s capacity.

Grants will be no more than $5,000 each and will support the cost of consultants for the activities described below. These grants are meant to supplement other funding, as we understand that this amount is typically not enough to cover the full cost of providing these services. In the project budget, please show the additional revenue sources to be used for this work, both pending and secured. We welcome the use of these funds as challenge grants to secure the additional funds.

This grant program is for organizations with yearly operating budgets under $1 million. We prioritize applications from organizations with yearly operating budgets under $250,000.

What We Fund

The program will fund activities to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of nonprofit organizations. Here are some examples of what the program will fund:

• Strategic planning initiatives to clarify mission, goals, and performance measures
• Financial sustainability planning, including diversification of revenue streams, and enhanced fundraising and development skills, plans, or activities
• Merger planning
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion policy development and implementation
• Board and leadership training intended to provide a focused learning opportunity that builds organizational capacity
• New for applicants as of February 2025: Organizations may apply if additional financial support is needed in adjusting to challenges caused by changes in federal funding or policies. Grant funding may be used for consultant-led planning for items such as: exploring new staffing models, reevaluating program offerings, and/or revisiting financial sustainability and/or revenue planning.

For projects other than those listed, include details on how this work will support your organization’s ability to execute your mission, why it is important at this time, and clear evidence of Board support.

Please note that grant funds can only be used to cover consultant fees.

Grant Size

Grants of up to $5,000 are typically awarded from this fund.

Since 1986, the Vermont Community Foundation has been committed to building philanthropic resources that sustain healthy and vital Vermont communities. One part of that work involves making grants. The Foundation awards more than $12 million annually to nonprofit organizations in Vermont and beyond. These grants support a breadth of issues such as hunger, housing, arts, cultural heritage, social justice, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.

Deerfield River Enhancement

The Deerfield River Enhancement Fund was established in 1999 by USGen New England, Inc., now known as Great River Hydro, LLC , for the environmental preservation of the Deerfield River Watershed. Grants are awarded for new initiatives, one-time special projects, or continuing funding for outstanding, existing programs. Examples include, but are not limited to, volunteer monitoring projects, events, trail work projects, field trips, educational workshops, media campaigns, and improving public access sites.

The Vermont Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts are jointly managing grantmaking for the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund.

The Fund will make a grant or grants totaling approximately $14,000.