The Village Trust Initiative supports communities that want to form a Community Trust and undertake a transformational revitalization project in their historic village.
Donor Name: Preservation Trust of Vermont
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/05/2026
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Village Trust Initiative will offer expertise and funding to help 20 small towns create or bolster a local community trust organization and take on a transformational revitalization project in the village. These projects could be the revitalization of a general store, the creation of a community center, improvement of accessibility of an old town hall, or the renovation of a large historic home into village-scale housing. There are many possibilities, so bring your creativity and vision to the table!
The Village Trust Initiative is offered by the Preservation Trust of Vermont (PTV) in partnership with the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) and the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF). Drawing on many years of experience supporting community and economic development projects in Vermont, together these partners will:
- Facilitate the development of a new or existing community trust organization, a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission focused on the vitality of the community, to lead the implementation of the project. You may have an existing community trust or be a formal or informal group of people interested in forming a community trust organization. You can learn more about community trust organizations here: What is a Community Trust?
- Support robust community engagement and project prioritization.
- Provide technical assistance support for the pre-development work such as permitting, feasibility, engineering, design, and more.
- Provide initial funding and help assemble other funding sources for the construction phase of your project.
To participate in this program your community must:
- Be a town of fewer than 2,500 residents based on the 2020 Decennial Census.
- Have an existing community trust organization or the desire to build one.
- Be interested in a revitalization project utilizing a historic resource or site in an established village environment. Greenspace and trails are not eligible.
- Have site control.
- Have endorsement by the Selectboard to participate in the program (a motion in Selectboard meeting minutes or a letter indicating support).
For more information, visit Preservation Trust of Vermont.
