List of funding opportunities to serve our community, non profits, and local businesses.
Community Development
AARP Community Challenge – Funds quick-action projects to make communities more livable.
America Walks – Funds projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play.
Ben & Jerry’s – Focus areas include community action, economic justice, capacity building, and grassroots organizing.
Better Connections – A joint ACCD and VTrans grant program that aligns state and local investments to increase transportation options, build resilience, and strengthen economic vitality in Vermont’s community centers.
Citizens Institute on Rural Design – CIRD is intended to empower local citizens to capitalize on unique local and regional assets in order to guide the civic development and future design of their own communities.
Municipal Planning Grant – Meant to promote planning, revitalization, and development activities that maintain Vermont’s land use goal of compact settlements separated by rural lands.
National Life Group Foundation - Focuses on proven programs with metrics to support success. Also favors programs that focus on children and families but will consider those in health and human services, the environment, education, and the arts and recreation.
Northern Community Investment Corp. – Provides capital and expertise to strengthen businesses, communities, and employment opportunities.
Orton Family Foundation – The Community Heart & Soul program provides a roadmap for small cities and towns to build a brighter future.
Peoples United Foundation – Invests in programs and services that enhance the quality of life, promote the economic development of neighborhoods, and support the educational and developmental needs of children.
Reinvestment Fund – A federally certified community development institution funding multiple programs such as arts & culture, early childhood education, healthy eating, and clean energy use.
TD Charitable Foundation – Provides financial support in the following priority areas: affordable housing, economic development, neighborhood revitalization, human services, and financial health.
TD Charitable Foundation Community Sponsorships – Funds one-time activities that potentially benefit a non-profit organization.
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USDA Water & Waste Disposal – Provides funding for clean, reliable water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses.
USDA Community Development Initiative Grants – Helps non-profit housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities and federally recognized tribes support housing, community facilities, and economic development.
VT Arts Council Organization Grants – Supports arts and community organizations by providing funding, professional resources, and networking opportunities.
VT Community Development Program – Community Development Block Grants(CDBG) fund a range of activities from accessibility, job creation/retention, marketing plans, and housing projects.
VT Community Foundation Spark! Grants – Focus areas include providing access for low-income youth and families, connecting people through act of generosity and volunteerism, connecting people to the environment and/or providing opportunities for positive social interaction.
VT Community Loan Fund – Provides financing to businesses, community organizations and facilities.
Wal-Mart Community Grant Program – funds programs that promote community and economic development, diversity and inclusion, public safety, and environmental sustainability.
VT Buildings & General Services – These Building Communities grants focus on several key areas including educational facilities.
VEC Community Fund – Intended to strengthen the community by supporting organizations that promote community development and economic security
Infrastructure
Citizens Bank – Funds programs that target hunger, teach money management, promote job training, small business development, housing, and neighborhood revitalization.
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) – Awarded for large-scale capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure.
Economic Development Administration – Funds construction, non-construction, and revolving loan fund investments from $100,000 to $3,000,000.
Northern Border Regional Commission – Supports economic infrastructure projects and may be used as matching funds.
People for Bikes – Supports bicycle infrastructure projects and targeted advocacy initiatives; funds programs that focus on biking, active transportation, or community development.
Preservation Trust of VT – Dedicated to preservation projects with grants to evaluate the condition of historic buildings or barns.
USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program – This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas.
VT Bicycle & Pedestrian Grants Program – This annual grant provides funding for scoping studies, and small-scale and federally-funded construction projects.
VT Buildings & General Services – These Building Communities grants focus on several key areas including educational facilities.
VT State Infrastructure Bank – This low-interest loan program assists in the construction or reconstruction of highways, roads, bridges, and pedestrian facilities.
VT Transportation Alternatives Program – For SFY18 and SFY19 all projects had to focus on environmental mitigation with a transportation link. It is not clear what the focus will be going forward.
Education & Workforce
American Honda Foundation – Funds projects that include youth education with a focus on STEM subjects in addition to the environment.
Citizens Bank – Funds programs that target hunger, teach money management, promote job training, small business development, housing, and neighborhood revitalization.
Institute of Museum & Library Services – Supports projects that enhance the quality of library and archive services nationwide by advancing theory and practice.
J. Warren & Louise McClure Foundation – Funding priorities include programs that strengthen pathways between education and employment or expand post-secondary and career aspirations.
Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program – Supports developing a diverse workforce of librarians to better meet the changing learning and information needs of the American public by enhancing the training and professional development of library and archives professionals, developing faculty and library leaders, and recruiting and educating the next generation of library and archives professionals.
Health & Human Service
Citizens Bank – Funds programs that target hunger, teach money management, promote job training, small business development, housing, and neighborhood revitalization.
Hannaford Charitable Foundation – Focuses on food, education, and health.
Kinney Drugs Foundation – Focused on helping people live healthier lives.
Robert Wood Johnson Culture of Health Prize – The Prize honors those communities that are working to give everyone the opportunity to live well, including residents that are often left behind.
Union Bank – Funds a wide-range of activities through a charitable request form.
VT Housing & Conservation Board – Projects eligible for funding include rental housing, mobile home parks single-family ownership, transitional housing, and service-supported housing.
VT Buildings & General Services – These Building Communities grants focus on several key areas including educational facilities.
WK Kellogg Foundation – Has three interconnected priorities: thriving children, working families, and equitable communities.
Business
Small Business Innovation Research Program - Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers competitively awarded grants to qualified small businesses to support high quality research related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefits.
Small Business Technology Transfer Program - Program that expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development (R&D) arena.
Rural Business Enterprise Grant - 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.
FedEx Small Business Grant - Grant program by FedEx to award twelve (12) U.S. based small businesses with grants up to $50,000 and up to $7,500 in FedEx Office print and business services.
Eileen Fisher Grant for Women - Since 2004, this grant program has helped women-owned companies that are already beyond the startup phase expand their business, with attention paid to social and environmental impact.
Girlboss Foundation Grant - awarded on a biannual basis to individuals pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. Each grant beneficiary receives project funding for $15,000, plus exposure through the Girlboss platform and community, as well as local and regional press.
USDA Veteran and Minority Farmer Grant - Over $9 million in outreach and technical assistance for minority farmers and ranchers and military veterans that are new to farming and ranching.
USDA Rural Business Development – Supports targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses.
Empowered Communities for a Healthier Nation Initiative - Health-related small business, you can use this grant to spread information and awareness of health and healthcare for minorities.
Community Capital of Vermont – Loans range from $1,000 to $100,000 and may be used to start or expand a business.
Community Reinvestment Fund – Finances small business loans that don’t fit a conventional model. Loans vary from $150,000 to $4,000,000.
USDA Value-Added Producers Grants – Helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of new products.
VT Community Loan Fund – Provides financing to businesses, community organizations, and facilities.
VT Economic Development Authority – Offers a variety of agricultural and commercial financing options.
VEDA Export Assistance Program – Provides a one-stop service for export finance programs in Vermont. These services include loan services and liaison with EX-IM Bank in Washington, DC.