A new round of funding and support will soon be available to help a third cohort of small Vermont towns breathe new life into the historic buildings and shared spaces at the heart of their communities.

The Village Trust Initiative (VTI) — a partnership of Preservation Trust of Vermont, Vermont Council on Rural Development and Vermont Community Foundation — is a multi-year program that is currently supporting 12 small towns across Vermont in creating or bolstering a community focused local non-profit organization to advance a transformational redevelopment project in their village. Participating communities receive financial and technical support, as well as hands-on technical assistance to ensure projects successfully meet a community identified need, contribute to a thriving village, and act as a catalyst for future projects within the village. Now in its third year, VTI will open its next application round on June 17th. Towns with fewer than 2,500 people, based on the 2020 Census, are eligible to apply.

“Vermont villages have always been a place for community connection and innovation. We’ve seen those qualities in action during the first couple of years of this initiative,” said Ben Doyle, President of the Preservation Trust of Vermont. “Projects like the Lunenburg-Gilman Middle School redevelopment or the Reading Grange revitalization demonstrate that when a community has a shared vision and the right kind of support, it can be a model of resilience for Vermont.”

An informational webinar on the program and application process will be held on June 17th at noon on Zoom. Community groups with a vision for their village that could be  bolstered by this program are encouraged to attend. To register for the webinar, click https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Pg2Uuzg2Rg6oWN38ohuPow or visit vtrural.org/village-trust. Applications for the 2026 Village Trust Initiative Community Cohort will open June 17th and are due September 8th at 5pm.

“It’s been incredibly inspiring to see the Village Trust communities come together and advance their projects,” said Holly Morehouse, Vice President of Community Impact for the Vermont Community Foundation. “Not only are new uses being planned for key physical spaces in their village centers, but local residents are working together to provide input, share skills, take on leadership roles, and build a new vision for their community.”

The Village Trust Initiative, made possible with a $10 million Congressionally Directed Spending award from Senator Patrick Leahy’s office, fosters community driven revitalization of both the physical and social infrastructure at the foundation of the historical success of Vermont’s small villages.

“This program is a great example of how community-led decision making can bring people together, build trust, and quickly catalyze actionable and visible progress in small towns,” said Denise Smith, Executive Director of the Vermont Council on Rural Development.

In addition, Preservation Trust of Vermont will host an overnight retreat on May 19-20 in Grafton focused on working on or exploring a building rehabilitation project that strengthens the community. To learn more and register for the retreat, visit Community Revitalization through Non-profit Ownership.

To learn more about VTI, visit: ptvermont.org/village-trust-initiative or vtrural.org/village-trust.