Foundations & Grantmakers in Vermont
594 grantmakers in Vermont reported grants on their latest 990s. The 205 that made at least 5 grants gave $172.8M. The largest by giving are The Vermont Community Foundation, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation and High Meadows Fund Inc. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Vermont grants
Foundation giving in Vermont at a glance
Active grantmakers
594
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$172.8M
from the 205 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$20K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$71K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Vermont by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Vermont Community Foundation | Middlebury | $46.3M | 728 |
| 2 | Vermont Energy Investment Corporation | Winooski | $8.5M | 21 |
| 3 | High Meadows Fund Inc | Middlebury | $7.4M | 43 |
| 4 | Vermont Parent Child Center Network | Middlebury | $7.0M | 15 |
| 5 | World Learning Inc | Brattleboro | $5.3M | 127 |
| 6 | The Prospect Fund | Burlington | $4.3M | 5 |
| 7 | Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc | South Burlington | $4.2M | 448 |
| 8 | Preservation Trust of Vermont Inc | Montpelier | $3.8M | 56 |
| 9 | The Wilkens Family Foundation | Stowe | $3.7M | 39 |
| 10 | Four Pines Fund Inc | Burlington | $2.8M | 16 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 7 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 25 · 15%
- Environment & Animals 22 · 13%
- Health 18 · 11%
- Human Services 16 · 10%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 15 · 9%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 13 · 8%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (45% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Vermont
- The Vermont Community Foundation $46.3M · 728 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Vermont
Foundations based in Vermont whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community Bank NA Foundation of New | 72% (46) | 64 in 2025 | $2K |
| 2 | Vermont Childrens Trust Foundation | 59% (40) | 68 in 2025 | $14K |
| 3 | The Redducs Chartered Foundation Corp | 58% (34) | 59 in 2025 | $2K |
| 4 | Catch the Cure Inc | 57% (16) | 28 in 2025 | $1K |
| 5 | Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc | 51% (19) | 37 in 2024 | $15K |
| 6 | The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation | 51% (29) | 57 in 2024 | $6K |
| 7 | Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc | 50% (10) | 20 in 2025 | $1K |
| 8 | World Learning Inc | 47% (59) | 126 in 2025 | $27K |
| 9 | Trout Lily Foundation | 46% (18) | 39 in 2025 | $26K |
| 10 | The Lionheart Charitable Trust | 45% (15) | 33 in 2025 | $4K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 205 grantmakers in Vermont with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The Vermont Community Foundation
Middlebury, VT
Assets
$370.6M
Grants
728
Total Given
$46.3M
Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Winooski, VT
Assets
$53.4M
Grants
21
Total Given
$8.5M
High Meadows Fund Inc
Middlebury, VT
Assets
—
Grants
43
Total Given
$7.4M
Vermont Parent Child Center Network
Middlebury, VT
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
15
Total Given
$7.0M
World Learning Inc
Brattleboro, VT
Assets
$72.0M
Grants
127
Total Given
$5.3M
The Prospect Fund
Burlington, VT
Assets
—
Grants
5
Total Given
$4.3M
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
South Burlington, VT
Assets
$9.2M
Grants
448
Total Given
$4.2M
Preservation Trust of Vermont Inc
Montpelier, VT
Assets
$13.3M
Grants
56
Total Given
$3.8M
The Wilkens Family Foundation
Stowe, VT
Assets
$55.7M
Grants
39
Total Given
$3.7M
Four Pines Fund Inc
Burlington, VT
Assets
$275K
Grants
16
Total Given
$2.8M
Building Bright Futures State Advisory Council
Williston, VT
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
56
Total Given
$2.7M
National Life Group Charitable
Montpelier, VT
Assets
$27.4M
Grants
757
Total Given
$2.7M
Vermont Public Health Association Inc
Burlington, VT
Assets
$92K
Grants
25
Total Given
$2.6M
Watersheds United Vermont Inc
Montpelier, VT
Assets
$511K
Grants
34
Total Given
$2.4M
Northern Stage Company
White River Junction, VT
Assets
$21.0M
Grants
11
Total Given
$2.1M
Cathedral Square Corporation
South Burlington, VT
Assets
$52.3M
Grants
15
Total Given
$2.0M
Elevate Youth Services Inc
Barre, VT
Assets
$2.0M
Grants
12
Total Given
$1.9M
Sander Foundation
Stowe, VT
Assets
—
Grants
5
Total Given
$1.9M
Esther and Otto Seligmann Foundation Inc
Cornwall, VT
Assets
$1.5M
Grants
8
Total Given
$1.7M
Vermont Law School
South Royalton, VT
Assets
$56.3M
Grants
6
Total Given
$1.6M
Antonio B and Rita M Pomerleau
Burlington, VT
Assets
$2.1M
Grants
57
Total Given
$1.6M
Lintilhac Foundation Inc
Shelburne, VT
Assets
$26.0M
Grants
113
Total Given
$1.5M
M&C Somewhere Foundation
Ripton, VT
Assets
$1.1M
Grants
5
Total Given
$1.4M
Lydia B Stokes Foundation
South Burlington, VT
Assets
$2.3M
Grants
20
Total Given
$1.4M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Vermont
What are the largest foundations in Vermont?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are The Vermont Community Foundation ($46.3M across 728 grants), Vermont Energy Investment Corporation ($8.5M) and High Meadows Fund Inc ($7.4M). Together the top 10 account for 54% of the $172.8M given by the 205 grantmakers in Vermont that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Vermont?
The typical grant is about $20K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $71K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Vermont?
Yes. We found 1 community foundation in Vermont with grant activity. The largest by giving is The Vermont Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Vermont foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Vermont from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.