Best Public Infrastructure Grants in Vermont

Agency of Commerce and Community Development 

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) helps Vermonters improve their quality of life and build strong communities.

Collaboration is central to carrying out this mission and we work with other state Agencies as well as businesses of all sizes, communities, educators, non-profits, students, recreational venues and many others. We at ACCD “set the table” for opportunity. So whether you are a business owner seeking to relocate here, a developer interested in building a new project, an individual hoping to restore an historic gem or a community hoping to increase the livability of your town, you have come to the right place.

Vermont Community Development Program

The Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) administers U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Vermont’s CDBG funding assists communities on a competitive basis by providing financial and technical assistance to identify and address local needs in areas of:

• housing
• economic development
• public facilities
• public services
• handicapped accessibility modifications

70% of CDBG funds must primarily benefit persons of low and moderate income. Assistance can also be provided as “Slums and Blight” or “Urgent Need” to communities that VCDP determines meet federal qualifications. 

Community Development Block Grants

The federal government created the Community Development Block grant program in 1974. 

Grant Types

The VCDP provides federal CDBG funding for eligible activities through the following application types: Implementation Grant (IG); Scattered Site Grants (SS); Planning Grant (PG); and Accessibility Modification Grants (AM)

CDBG Accessibility Modification Grants (AM)

Provides funding, on a first-come, first-serve basis for projects that bring existing municipally-owned buildings that serve a municipal function and non-school-community libraries (do not have to be municipally owned) into full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the rules of the Vermont Access Board. Projects must be bid ready- all decisions must be made that would impact the bid documents. Construction of new stand-alone buildings is not eligible for the AM program. A 10% match of cash or cash-in-kind goods or services is required for all grants.

Agency of Commerce and Community Development 

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) helps Vermonters improve their quality of life and build strong communities.

Collaboration is central to carrying out this mission and we work with other state Agencies as well as businesses of all sizes, communities, educators, non-profits, students, recreational venues and many others. We at ACCD “set the table” for opportunity. So whether you are a business owner seeking to relocate here, a developer interested in building a new project, an individual hoping to restore an historic gem or a community hoping to increase the livability of your town, you have come to the right place.

Vermont Community Development Program

The Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) administers U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Vermont’s CDBG funding assists communities on a competitive basis by providing financial and technical assistance to identify and address local needs in areas of:

• housing
• economic development
• public facilities
• public services
• handicapped accessibility modifications

70% of CDBG funds must primarily benefit persons of low and moderate income. Assistance can also be provided as “Slums and Blight” or “Urgent Need” to communities that VCDP determines meet federal qualifications. 

Community Development Block Grants

The federal government created the Community Development Block grant program in 1974. 

Grant Types

The VCDP provides federal CDBG funding for eligible activities through the following application types: Implementation Grant (IG); Scattered Site Grants (SS); Planning Grant (PG); and Accessibility Modification Grants (AM)

CDBG Planning Grant (PG)

Provides funding for community development planning activities and/or pre-development activities in preparation for implementing a project in one or more of the program areas (housing, economic development, public facilities or public services). Planning grant funds allow communities access to the technical expertise and professional resources needed to test ideas, propose strategies, develop plans, establish policies and procedures, and conduct organizational activities. It is important to remember that the successful funding of a planning grant does NOT guarantee or imply that VCDP funding for the project at implementation will also be successful- the project must stand on its own merits and receiving CDBG planning dollars does not make the implementation proposal more competitive. A 10% match of cash or cash-in-kind goods or services is required for all grants. 

Agency of Commerce and Community Development 

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) helps Vermonters improve their quality of life and build strong communities.

Collaboration is central to carrying out this mission and we work with other state Agencies as well as businesses of all sizes, communities, educators, non-profits, students, recreational venues and many others. We at ACCD “set the table” for opportunity. So whether you are a business owner seeking to relocate here, a developer interested in building a new project, an individual hoping to restore an historic gem or a community hoping to increase the livability of your town, you have come to the right place.

Vermont Community Development Program

The Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) administers U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Vermont’s CDBG funding assists communities on a competitive basis by providing financial and technical assistance to identify and address local needs in areas of:

• housing
• economic development
• public facilities
• public services
• handicapped accessibility modifications

70% of CDBG funds must primarily benefit persons of low and moderate income. Assistance can also be provided as “Slums and Blight” or “Urgent Need” to communities that VCDP determines meet federal qualifications. 

Community Development Block Grants

The federal government created the Community Development Block grant program in 1974. 

Grant Types

The VCDP provides federal CDBG funding for eligible activities through the following application types: Implementation Grant (IG); Scattered Site Grants (SS); Planning Grant (PG); and Accessibility Modification Grants (AM)

CDBG Implementation Grant (IG)

Provides funding for economic development, housing, public facilities, and public services, in support of economic development or housing that will result in direct benefit to persons of low- and moderate-income, will eliminate slums or blight, or will address a community’s urgent need. A 10% match of cash or cash-in-kind goods or services is required for all grants. 

Northern Border Regional Commission

The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is a partnership between the federal government and the states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. The NBRC targets resources to promote economic growth strategies and projects in designated counties within its member states. The Commission was enacted by Congress through the 2008 Farm Bill which amended 40 US Code to include the creation of the NBRC as well as other similar Commissions nationwide.

The mission of the Northern Border Regional Commission is to catalyze community vitality and economic prosperity in the northern border region with flexible funding and strategic support. We envision a future where heritage industries are celebrated, preserved, and supported, vibrant local communities form a rich tapestry of culture, ideas, and experiences, and the seamless integration of emerging technologies fosters a new era of prosperity and economic resiliency.

Timber for Transit Program - Implementation Award

The Timber for Transit Program advances the use of domestic forest products in transportation infrastructure projects across Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont to showcase the capabilities of wood in these applications. Highly competitive projects will demonstrate and widely promote the utility of high value forest products (e.g. glued laminated timber, cross laminated timber, composite materials, etc.) in transportation infrastructure and commit to enhancing climate resilience in rural communities. Transportation Infrastructure shall mean construction, alteration, or repair of physical transport facilities, systems and structures, including fixed installations and rights of way necessary for transporting from one point to another, that: are open to the general public for use, facilitate reliable movement of people and goods, and influence local and regional economies.  

Construction or non-construction projects—such as assets and facilities that align with Timber for Transit program priorities will be classified as an implementation award. Implementation projects are eligible for up to $5,000,000.

Hazard Mitigation Funding Programs

FEMA Hazard Mitigation projects for Vermont towns and other eligible applicants for projects that reduce the risk of flooding or other hazards can include the following eligible project types:

• Buyouts
• Structural Elevations & Mitigation Reconstruction
• Natural resource projects such as floodplain restorations or dam removals
• Infrastructure projects such as upsizing bridges or culverts
• Floodproofing of municipal or commercial buildings
• Road relocation, elevation, or soil stabilization

Hazard Mitigation Information & Support

Hazard Mitigation is sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and their property from hazards.

Hazard mitigation funds are available to municipalities and other organizations to help reduce or eliminate loss of life and property by taking measures to reduce the impacts of future disasters.

The Vermont Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation Team supports state agencies, non-profits, Regional Planning Commissions and municipalities in applying for and implementing projects under Hazard Mitigation grant programs. We also support Regional Planning Commissions, municipalities, special districts, and other governmental entities in conducting natural hazard mitigation planning, and developing FEMA-approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plans.

2026 Hazard Mitigation Funding Opportunities

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program for states and local communities to support mitigation activities. The funding available for FY2024/2025 is $2,000,000 federal share set-aside for Vermont. Funding can be used for project scoping, building code enhancements, and project implementation. Applications under BRIC are submitted through FEMA GO. 

The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative's Business Enhancement Grant supports Vermont's agricultural, forestry, and food sectors by funding projects that enhance productivity and marketability. Eligible applicants include farms, logging businesses, and food processors that prioritize Vermont-grown resources. Funding can cover equipment, infrastructure, market development, and workforce training. This initiative aims to strengthen local economies and promote sustainable practices while fostering collaboration among various stakeholders in Vermont's working landscape.

The RALI Grant, offered by the Vermont Community Foundation, is an invitation-only program aimed at fostering regional and local impact through community-driven projects. Grants typically range from $15,000 to $25,000 annually, supporting initiatives that address economic equity, education, climate, health, and community leadership. Successful proposals will demonstrate collaboration, readiness, and measurable impact, ensuring they effectively tackle barriers to opportunity for Vermonters. Interested organizations must complete the Nonprofit Connection Form to be considered.

The Vermont Arts Council's Animating Infrastructure Grant supports communities in integrating public art into infrastructure projects. This initiative encourages collaboration between artists and local communities to enhance pride and identity through site-specific art installations. The program aims to improve livability in Vermont by utilizing various infrastructure elements, fostering connections, and creating vibrant spaces. Grants are available for both public art design and implementation, providing funding up to $15,000 for selected projects.

The NBRC Catalyst Program aims to stimulate economic growth in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York by funding innovative projects that address regional economic needs. It supports initiatives like modernizing public services, enhancing transportation infrastructure, and developing workforce programs. By fostering partnerships and leveraging private investments, the program seeks to alleviate economic distress and improve rural vitality, ultimately leading to job creation and sustainable community development.

The Vermont Community Foundation offers the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant to support consultant fees for nonprofits aiming to enhance their organizational capacity. Grants of up to $5,000 are available for strategic planning, financial sustainability, and diversity initiatives. Applications are prioritized for organizations with annual budgets under $250,000, and the program is open to tax-exempt entities serving Vermont. The grant program closes on November 14, 2025, and will reopen in February 2026.

The Vermont Community Foundation's Spark Connecting Community Grant supports grassroots projects that enhance social capital and community connections in Vermont. With grants ranging from $500 to $5,000, it prioritizes initiatives from under-represented counties, fostering collaboration among local champions. The program seeks innovative projects that promote civic engagement, health, and resilience, while encouraging first-time grant seekers and organizations with smaller budgets to apply for funding.

RBC Foundation – USA aims to enhance community quality of life by supporting non-profit organizations that promote diversity and positive change. In 2023, it awarded over $2.8 million in grants, prioritizing youth programs for ages 15-29, arts access for diverse populations, and mental well-being initiatives. The foundation encourages sustainable projects that foster economic independence, providing critical support for education, mental health, and cultural enrichment, thereby making a significant impact across various communities.

SC Johnson Grants aim to enhance community welfare through charitable contributions, focusing on health, sustainability, and opportunity. Since 1937, the company has committed five percent of its pretax profits to support registered charities and nonprofit organizations, especially in areas where it operates. The grant program prioritizes initiatives addressing healthcare access, environmental conservation, and educational equity, ensuring that efforts align with the values of community service and corporate responsibility.

The Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program by the USDA's Rural Utilities Service provides funding for essential technical assistance and training aimed at resolving water and waste management issues. This program supports applicants in preparing loan and grant applications, enhancing the operational efficiency of water systems, and ensuring compliance with best practices in facility management. However, grant funds cannot be used for duplicating existing services or for capital expenditures.

The Prioritization Process Pilot Program (PPPP) Competitive Grant Program, funded by the DOT Federal Highway Administration, offers up to $26 million for innovative transportation planning in FYs 2024-2026. Grants of up to $2 million will support the development of transparent, data-driven prioritization processes for project selection in transportation plans, ensuring that funded projects deliver public benefits and meet community needs.

The BJA FY 2026 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR)—Formula Grants Program aims to support states and local governments in enhancing their DNA analysis capabilities. By providing funding for existing crime laboratories, this initiative seeks to increase the processing capacity for DNA samples, thereby reducing the backlog in forensic DNA analysis and ensuring timely entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Applications are due by November 5, 2026.

The Affordable Rural Cooperative (ARC) Energy Program, initiated by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), aims to enhance rural electric systems through substantial funding of approximately $175 million. This initiative focuses on increasing emission-free nuclear power and improving transmission infrastructure efficiency, promoting long-term reliability and affordability. Eligible entities include electric cooperatives serving rural areas and their subsidiaries. The program aligns with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, thus fostering a sustainable energy future.

About Boeing

A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our U.S. and global workforce and supplier base drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality and integrity.

The Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company

One of the largest employee-managed funds of its kind in the world, the Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company has empowered employees to make a greater impact by pooling their tax-deductible donations for more than 60 years. Employee-led grantmaking committees at 20 Boeing sites provide combined employee donations to nonprofits in their communities through ECF grants.

Charitable or educational organizations can apply for grants from the Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company.

Puget Sound Chapter

The Employees Community Fund (ECF) of Boeing Puget Sound is a pooled fund consisting of recurring payroll contributions from generous Boeing employees. It funds local nonprofits that help thousands of families and individuals in the Puget Sound region where Boeing employees live and work.

ECF focus areas

ECF makes grants to 501(c)(3) Health & Human Service nonprofits such as food banks, job-training programs, shelters, transitional housing, mental health services, and low-income medical clinics. ECF seeks the direct client benefit of each grant to ensure that our employees’ contributions directly help those in need.

ECF funding criteria

ECF has two distinct grant categories – Supporting Grants and Capital Campaign Grants.

ECF of Boeing Company: Puget Sound Chapter Supporting Grants

Consideration is given to nonprofits/agencies that are performing well and are seeking to upgrade, replace or modify elements of their infrastructure.

• Supporting grants cannot exceed $50,000. The requested amount cannot be more than 10% of an agency’s gross annual revenue.
• Supporting grants will be considered only for agencies benefiting residents in the Puget Sound Region.
• Supporting grants help agencies continue to effectively provide services through enhanced direct client benefit by aiding them in procuring and/or paying for items such as:
  • Equipment (ex. office, kitchen, industrial, furniture, etc.)
  • Vehicles used to support clients and/or transport food and/or goods (cost of vehicle and accommodations, tax, and licensing only; operating expenses, such as insurance, fuel, etc. is not allowed)
  • Phone systems
  • Cell phones for direct client use
  • Remodels and/or renovations (must hold at least a 10-year lease or own the building)
  • Purchase or construction of new buildings
  • Computers or tablets for direct client benefit and/or use
  • Software for direct client benefit and/or use (ex. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device)
  • Information Technology expenses, without which procured tools would not work
  • External improvements for client safety (i.e. security system, exterior lighting, improved ADA accessibility, new or refinished pavement or concrete)
• Supporting grants which are accepted must be spent as approved within nine (9) months.

The Impact Aid Discretionary Construction Grant Program (84.041C) offers $19M in funding to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to address urgent school facility needs. This initiative supports repairs, renovations, or replacements required to maintain safe educational environments. Grants cover projects that improve accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ensure that facilities meet health standards. The program aims to enhance learning conditions by responding effectively to emergency situations.

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA: Capital Improvement Grants

Any request to support a project that seeks to improve a facility is considered a capital improvement. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Range improvements
• Berm improvements
• Clubhouse/Classroom facility improvements
• Shelter structures/covered firing lines/pavilions
• Road improvements
• Commercial-grade trap machines (see section regarding trap machines, below)
• Any other permanent improvement to an organization’s property or facility

The Grant Program considers requests for certain trap machines to be a capital improvement to the facility. Specifically, requests for commercial grade trap machines that have a capacity of 300 clays and up.

The ATTAIN Competitive Grant Program, overseen by the DOT Federal Highway Administration, aims to fund advanced transportation technologies that enhance safety, mobility, and efficiency. By prioritizing innovation and economic competitiveness, the program seeks to improve core infrastructure and reduce roadway congestion. Applications will be evaluated based on their potential benefits to families and communities, ensuring that funded projects align with the Trump Administration's objectives for revitalizing America's transportation systems.

Transportation Research and Policy

Arnold Ventures (AV) is a philanthropy dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice.

The Infrastructure team has been investing in efforts to build better, faster, and lower-cost infrastructure with a focus on housing, energy, and transportation. For transportation, we are investing in policymaking and research that tackles the inefficiencies that make U.S. transportation infrastructure so difficult and expensive to build. 

Purpose

Transportation policy represents an avenue for improving the systems moving people, goods, and services. The Infrastructure team is seeking proposals evaluating the effectiveness and/or benefits of existing transportation or transportation-adjacent policies on outcomes for communities in the United States.

Eligible Projects and Topic Areas of Interest

This Request for Proposals (RFP) aims to bolster the knowledge base of potentially effective policies, programs, and interventions by funding efforts that align with key AV Infrastructure policy areas.

AV is primarily focused on traditional surface transportation — road and public transit — but is open to proposals in aviation, maritime, passenger and freight rail, trucking, and more.

We seek proposals for: 1) research, expanded data sets, or analysis; 2) administrative or legislative policy reforms at the federal, state, or local level; or 3) models of effective implementation including proposals for implementing agencies to partner with researchers or program evaluators to conduct baseline and post-intervention research on implementation effectiveness that will advance the knowledge base and provide illustrative examples within, but not limited to, the following topic areas:

• Transportation Capital Investment Reform. Evaluating how capital funding is prioritized and selected at the federal, state, or regional level, including discretionary grant programs and formula-based funding. What reforms could ensure projects deliver higher public returns?

• Cost Estimation, Oversight, and Accountability. Why do major transportation projects frequently exceed budgets and timelines, and how can we identify strategies to improve transparency, cost realism, and performance oversight?

• Access in Mobility Outcomes. Measuring how current transportation investments affect access to jobs, services, and economic opportunities for workers and families, and what policy changes could improve access.

• Performance-Based Project Selection. How can public agencies shift from current, politically driven allocations to datadriven, performance-based decision-making on capital project selections?

• Institutional Barriers to Reform. What organizational, legal, or procedural hurdles prevent DOTs and MPOs from adopting better practices (e.g., outcome-based planning, integrated land use/transportation policy)?

• Permitting and Permit Reform. How do current local, state, and federal permitting practices affect project cost, quality, timeline, and other concerns?

• Intergovernmental Dynamics. How do federal, state, and local funding structures and requirements enable or constrain effective transportation investment? What governance structures would improve outcomes when it comes to transportation planning and project delivery?

• Data Sets and Root Causes of High Delivery Costs. Expanded data sets on unit costs and/or research illuminating the root causes of why transportation and transit projects cost so much and take so long to deliver. What policy and practice changes could manage project delivery risks and improve the likelihood that projects will be delivered on s chedule and on budget?

• Domestic Content. How do Buy America and domestic content requirements affect the cost, speed, innovation, and effectiveness of transportation infrastructure projects?

• Procurement Process. How do current procurement practices affect project cost, quality, innovation, and accountability — and what policy and regulatory reforms could improve outcomes?

• Other. AV also welcomes innovative proposals on other transportation issues that align with our mission.

These research, policy development, and implementation proposals can be relevant to federal surface transportation reauthorization legislation or federal administrative changes; state reforms to Departments of Transportation; and/or local-level reforms relevant either to regional transportation agencies, transit agencies, or municipal governments.

The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund - Local Grants Program provides financial support for projects in Coös County, NH, and neighboring communities in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Québec. Grants up to $20,000 are available for eligible organizations focusing on community development and enhancement. This program aims to strengthen these border regions by fostering local initiatives that align with the foundation's mission to improve quality of life.

The Smart Growth America Community Connectors Grant Program supports small and mid-sized cities in addressing divisive infrastructure caused by dangerous roads. With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this program aims to reconnect communities through temporary street safety projects while fostering skills and partnerships. Eligible teams must represent populations of 50,000 to 500,000 and include both government and community-based organizations. Priority will be given to projects benefiting low-income communities historically affected by disinvestment.

The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund - Large Grants Program offers funding to strengthen communities in Coös County, NH, and bordering areas. With a focus on economic development, community resiliency, and education, the fund supports projects that enhance cultural assets, promote sustainable resource use, and address basic needs. Grants range from $20,000 to $300,000, requiring a pre-application consultation. The foundation aims to empower underserved populations and foster connections within the community.

The Community Traffic Safety Grants, initiated by the Road to Zero Coalition, aim to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2050 through innovative, evidence-based approaches. The program invites proposals from Road to Zero Coalition members, particularly non-profits and government entities, to implement effective countermeasures that enhance traffic safety and address mobility disparities. Projects should be replicable and scalable, demonstrating measurable outcomes and contributing to a positive safety culture on U.S. roads.

The BUILD Grant Program, managed by the USDOT, focuses on enhancing surface transportation infrastructure with substantial local impact. It supports a variety of project sponsors, including state and local governments, in pursuing complex multi-modal initiatives that are often challenging to fund through traditional grants. Established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this program reflects a commitment to sustainable and equitable infrastructure development.