Vermont Community Foundation Awards $153,750 in Grants
The Walter Cerf Community Fund distributed grants to 33 community projects, most serving Addison County and Brandon.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Philanthropy
Live Poll
Should your community prioritize funding local arts and family support nonprofits?
The Vermont Community Foundation awarded $153,750 to 33 community-based projects through the Walter Cerf Community Fund. Most grants benefit organizations serving Addison County and Brandon.
Why it matters
The awards direct funding to local nonprofits across the state, supporting historic preservation, arts education, counseling, and food access programs. The fund honors the memory of Walter Cerf.
The Walter Cerf Community Fund distributed $153,750 across 33 projects, including a $20,000 preservation grant for the Samson Memorial building in Cornwall and a $10,000 award for the Eddy Farm outdoor arena. The Vermont Community Foundation's annual giving totals roughly $80 million, and the broader VCF family includes about 1,000 funds and supporting organizations.
The players
Vermont Community Foundation
The Vermont Community Foundation is a statewide philanthropic organization that manages hundreds of charitable funds and grants millions of dollars annually to nonprofits across Vermont.
Walter Cerf Community Fund
The Walter Cerf Community Fund is a grantmaking fund at the Vermont Community Foundation, named in honor of Walter Cerf, that supports community-based projects in the state.
The details
Grants went to organizations including the Ethan and Mary Baker Allen DAR Chapter, Addison County Relocalization Network, Atria Collective, Counseling Service of Addison County, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, and Vermont Stage Company. Awards ranged from $2,500 for in-school education programs to $20,000 for historic building preservation.
Timeline
Grants were announced November 4, 2026.
The next Walter Cerf Community Fund grant round opens in spring 2027.
Market Landscape
The Walter Cerf Community Fund operates within the Vermont Community Foundation's named-fund grantmaking model, which channels donor-designated money into local nonprofits each year. This round follows that established pattern of distributing modest grants across counties rather than concentrating funds in a single large initiative.
Vermont nonprofits serving arts, historic preservation, food access, and counseling can look to the Walter Cerf Community Fund as a source of local project funding. Residents in Addison County and Brandon are among those most directly served by this round of awards.
The takeaway
Community nonprofits seeking local project funding in Vermont should monitor the Walter Cerf Community Fund's grant cycles. The spring 2027 round is the next opportunity for applications.
What happens next
The next Walter Cerf Community Fund grant round opens in spring 2027.
Further reading
Explore more philanthropy coverage in Vermont.
More information
Learn about applying for support at the Walter Cerf Community Fund grant information page.
Live Poll
Should your community prioritize funding local arts and family support nonprofits?
