The first cohort of the Village Trust initiative (VTI) has gotten off to an energetic start. Since launching in April 2024, the communities of Benson, Braintree, Greensboro Bend, Lunenburg-Gilman, Reading, West Fairlee, and Wolcott have been gathering community input through events, surveys, and facilitated conversations to lay the groundwork of an impactful community-driven project for their town. Community trust organizations serving as backbone support in all communities have become official entities and are in the process of receiving their 501c3 non-profit status. Feasibility work is underway for projects ranging from general stores, to community amenities such as cafe’s, child care, housing, and community and recreation spaces.

The Preservation Trust of Vermont, Vermont Council on Rural Development, and the Vermont Community Foundation are pleased to announce the first cohort of communities selected for the Village Trust Initiative (VTI). The Village Trust Initiative is a new partnership of the three organizations that will support twenty Vermont communities over the next several years to form a Community Trust and undertake a transformational revitalization project in their historic village.

Villages are an essential part of our communities, Vermont’s identity, and its future. The Village Trust Initiative launched in 2024 offering expertise and funding to help 20 small towns create or bolster a local community trust organization and take on a transformational revitalization project in their village.