VCF: Special and Urgent Needs Grant (SUN)

The VCF Special and Urgent Needs Grant (SUN) supports Vermont nonprofits facing unexpected expenses that hinder their mission. Grants, typically up to $5,000, are available for emergencies or unanticipated opportunities. Eligible organizations must serve Vermont residents and basic human needs. The program prioritizes those with budgets under $500,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until November 14, 2025, with decisions made within 20 business days. Reopening is scheduled for February 2026.

The program will close for the year on November 1, 2026.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year or until funding for the year has been fully expended. We encourage organizations to apply as soon as the need and a plan to address the need are identified. Decisions will be made within 20 business days of receiving the application.
About the Vermont Community Foundation
We are a collective of more than 1,000 funds and foundations, created by Vermonters to fulfill their charitable aspirations.
The Special and Urgent Needs (SUN) grant program supports Vermont nonprofits with unexpected expenses that impact their ability to meet their mission.
A SUN grant can help an organization manage an unbudgeted, unforeseen, and time-sensitive emergency or take advantage of an unanticipated opportunity that will enhance its work.
Grant Size
Grants of up to $5,000 are typically awarded from this fund.

Eligibility

Organizations must be located in or serve the people of Vermont, and serve basic human needs (social services, food, shelter, health). The program will prioritize applicants with operating budgets of $500,000 or less.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.What We Fund:The Special and Urgent Needs grant program prioritizes funding for organizations serving basic human needs within their communities (social services, food access, housing, and or health-related services). We look for proposals that will allow an organization to address these types of short-term needs:Emergency repairs of building structure or mechanical systems (heating/cooling, water service, etc.) whose sudden and unexpected failure interferes with the provision of services. Examples of a grant of this nature would be costs for an unexpected roof repair resulting from a fallen tree at a social service provider or the mitigation of a water supply that has been deemed unusable in a food shelf. SUN, however, cannot fund repair or replacement to a roof that has been leaking for several months and/or years.Replacement of essential equipment and technology whose sudden and unexpected failure interferes with the provision of services. An example would be a crisis hotline phone system that fails without warning or a stove at a homeless shelter that breaks just outside of the warranty period but well before the end of its expected life.Provision of services or acquisition of a resource that could not have been anticipated or budgeted, and without which the work of the organization would be severely hampered. An example of this type of grant is training on post-traumatic stress disorder for school guidance counselors supporting children in towns severely impacted by disaster. Another example is staffing a temporary replacement while an organization’s executive director is on emergency medical leave.Programming that helps organizations support staff and/or volunteer mental health and well-being in times of extraordinary need. This may include, but is not limited to, a traumatic event or disruption within the organization, a period of high turnover, and/or unusual stress or demands on staff. Examples of activities for funding might include a staff outing or retreat, facilitated team building or dialogue, grief counseling, or therapeutic yoga or art programming.We will also consider an unexpected and timely opportunity that significantly enhances an organization’s ability to meet its mission. For example, an unexpected opportunity to acquire a key resource at an excellent price.

Ineligibility

We do not make grants
for:      deferred building maintenance, such as a roof that has been leaking for several months and/or years;
deferred technology upgrades, like a computer or other piece of technology that is no longer working or failing to work but is well beyond its projected life span;
construction project overruns, including surprise costs that are revealed during renovation projects/once projects are underway;
debts;
past due tax return and audit preparation.We also cannot consider applications for budget deficits or funding shortfalls; this grant round is designed to help nonprofits with unbudgeted and unexpected expenses, not to fill in for unmet revenue projections.
typically do not fund work that has already been completed.