Forest & Land Use (Vermont Community Foundation Impact Area)

Forest & Land Use (Vermont Community Foundation Impact Area) is sponsored by Vermont Community Foundation. This funding strategy provides critical support to Vermont's rich natural resources (forests, farmland, and watersheds) and rural communities.

For Nonprofits - Vermont Community Foundation Vermont’s communities thrive with the hard work and dedication of nonprofit organizations and partners. We support them through grantmaking programs and management of their nonprofit funds so they can keep supporting Vermont.

Nonprofit Connection Form All Funds & Grant Programs We are proud to support our nonprofit partners with nonprofit reserve and endowment funds, planned giving partnerships, grants, and integrated capital. The Foundant Grants Lifecycle Manager (GLM) launched a new Applicant Dashboard. The Applicant Dashboard will has a new look and layout.

You do not need to create a new account; your existing account and login information are the same. No data is lost; your current and past applications and reports are still accessible. Visit the Foundant GLM Applicant Tutorial support page to: Watch a tutorial video of the new Applicant Dashboard Please note: These resources are standardized and created by Foundant GLM staff.

The VCF version of GLM will include unique branding and customized forms that differ from what is shown in the tutorials. Community Impact staff are available to support you. If you have any questions, run into any issues with the new Applicant Dashboard, or need to update your organization’s information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at grants@vermontcf.

org or by calling 802-388-3355 opt 6. These grant programs are currently or soon to be open and accepting applications. You can also view all of our funds and programs with the link below.

All Grant Programs 2026 Grant Program Dates Nonprofit Capacity Building Opportunity Fund for Southshire Youth Laurance & Mary Rockefeller Fund Opportunity Gap Community Impact Grants Regional & Place-Based Grants People & Issue-Based Grants Nonprofit Development & Support Supporting Organizations / Partner Programs Opportunity Gap Community Impact Grants Opportunity Gap grants address inequalities and aim to strengthen community connections.

Programs like Spark Connecting Community provide smaller grants of $500-$5,000 for projects that foster local engagement and build social capital—the connective tissue of our communities. Regional and Local Impact (RALI) grants, by invitation, are larger grants of $15,000-$25,000 that support community-driven ideas that align with one of five key impact areas, emphasizing readiness and collaboration.

Regional & Place-Based Grants Place-based grant programs support specific Vermont regions. These grants focus on local needs such as education, historic preservation, social services, and environmental conservation. Examples include the Walter Cerf Community Fund in Addison County, the Crosby-Gannett Fund in Brattleboro, the Green Mountain Fund in Lamoille and Orleans Counties, and the Northeast Kingdom Fund.

People & Issue-Based Grants People & Issued-Based Funds provide grants focused on specific interests or groups, such as the arts, inclusion, support for marginalized populations, and youth programs. Examples include the Arts & Social Cohesion Fund, Equitable & Inclusive Communities Fund, the Samara Fund, the Vermont Women’s Fund, and the Opportunity Fund for Southshire Youth.

These grants support projects that enhance social interaction, engagement, and community belonging across Vermont. Nonprofit Development & Support Supporting Organizations / Partner Programs Our supporting organizations are engaged in long-term, big-picture strategic philanthropy. Their grantmaking is often by invitation only.

For example, the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation focuses on improving access to postsecondary education and career opportunities in Vermont. Similarly, The Curtis Fund provides scholarships so that every Vermonter has a chance to obtain the education or training he or she needs, regardless of family background, income level, or birthplace.

And, Let’s Grow Kids is a statewide organization leading a campaign to solve Vermont’s child care crisis because child care is the foundation of a healthy society and a resilient economy. Resources for Grantseekers Who can apply for grants? Our grants must be paid to a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit, or to a public entity, such as a town, public school, or state agency.

All others will need to use a fiscal sponsor. We do not grant to individuals. In rare cases, such as times of crisis or statewide emergency response, we have been able to grant to for-profit business entities.

How do I create or manage an online account for grant applications? Our Online Grants Manager will allow you to track the status of your application, as well as file grant reports from your account, and you’ll be able to edit and submit applications on your own timeline. Creating an account is simple with some preparation.

We recommend you set up your account well before the grant deadline. You’ll need: Contact information for the point person and a username (email address) Organization’s contact info, including EIN/Tax ID Executive Director’s contact info The first person to register will create your organization’s profile.

If you are unsure whether your organization already has an account or if you need to be added to an existing account, please contact us. Enter your information carefully; once an organization is created only Foundation staff can edit the organization profile or add new users.

Once your individual user account is set up, users can edit contact information, start an application, access existing drafts and submitted applications, and complete reports for awarded grants. Login or Create a New Account What documents do I need for a grant application?

Requirements may vary based on the grant program, but you may need: Organizational budget and financial statements ( profit and loss and balance statements ) Project budget with narrative Storytelling about your project What if my organization has a fiscal sponsor? Indicate this in your application and download this fiscal sponsor form from our site.

Download The Fiscal Sponsor Form Which browsers work best with the Online Grants Manager? For best results, use Google Chrome 14+, Firefox 9+, or Safari 4+. Internet Explorer may have minor issues.

I submitted an application. What happens next? Once we receive your application, it undergoes a careful review.

If any elements are missing or if your application is ineligible for a specific grant round, we will notify you promptly. Otherwise, your application will be evaluated by a committee or team responsible for that grant round. Reviewers may include community members, nonprofit leaders, donors, board members, and Foundation staff.

If your application aligns well with our priorities but we have questions about your work or its impact on the community, we may reach out to you for clarification. Alternatively, if your project doesn’t fit our grantmaking priorities but might be suitable for one of our funding partners like the McClure Foundation or Let’s Grow Kids, we may share your application internally with their grants teams.

General Applicant Guidelines and Requirements Grant applications will be accepted from organizations that are located in or serve the people of Vermont. Organizations must be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a public agency or municipality in the state of Vermont.

Nonprofit organizations or community groups who do not have 501(c)(3) status may apply for grant awards if another tax-exempt organization acts as a fiscal sponsor.

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available (meaning any funds having a competitive application process) by the Vermont Community Foundation, and any other program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds appropriated for grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance administered by the Foundation.

If grant applicants employ staff or engage volunteers, they must do so and provide services without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability.

With questions about applying for grants, please contact us at grants@vermontcf. org or 802-388-3355 opt. 6.

What are the 2025 grant program timelines? Review the 2025 grant program timelines and visit the grant program web pages for the most up-to-date information. Common Good Vermont is a people and web-based network for Vermont’s nonprofit community to connect, learn, and share what they know in order to build partnerships, solve problems, and make Vermont a better place to live.

Check out their Nonprofit 101 section and the rest of the site, including a useful events calendar. Vermont Secretary of State The Vermont Secretary of State website provides assistance to start, expand, or dissolve a nonprofit organization and includes forms, a checklist of considerations for starting or expanding a nonprofit, answers to frequently asked questions, and links to other helpful sites.

State of Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development GuideStar —a public charity and part of Candid, Inc.—is a comprehensive database of nearly 2 million IRS-registered nonprofits in the U.S. It is widely used by funders, foundations, and community organizations for nonprofit research. Most 501c3 organizations already have a basic GuideStar profile generated from IRS records.

Your organization may already have a profile in the database that you can claim and update for free. We encourage you to check it out and keep your organization’s information current. IRS Guidelines for the Revised Form 990 Public charities and certain tax-exempt organizations are required to use the new form.

The revised form will give the IRS and the public a much better view of how exempt organizations operate. Nonprofit Funds & Planned Giving A nonprofit fund at the VCF helps build healthy and vital Vermont communities while gaining access to world-class investment services and philanthropic support.

We manage over 250 nonprofit endowment funds for various nonprofits in the state, including the Vermont Land Trust, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Chelsea Public Library, and NOFA-VT. Use our no-cost, turnkey planned giving partnership program to manage your nonprofit fund so your team can spend more time supporting Vermont.