Vermont Humanities Council
Vermont Humanities Council is a statewide nonprofit based in Montpelier, Vermont, and a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It uses the humanities to connect people across Vermont and supports public humanities projects, literacy programs, and community programming.
Vermont Humanities Council at a glance
In short: Vermont Humanities Council gave $165K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Vermont. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $164,650
- -20.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,666
- -20.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,900
- Total assets
- $3,219,605
- +1.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Vermont (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Vermont Humanities Council
- How to Apply
-
Eligible organizations may apply for Project Grants; community groups may apply using a 501(c)(3) fiscal agent. Rapid Response applications are reviewed monthly, with applications submitted before the first of the month considered in that month’s review. The council lists 2026 Project Grant deadlines of February 18, May 20, and September 9; all three dates have passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 11 Loomis Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: (802) 262-2626
Website: https://vermonthumanities.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Vermont Humanities Council
Partnership Grants
Vermont Humanities Council
Amount
Up to $30,000 over 3 years
Deadline
Deadline not published
Project Grants
Vermont Humanities Council
Amount
$1,000 - $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Rapid Response Grant
Vermont Humanities Council
Amount
Up to US $1,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Vermont Humanities Council funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lake Champlain Maritime Museum ($20K). Together the top 10 received $108K.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 93 grants of 93 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The council describes its work as serving people across Vermont. In the 2025 filing, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Vermont and 3% to recipients in Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
How Vermont Humanities Council gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2022) to $399K (2023). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $165K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Vergennes, VT | General Purpose | $20,000 |
| Burlington History & Culture Center South Burlington, VT | General Purpose | $13,250 |
| Retreat Farm Brattleboro, VT | General Purpose | $12,000 |
| Abenaki Circle of Courage Inc Swanton, VT | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Clemmons Family Farm Inc Charlotte, VT | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Gedakina Essex Junction, VT | General Purpose | $9,500 |
| Junction Arts & Media White River Junction, VT | General Purpose | $9,500 |
| Old Stone House Museum Brownington, VT | General Purpose | $8,000 |
| Peace & Justice Center Burlington, VT | General Purpose | $8,000 |
| The Civic Standard Hardwick, VT | General Purpose | $7,900 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,219,605 | $1,833,885 | $1,922,074 | $164,650 | 19 | $66,145 |
| 2024 | $3,178,214 | $2,227,967 | $2,289,751 | $207,525 | 19 | $60,844 |
| 2023 | $3,301,935 | $1,994,159 | $2,347,925 | $399,000 | 32 | $2,777 |
| 2022 | $3,356,321 | $1,880,483 | $1,801,947 | $25,000 | 2 | $699 |
| 2021 | $3,523,596 | $2,606,511 | $1,881,252 | $222,500 | 21 | $375,653 |
| 2020 | $3,049,401 | $1,997,823 | $1,579,879 | $377,250 | 61 | $34,978 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Its mission is to use the humanities to connect with people across Vermont, create just, vibrant, and resilient communities, and inspire a lifelong love of learning.
The council supports community and curriculum-development projects, humanities presentations and discussions, and literacy programs. Its website encourages applications from 501(c)(3) public charities, government entities, schools, and institutions of higher education; other groups may apply through a nonprofit fiscal agent. Eligible projects must focus on the humanities and be proposed for primarily Vermont audiences.
The council’s 2025 grants included organizations with varied missions. For example, Retreat Farm said it seeks to foster a just, healthy, and sustainable community in southern Vermont by connecting people to the land and one another. Clemmons Family Farm described its work as preserving a historic farm as an educational model for preserving African-American-owned agricultural land and cultural heritage assets. Gedakina said its mission is to strengthen the cultural knowledge and identity of Eastern Native American peoples and preserve traditional homelands and sacred places.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing reports 19 grants totaling $164,650. The grants ranged from $5,500 to $20,000, with a median of $7,900. Separately, the council’s website reports that in 2025 it funded 53 Project Grant projects totaling $229,160 and 34 Rapid Response Grants totaling $26,765.
Notable grants reported in the 2025 filing include $20,000 to Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, $13,250 to Burlington History & Culture Center, $12,000 to Retreat Farm, and $10,000 each to Abenaki Circle of Courage and Clemmons Family Farm. The filing lists the purpose for these grants as general purpose.
The council offers Project Grants of up to $5,000 for community and curriculum-development projects, Rapid Response Grants of up to $1,000, and Partnership Grants of up to $30,000 over three years. Project Grant applications are reviewed three times a year. Staff first review applications for eligibility, then share eligible applications with a committee of board members and Vermont community members. Review criteria include alignment with the council’s mission, public engagement, collaboration, project location and population served, accessibility, and evaluation. The council states that it does not use federal funding for Project or Rapid Response Grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Luis Vivanco, Joseph Antonioli, Ellen Bethea, Sandra Gartner, Susanna Gellert, and T Elijah Hawkes as directors; Gizelle Guyette as secretary; Ron Miller as treasurer; and Yasmine Ziesler and Kiah Morris as co-chairs.
Vermont Humanities Council is led by Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$102K (2020) → $140K (2025)
Luis Vivanco
Director
On filings since 2021
1.5 hrs/week
$2K (2021) → $350 (2025)
Vera Longtoe Sheehan
Director
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
1.5 hrs/week
$1K (2022) → $0 (2025)
Ellen Bethea
Director
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
$600 (2024) → $0 (2025)
Jinny Huh
Director
On filings since 2021
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Sears
Director
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
T. Elijah Hawkes
Director
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dottie Morris
Director
On filings since 2024
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Candace Lewis
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Antonioli
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn Santiago
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Gartner
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susanna Gellert
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yasmine Ziesler
Co-Chair
Director → Co-Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ron Miller
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gizelle Guyette
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kiah Morris
Co-Chair
Director → Co-Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Adrienne Major (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Judith Chalmer (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Steven Stettler (2020–2024) — Co-Chair
- Former: Denise Bailey (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Patricia Menduni (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Lizzy Lyons (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Mary Otto (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Morgan Moore (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Shanta Lee Gander (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Beverly Belisle (2023) — Co-Chair
- Former: Susan Burch (2023) — Director
- Former: Beverly Colston (2020–2022) — Co-Chair
- Former: Joy Facos (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Meg Ostrum (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Randall Szott (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Bob Taylor (2020) — Director
- Former: Jessamyn West (2020) — Director
- Former: Katy Smith Abbott (2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Rolf Diamant (2020) — Director
- Former: Sarah Dopp (2020) — Director
- Former: Todd Daloz (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $140K, to Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Vermont Humanities Council
How much does Vermont Humanities Council give each year?
Vermont Humanities Council gave $165K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $208K across 19 grants.
What is Vermont Humanities Council's typical grant size?
Vermont Humanities Council's median grant in 2025 was $7,900, and its average grant was $8,666, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Vermont Humanities Council give grants?
Vermont Humanities Council gives mostly in Vermont: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Brattleboro, VT (2 grants), Essex Junction, VT (2 grants) and Burlington, VT (2 grants).
Does Vermont Humanities Council give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Vermont Humanities Council's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Vermont Humanities Council's largest grantees?
Vermont Humanities Council's largest 2025 grantees include Lake Champlain Maritime Museum ($20,000), Burlington History & Culture Center ($13,250) and Retreat Farm ($12,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Vermont Humanities Council?
Vermont Humanities Council reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.
What does Vermont Humanities Council fund?
Its mission is to use the humanities to connect with people across Vermont, create just, vibrant, and resilient communities, and inspire a lifelong love of learning. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vermont Humanities Council?
Eligible organizations may apply for Project Grants; community groups may apply using a 501(c)(3) fiscal agent. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Vermont Humanities Council's EIN?
Vermont Humanities Council's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0187809. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Vermont Humanities Council's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Vermont Humanities Council funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/vermont-humanities-council-morg_9a86010a6bae43c2b520ecb51227f5b5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_510187809_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Vermont Humanities Council funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/vermont-humanities-council-morg_9a86010a6bae43c2b520ecb51227f5b5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Vermont Humanities Council's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Vermont Humanities Council down — hundreds of funders to go?