Best Professional Development Grants for Nonprofits in Vermont

The Mazamas is committed to exploring and preserving mountain environments in the Pacific Northwest through research grants. These grants support nonprofit research that aligns with the Mazamas’ mission, encouraging proposals from graduate and undergraduate students. Successful applicants often conduct field studies that enhance understanding of the region's natural features. Notably, the Mazamas also welcome innovative research ideas that may fall outside traditional grant guidelines, promoting a diverse range of scientific inquiry.

The Strategic Alliance Matching Grant by the NCAA Division III aims to bolster ethnic minority and gender representation in senior athletics administration roles. With an annual budget of $1.6 million, it supports up to 46 schools and conferences over five years. Eligible institutions must be active NCAA Division III members and meet various requirements. This grant encourages diversity in leadership, fostering an inclusive environment for student-athletes.

The Coaching Enhancement Grant by the NCAA Division III aims to increase diversity in assistant coaching roles by providing financial support to member institutions. Over two years, selected schools receive $15,000 to cover salaries, requiring a matching contribution. This initiative encourages ethnic minority and gender representation, allowing up to 11 institutions to benefit annually, thus enhancing inclusivity in collegiate sports.

The Stimulating Hematology Investigation: New Endeavors (SHINE) program aims to enhance nonmalignant hematology research aligned with the goals of the NIDDK, NIA, and NHLBI. It invites R01 grant applications focused on innovative and early translational hematology topics, fostering growth in this critical research area. Key deadlines for applications span from February 2025 to October 2027, allowing for both standard and renewal submissions.

About City Market, Onion River Co-op

City Market, Onion River Co-op, is a community-owned food cooperative with two locations in beautiful Burlington, Vermont. We offer a large selection of local, organic, and conventional foods, and thousands of Vermont-made products.

The Co-op is dedicated to supporting the local economy and strengthening the local food system. We work with over 400 independent Vermont farmers, producers, and Vermont-owned businesses to feature the widest selection of local products we can. We regularly stock over 3,000 Local or Made in Vermont products, and Local and Made in Vermont products account for 40% of our sales. As a Member-owned cooperative, we are accountable to our Members.

Seedling Grants

What Are Seedling Grants?

Through our Co-op Seedling Grant program, City Market grants funding to projects from Vermont non-profit organizations whose work strengthens our local food system. This program is currently funded through our Rally for Change program.

Seedling Grant History

During profitable years, City Market Members receive patronage checks based on their spending as a form of profit-sharing. According to City Market’s By-Laws, any Patronage Refunds that are not cashed within 90 days are donated to organizations supporting our local food system, as directed by our Board. In 2014, City Market created a new program to offer grants through our uncashed Patronage Refund checks – our Seedling Grant Program! Since 2018, this program has been funded through Rally for Change as the Co-op works toward a return to profitability after our South End expansion.

The Waste Management Charitable Contributions Program supports initiatives that enhance environmental stewardship, sustainability education, and community vitality. With a commitment to civic pride and economic development, the program prioritizes organizations that address local needs and promote sustainable practices. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations that focus on public purposes, while ineligible requests include funding for operating costs and individual fundraising events. This initiative fosters a collaborative approach to community betterment.

About NCRC

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) is a nationwide network of nearly 800 organizations and champions working for a Just Economy, where all Americans can build wealth and provide for their families with stability and dignity.

Our vision: To solve America’s historic racial and socio-economic wealth, income and opportunity divides. This vision is the foundation of the Just Economy Pledge.

NCRC Field Empowerment Fund (FEF) - Housing Counseling Services

The Field Empowerment Fund (FEF) empowers NCRC network members to level up established service lines.

The Housing Counseling Services series within FEF supports HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in driving homeownership, such as through pre-purchase counseling. In addition, the program builds agency knowledge on heirs’ property challenges to better equip first-time and low-income homebuying households with the know-how to retain intergenerational wealth.

In doing so, FEF-HCS aims to help underserved families begin their homeownership journey, with an additional goal of ensuring foresight into the long-term future of their home purchase.

The FEF-HCS series is funded in partnership with Key Bank and HSBC, and targets communities within the Key Bank and HSBC branch footprints.

Through these partnerships, $2.5 million in Key Bank geographies and $1.5 million in HSBC geographies has been allocated for the subgrants for direct-to-client housing counseling services that will be awarded in three rounds in the FEF-HCS track.

Funding Support

Awardee agencies will receive subgrants to support their housing counseling services to clients.

Knowledge Building

Awardee agencies will attend a training session on heirs’ property challenges and best practices, hosted by NCRC National Training Academy. Bolstering counselor knowledge on this topic will ensure that your agency is not only serving clients in their personal wealth-building journey now, but also helping them preserve that wealth in generations to come.

The Music Drives Us Organizational Grant, offered by the Boch Family Foundation, aims to enhance music education across New England. This grant supports organizations that use music as an educational tool, particularly those facing funding cuts. With a maximum award of $10,000, it is designed for a variety of institutions including schools, hospitals, and community centers, ensuring that music opportunities are accessible to all age groups and backgrounds.

The Kroger Foundation is dedicated to uplifting communities through significant charitable contributions, having donated over $1.9 billion in the past six years. Their focus on combating hunger through the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative exemplifies their commitment to social impact. Annually, they provide over $300 million to nonprofit organizations aligned with their mission, promoting health, education, and disaster relief while fostering diversity and inclusion. This initiative reflects Kroger's belief that strong communities are a shared responsibility.

The Music Drives Us Instrument Grant supports schools and nonprofit organizations in New England by providing instruments for music education. This initiative aims to foster musical opportunities in underserved communities, ensuring that children have access to quality music programs. Eligible applicants include public and private schools, charter schools, hospitals, and community centers, allowing for a broad impact on the musical landscape. Grants provide brand-new instruments, enhancing the educational experience for future musicians.

The ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund, managed by Refed Inc., supports innovative solutions to minimize food waste and reduce methane emissions, a cost-effective strategy for climate action. This fund prioritizes initiatives that enhance food recycling and improve supply chain efficiency in the beef and dairy sectors. By focusing on proven methods, the grant aims to accelerate impactful changes in the food system, ultimately fostering sustainable practices and collaborative efforts to combat food waste.

The Music Drives Us Performance Grant supports talented musicians in New England by providing funding for free concert series in schools, after-school programs, and public spaces. With a mission to enhance music education, the grant allows musicians to receive compensation for their time and expenses while delivering educational experiences to underserved communities. Organizations can apply for grants up to $10,000, ensuring that music remains an accessible and enriching part of children's lives.

Farm to Institution Market Development Grants

The Farm to Institution Market Development Grant (formerly Local Food Market Development Grant) is intended to support market development opportunities for local food producers, with a focus on Vermont institutional markets. Funding is provided to help improve local producer access to, and engagement with, schools, hospitals, colleges, correctional facilities, and other local institutions.

Eligible proposals will increase institutional market opportunity for at least one Vermont farm business and increase the amount of local food purchased and served in Vermont institutions. Competitive proposals will focus on collaboration, developing new sales relationships or deepening existing sales relationships, and values-based procurement for institutions serving meals to Vermont residents. Competitive proposals will demonstrate high likelihood of long-term, sustained partnership between Vermont farms and Vermont institutions. 

Examples of institutional markets:

• Colleges and universities  
• Schools  
• Early childhood education facilities
• Correctional facilities  
• Nursing homes  
• Hospitals and healthcare providers

A total of $30,000 is available through this competitive funding opportunity. The minimum award for this grant program is $10,000 and the maximum award is $30,000. Each successful grantee will have two years from the signing of their grant agreement to expend their grant funds and submit all required deliverables. All applicants must demonstrate 25% of the total grant award in matching funds; the matching funds requirement can be met with cash, in-kind, or a combination of both.

About VHCB

Our Mission

VHCB invests in the construction of affordable housing and conservation strategies that work together to ensure equity, resilience, and vitality for Vermont communities in perpetuity.

Business Plan Implementation Grants

When funding is available, Farm & Forest Viability Implementation Grants are available on a competitive basis to businesses that have completed an up-to-date business plan or transfer plan through the Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program to help implement specific goals of the business plans created through the program.

Overview & Eligibility

The Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program is pleased to announce that grants of $1,000 to $8,000 are available on a competitive basis to Viability Program clients who participated in the program in 2024 or 2025. A completed business or transfer plan is required in order to apply. Applications are due Friday, May 1st, 2026, and decisions will be made in June 2026.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, business infrastructure construction, equipment, machinery upgrades, and energy efficiency projects that help a business meet business goals determined through their planning work. Funded projects will be closely aligned with goals as outlined in applicants’ business or transfer plans.

The Asian Cultural Council's Individual Fellowship provides artists, scholars, and arts professionals from Asia and the United States with opportunities for self-directed cultural exchange and research in unfamiliar regions. This program supports activities such as interviews, workshops, and archival research, fostering cultural immersion and collaboration. With a funding limit of $35,000, the fellowship encourages innovative proposals that enhance creative perspectives and relationships among peers, while also ensuring strong eligibility criteria for applicants.

Native Tree Nursery RFP

The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (“LCBP”), in coordination with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (“NEIWPCC”), is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects that will directly support the Healthy Ecosystems goals of Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin by supporting organizations situated in the United States that have the ability to sell or grow native trees and shrubs for habitat conservation planting projects in the Lake Champlain Basin. The intent of this funding opportunity is to measurably enhance the native plant supply available to local organizations for habitat conservation projects that benefit Lake Champlain.

Awarded funding may be used for infrastructure investments and to support workforce development initiatives needed to build or grow tree nursery capacity and reduce the cost of stems for conservation planting projects located in the Lake Champlain basin.

Applicants must demonstrate or provide a viable business plan and describe how costs to local non-profits purchasing the native plants will remain stable or be reduced or eliminated through use of this funding. Approximately $1,000,000 in funding is available to support awarded projects. Grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded. One proposal may be submitted per eligible organization or entity. LCBP anticipates granting multiple awards from this RFP.

This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Proposals should offer a scope that supports work in the U.S. portion of the Lake Champlain Basin. Partial funding of total application requests may be awarded if agreeable to the applicant. All awards are subject to funding availability.

The Asian Cultural Council's New York Fellowship offers a transformative six-month program for artists, scholars, and arts professionals from Asia. Participants engage deeply with New York City's vibrant cultural landscape, attending performances, exhibitions, and workshops while building networks with local communities. This unique opportunity fosters peer-learning and individual artistic development, encouraging fellows to incorporate their experiences into their practices and contribute to their home cultures. The fellowship emphasizes exploration, exchange, and support, culminating in a rich cultural immersion.

The Growing Tribal Economies Through Forest Market Innovations grant program, initiated by First Nations Development Institute, aims to empower Tribes and Alaska Native Villages to engage in emerging markets that enhance forest health and resilience. With funding of $200,000 to $500,000 per grant, this initiative supports projects focusing on sustainability, innovation, and traditional knowledge. Eligible applicants are encouraged to develop forest products, certifications, and practices that contribute positively to biodiversity and ecosystem management.

The Anderson-Rogers Foundation Grant supports U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations focused on environmental protection, animal welfare, climate change mitigation, and social support. Established in 2001, this family foundation prioritizes innovative projects and general operating support for small organizations facing financial constraints. Note that applicants must first submit a letter of inquiry, as the foundation does not fund scholarships or grants to individuals or religious organizations, nor does it support organizations outside the U.S.

The Gridiron Veterans Scholarship, provided by the Bob Woodruff Foundation, offers essential financial support for military veterans and first responders. This initiative focuses on wellness, rehabilitation, and recovery programs, ensuring participants can access mental health services, physical therapy, and holistic resources. The foundation prioritizes those facing emotional and physical challenges, empowering them to overcome barriers and improve their quality of life through customized, evidence-based support.

The Vermont Civil Money Penalty Grant Program aims to utilize federally imposed civil money penalty funds to enhance the quality of care and life for residents in CMS-certified nursing homes. It invites applications for innovative quality improvement initiatives that go beyond standard operations, focusing on evidence-based practices. Eligible organizations include consumer advocacy groups, nursing home associations, and academic institutions, while ensuring compliance with federal health standards.

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, assists private landowners in restoring and protecting vital habitats for fish and wildlife. Since its inception in 1987, the program has provided technical assistance and financial support to enhance conservation efforts across the United States. By collaborating with local stakeholders, the program establishes habitat goals and directs resources effectively to conserve important ecosystems, benefiting both wildlife and the American people.

The Vermont Farmland Conservation Program is focused on retaining the state’s quality agricultural land base in strong farming regions of the state. By focusing on conserving contiguous blocks of farmland in traditional farming communities, VHCB’s Farmland Conservation Program helps to ensure that farms are not isolated by residential development and communities can continue to support a healthy range of businesses that serve and rely on neighboring farms.

The Land Conservation for Clean Water and Healthy Ecosystems grant aims to acquire land or conservation easements in the Lake Champlain Basin. With a funding pool of up to $4 million, eligible projects must prioritize clean water and healthy ecosystems while considering public access as a co-benefit. Supported by the U.S. EPA, this initiative encourages competitive proposals that enhance water quality and habitat for native species.

The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative offers competitive grants to support Vermont's forest, farm, and food businesses, alongside producer associations. With $1 million available in FY 2025, applications will open in fall and winter, with awards announced in spring 2025. The Service Provider & Producer Association Grant combines former separate grants into one, offering $10,000-$75,000 for various projects without a match requirement, emphasizing support for Vermont's working landscape.

The LFF: Nature-Based Climate Action Grant aims to support initiatives that leverage natural systems to combat climate change. By funding projects focused on tree planting, prairie restoration, and carbon sequestration, the program seeks to engage communities and enhance understanding of climate challenges. Ideal applicants include rural organizations working to create measurable environmental impacts while fostering collaboration and policy change. This grant represents an opportunity for organizations ready to take significant strides in addressing the climate crisis.

The Share the Bounty Grant, offered by The Andersons Inc Charitable Foundation, aims to enhance the quality of life in communities through support for agriculture, social services, civic engagement, education, arts, and health initiatives. By investing in these key areas, The Andersons seeks to foster environments where individuals and families can thrive, ensuring a sustainable and vibrant future for all residents in the regions they serve.