Saving buildings and building community by preserving Vermont's vernacular architecture and supporting place-based community revitalization.
Focus Areas
historic building rehabilitationdowntown and village revitalizationtechnical assistance and condition assessmentscommunity-led preservation projectspreservation easements
Who They Fund
museums and cultural institutionshistoric sites and landmarksarchives and librariescommunities reliant on local heritage
Funding Style
preservation-focused supportcapital/project grants for upkeep
About Preservation Trust of Vermont
A $311,000 grant to East Calais Community Trust Inc in East Calais is the largest recent award in the record, and it captures the foundation’s emphasis on preserving Vermont’s vernacular architecture through place-based revitalization. Preservation Trust of Vermont Inc backs historic building rehabilitation, downtown and village renewal, technical assistance, condition assessments, and community-led preservation projects. The recent grant list shows that this work reaches a wide mix of local partners, from community trusts and municipalities to schools, museums, and civic groups. Awards to Preservation Realty Holdings in Burlington and the Town of Lyndon show support for both nonprofit and public stewardship of historic assets, while grants to St Johnsbury Academy and Stjohnsbury Fairbanks Museum point to work with established institutions that hold significant local buildings. The foundation also funds preservation easements and project development support through its active programs, including smaller seed grants for assessments and consulting. With local giving concentrated in Vermont and a strong emphasis on capital and project-based support, the foundation’s role is closely tied to conserving built heritage as part of community life.
What Preservation Trust of Vermont Funds
Historic building rehabilitation is a central theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $150,607 to the Town of Lyndon for preservation, and it awarded $129,525 to the Town of Hardwick for the same purpose, reflecting support for public stewards of historic property. Community-building through preservation also appears in grants such as $57,092 to Montpelier Alive and $53,554 to Vermont Council on Rural Development, both in Montpelier. The foundation also supports cultural and civic assets: Friends of the Union Meeting Hall in Ferrisburgh received $50,600, and the Rev George L Fox Memorial Chapel in Gilman received $50,500. Another strand is adaptive use of historic places for community services, seen in a $50,000 grant to North Counties Health Care in St Johnsbury and a $45,100 grant to The Gray Building Coalition Inc in Northfield.
How Preservation Trust of Vermont Gives
Typical grants cluster around a median of $17,643, with the middle half of awards between $10,000 and $40,740. That pattern fits a portfolio with both smaller technical-assistance grants and larger capital awards, including program ranges that reach well above the median. The foundation’s recent record also suggests repeat relationships: Preservation Realty Holdings appears in both 2023 and 2025, Bridgewater Area Community Foundation appears in 2024 and 2023, and Stjohnsbury Academy appears in 2023 and 2024. It operates as a regular funder and also makes program-related investments. The active program list includes both unsolicited and non-unsolicited grant lines, so access varies by program rather than following a single open-application model.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.3M
Total Assets
$12.4M
Total Revenue
$2.9M
Total Expenses
$2.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $41K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$41K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
BEN DOYLE
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Deep Analysis
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historic building preservationcultural heritage preservationarchives and collections conservationland/natural resource conservationmonument and landmark conservation
Where Preservation Trust of Vermont Makes Grants
Giving is overwhelmingly in Vermont, with 98% of grants to recipients in the HQ state and all recorded recipient-country activity in the US. The recent grants are spread across the state, including East Calais, Burlington, Lyndonville, Hardwick, St Johnsbury, Bridgewater, Guilford, and Montpelier. St Johnsbury stands out as a repeated recipient city, alongside Burlington and Montpelier, which each appear multiple times in the recent list. The foundation also reaches rural communities such as McIndoes Falls, Gilman, Barnet, and Greensboro.
Frequently Asked Questions About Preservation Trust of Vermont
What kinds of projects does Preservation Trust of Vermont Inc support?
The foundation funds historic building rehabilitation, downtown and village revitalization, technical assistance, condition assessments, preservation easements, and community-led preservation projects. Its active programs also include barn preservation, seed grants for assessments and consulting, and grants for rural community preservation.
What is the typical grant size?
The typical grant sits at a median of $17,643. The middle half of grants falls between $10,000 and $40,740, which suggests a mix of smaller planning and technical-assistance awards alongside larger capital grants.
Does the foundation fund only Vermont recipients?
Its recent giving is concentrated in Vermont: 98% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely US-based. The active program descriptions also point to Vermont-focused grantmaking, including Northeast Kingdom, rural Vermont, and Northern New England references.
Are any grants available through an open application process?
Yes, some are. The Preservation Grants partnership with the Freeman Foundation accepts unsolicited applications, and the Robert Sincerbeaux Fund (RSF) Grants also accept unsolicited applications. Other listed programs, including Barn Grants and Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants, do not.
Does the foundation make repeat grants to the same organizations?
Yes. Preservation Realty Holdings appears in both 2023 and 2025, Bridgewater Area Community Foundation appears in 2023 and 2024, and Stjohnsbury Academy appears in 2023 and 2024. That pattern suggests some continuing relationships rather than only one-time awards.
Current and upcoming funding from Preservation Trust of Vermont that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowCloses Nov 9, 2026Award: $50K – $100K
Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants
Historic preservationHistoric building restorationStructural repairs+6 more
Who can apply: Supports preservation and restoration of buildings and community gathering spaces of economic and social significance in rural communities with fewer than 7,500 residents. The program is supported by the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
Deadline: Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on November 9, 2026.
Historic barn preservationCondition assessmentsRepair planning+1 more
Who can apply: The program supports condition assessments for historic barns. A qualified contractor must evaluate the building and prepare a report prioritizing repairs and providing rough cost estimates.
historic preservationtechnical assistanceconsulting support+1 more
Who can apply: Available to individuals and organizations involved in historic preservation projects; specific grant criteria not detailed in the scraped content.
Preservation Grants (Freeman Foundation partnership)
Rehabilitation of historic buildingsCommunity-led preservation projectsCapital project support
Who can apply: Nonprofits and municipalities undertaking rehabilitation of historic buildings with demonstrated community support (volunteer and fundraising efforts).
Deadline: Offered once a year, typically in the spring
Historic building preservationCondition assessmentsArchitectural consulting+5 more
Who can apply: Available to nonprofit organizations undertaking historic-building preservation or related project-development work. Eligible uses include hiring a preservation consultant or architect for a condition assessment, organizational development, project planning, fundraising consultation, feasibility assessment, and other technical assistance that moves a project forward.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
