Available Grants

We are honored to work with funding partners large and small to help advance Vermont communities, through a variety of grant programs.

When a disaster strikes, we recognize that the degree and types of need in our communities is unprecedented and that most organizations are impacted in some way. The VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund 2023 was established to support Vermonters in responding to and recovering from the catastrophic rainfall across Vermont in 2023. We are working with nonprofit organizations and state officials to learn where the need is and how to help. We will continue to work through our existing competitive grant programs, which are described in greater detail below.

Generally, the Foundation's grant rounds are oriented towards place-based and community-level work. We have many grants that are specific to a topic and a region, which are made possible by our relationships with generous donor partners.

We Invite You to Explore Our Grant Programs

Grant programs are categorized below into the following groups:

Grant Categories

Opportunity Gap Community Impact Grants

My work is directly related to the Foundation’s Opportunity Gap focus.

These grant programs support issues related to our Opportunity Gap strategies. Your application will be reviewed based on how well your work fits into these priorities areas, and with these grants it is often very likely that our staff would engage with you as you are applying to learn more.

Spark Connecting Community
$500 - $5,000 grants that focus on strengthening community connections that lead to action and impact.
Regional and Local Impact
An invitation-only, place-based grant program. We are looking for ideas that are generated with community engagement that address directly one or more of the five Impact Areas. Preference will be given to those projects that can show readiness, capacity, collaboration, knowledge of best practices, and evaluation necessary for their strategy to be successful.
Cornerstone Partnerships

Cornerstone Partnership grants provide multi-year support for 3-4 statewide organizations whose missions directly inform our grantmaking and help extend our reach across the state and into communities. This is not a competitive grant round.

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Issue or People-Based Grants

My application would be for a specific area of interest or group of people or within Vermont.

Environmental Justice Small Grant Program
Grants of up to $10,000 for community-driven programs or projects that help local communities adapt to the impacts of Vermont's changing climate and the increase of severe weather events.
Farm Disaster Relief Grant Program
Grants of up to $10,000 to Vermont farms directly impacted by the historic storms and flooding in July & August 2023.
Arts & Social Cohesion
Grants of up to $10,000 to support arts and creative projects that foster social interaction, engagement, and collaboration within Vermont communities.
Health Equity
Grants to support organizations doing current work and/or looking to build additional capacity for future work to address persistent health disparities and inequities.
Equitable & Inclusive Communities
Grants of up to $10,000 to support Vermont villages, towns, and cities engaged in local efforts to foster inclusion and belonging for people of all races and backgrounds.
Opportunity Fund for Southshire Youth
Grants of up to $3500 supporting organizations serving dynamic and innovative youth programs in Bennington, North Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury, and Woodford.
Paul Post Fund for Libraries
Grants of $250-$1000 to support Vermont libraries to encourage and enhance reading by young adults.
Samara Fund
Grants to support projects, programs, and organizations that serve LGBTQ communities in Vermont.
Vermont Arts Endowment Fund
Administered through the Vermont Arts Council’s portfolio of grants programs to support a robust, relevant, and resilient arts culture in Vermont. Visit vermontartscouncil.org for more information.
Vermont Women’s Fund
Grants to organizations and programs that support viable career pathways and career prospects for Vermont women and girls.

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Nonprofit Development and Support

My application is directed toward building the capacity of my own non-profit organization. As a board member or director, I would like to request funding to help with a critical need related to urgency or long term development.

Nonprofit Capacity Building

Grants will be no more than $5,000 each and support the cost of consultants for the activities described here. 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. The Nonprofit Capacity Building program has closed for 2023. It will reopen and resume accepting applications in March 2024.
Special & Urgent Needs (SUN)
$500-$5,000 grants to support Vermont nonprofits with unexpected expenses that impact their ability to meet their mission. Notice to prospective applicants: The Special and Urgent Needs program will close on December 1, 2023. All applications should be submitted by December 1, 2023, at 5PM to be considered for funding. The SUN program will reopen and resume accepting applications in March 2024.

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Partner Grant Programs

Our supporting organizations are engaged in long-term, big-picture, strategic philanthropy. Their grantmaking is primarily by invitation only.

The J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation focuses on improving equitable access to the postsecondary and career education that leads to Vermont’s most promising jobs. It envisions a Vermont in which no promising job goes unfilled for lack of a qualified applicant. Visit the McClure Foundation website to learn more.
Let's Grow Kids promotes healthy, happy children and families in Vermont through the funding and support of community-based prevention strategies. Grants are by invitation only. Visit the Let's Grow Kids website to learn more.

Regional Place-Based Grants

My application would be for a specific region within Vermont.

The VCF holds grant rounds for specific places in Vermont. Please read through the summary of the grant size, specific focus area and calendar for grant applications before applying.

Addison County: Walter Cerf Community Fund
Awards grants focused on education, historic preservation, and social services in Addison County and the Town of Brandon (70% of grants) and statewide (30% of grants). One grant round per year. The Fund will consider both small ($500-$5,000) and large (up to $25,000) grant requests. Organizations must be serving Addison County or Brandon to be eligible to apply for the large grant.
Bennington Region: Opportunity Fund for Southshire Youth
Grants of up to $3500 supporting organizations serving dynamic and innovative youth programs in Bennington, North Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury, and Woodford.
Brattleboro: Crosby-Gannett and Dunham-Mason Funds
The Crosby-Gannett Fund supports endeavors that contribute to the betterment and vitality of the Brattleboro area. The Fund hosts one competitive grant round per year. The Fund is currently updating its funding guidelines and application format. The next grant round will be announced in February 2023.

The Dunham-Mason Fund is pleased to announce they have established a Dunham-Mason Scholarship at Brattleboro Union High School in partnership with The Curtis Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation. They are also funding a limited number of arts and culture organizations in the Brattleboro region and will no longer host competitive online grant rounds.
Chittenden County: Concert Artists Fund
Grants up to $20,000 over two years, $10,000 per year, to support performances of classical music in Chittenden County.
Deerfield River Watershed: Deerfield River Enhancement Fund
$2,000-$10,000 grants to support watershed conservation, development of low impact recreational and educational facilities, and planning, design, maintenance, and monitoring of such facilities in the Deerfield River Watershed.
Lake Champlain Basin: Kelsey Trust
$5,000-$10,000 grants to organizations that serve the people and/or protect the environment of the Lake Champlain Basin, with a strong preference for organizations located in the Basin. The spring grants typically focus on education and the environment, and the Letter of Interest deadline is June 1. The winter grants typically focus on children and families, basic human needs (food, fuel, shelter), and health, and the Letter of Interest deadline is December 1. Emergency grants outside the normal grant cycles will sometimes be considered.
Lamoille and Orleans Counties: The Green Mountain Fund
$500-$5,000 grants to organizations serving low-income youth and families, environment, sustainability, climate change, local food production, and the health and wellness of children and families in Lamoille and Orleans Counties and neighboring communities.
Northeast Kingdom Fund
$500-$5,000 grants to organizations to support the vibrancy and health of the Northeast Kingdom.
Rutland County: Hills and Hollows Fund
$250-$7,500 grants for organizations to promote educational opportunities, support children and families, and foster the future sustainability in Poultney and its adjacent communities. Applications are accepted each year on a rolling basis from January 1 - November 1. Applications submitted between November 2 and December 31 will not be considered.
South Lake Champlain Fund
$1,000-$7,500 grants to organizations for research and education concerning Lake Champlain south of Crown Point.
Spark Connecting Community
$500 - $5,000 grants made to organizations throughout Vermont. This grassroots grantmaking focuses on strengthening community connections that lead to action and impact. Our Spark grants program continues to focus on building social capital and connection; however, we recognize the inherent challenges of bringing people together at a time when social distancing is essential and in-person gatherings are not safe. We encourage applicants to be creative in their strategies for keeping people engaged and connected to one another in these challenging times.
Windsor County: The Laurance & Mary Rockefeller Fund
$1,000-$7,500 grants to organizations working to preserve and enhance the physical, cultural, spiritual, and wellness environment of the people of the State of Vermont, with preference given to the needs of the Town of Woodstock and the surrounding communities of Barnard, Bridgewater, Hartland, Pomfret, and Reading.

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Available Grants

We Invite You to Explore Our Grant Programs

Grants & Community Impact

Grant Categories

Opportunity Gap Community Impact Grants

My work is directly related to the Foundation’s Opportunity Gap focus.

Issue or People-Based Grants

My application would be for a specific area of interest or group of people or within Vermont.

Nonprofit Development and Support

My application is directed toward building the capacity of my own non-profit organization. As a board member or director, I would like to request funding to help with a critical need related to urgency or long term development.

Partner Grant Programs

Our supporting organizations are engaged in long-term, big-picture, strategic philanthropy. Their grantmaking is primarily by invitation only.

Regional Place-Based Grants

My application would be for a specific region within Vermont.

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