The Preservation Trust of Vermont (PTV), Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), and the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) are pleased to announce the third cohort of communities selected for the Village Trust Initiative (VTI). Now in its third and final year, VTI  is a partnership supporting rural communities undertaking transformational revitalization projects in their historic villages.

“This program is affirming that the Vermont Village is a site of innovation and hope,” said Ben Doyle, PTV President. “By making investments in people and places, communities are preserving their futures. We are deeply grateful to our congressional partners and the local champions making this work happen.”

Communities selected for the third VTI round include:

  • Bakersfield Village Trust Working Group – Bakersfield (Franklin)
  • Friends of the Town Hall – Chittenden (Rutland)
  • Irasburg Village Trust Initiative Group – Irasburg (Orleans)
  • Plainfield Historical Society – Plainfield (Washington)
  • Readsboro Hometown Redevelopment – Readsboro (Bennington)
  • Roxbury Community Trust – Roxbury (Washington)
  • Whitingham Community Trust – Whitingham (Windham)

VTI is made possible with a $10 million Congressionally Directed Spending award from former Senator Leahy’s office in 2023 and provides selected communities throughout the state with substantial planning and implementation funding. Each community receives technical assistance from all three partner organizations, funding to support the predevelopment of the project, and significant capital investment to launch the project forward.

“The value of the Village Trust Initiative is collaboration on every level, among trusted partner organizations, local communities, and the people who care about them,” said Denise Smith, VCRD Executive Director. “Community engagement is essential to this work because lasting revitalization happens when residents help shape the future of their village. In this third and final year, we’re connecting all three cohorts so communities can share lessons, mentor one another, and build relationships that will carry this work forward long after the program ends. When local people come together around a shared vision, they create the commitment and momentum needed to turn that vision to reality.”

PTV and VCRD visited each of the finalist communities this fall, to meet local project leaders, see potential project sites and learn more about the life and community in each village. Project leaders spoke of the potential that the VTI program brings to their community.

“The strength of Vermont’s villages comes from the people who care deeply about their communities and are willing to work together to shape their future,” said Holly Morehouse, VCF Vice President of Community Impact. “Through the Village Trust Initiative, we’re helping local leaders turn their vision into action, reinvest in the places that bring people together, and build a lasting foundation for vibrant village life.”

By helping communities define a vision for their future and complete revitalization projects, the Village Trust Initiative will build community capacity, preserve a sense of place, and ensure Vermont villages are dynamic places for future generations. PTV, VCRD and VCF are deeply grateful to Senator Leahy and to the entire congressional delegation for making this opportunity and funding possible.

For more information about the VTI program and its cohort communities, visit vtrural.org/village-trust or https://ptvermont.org/village-trust-initiative/.