Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB)

Eligible entities (typically land trusts) submit a pre-application through the VHCB Conservation Applications & Funding Programs page.

Nina Gage

Farm Pre-Application Committee Contact

Vermont Housing and Conservation Board - General

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) funds the purchase of development rights / agricultural conservation easements to conserve Vermont farmland. Applications are evaluated in a two-step process: pre-applications are submitted by an eligible entity (typically a land trust), and if the project meets VHCB's eligibility criteria, it is approved for VHCB cost-share of an appraisal to determine the value of the conservation easement.



Applications are submitted by eligible entities — typically land trusts — on behalf of farmland conservation projects; farmers do not apply directly.

Payment per unit of land to do or avoid certain practices related to land management.

Easement

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

Air Quality

Carbon Capture

Certification

High Tunnel

Landscape

Regenerative

Soil Health

Wildlife & Pollinator Habitat

Certified Organic

Certified Grassfed

Cover Crops

Reduced Tillage

Transition

Legal & Finance

There is a funding cap of $550,000 per application and $4,200 per acre. VHCB may also purchase an Option to Purchase at Agricultural Value (OPAV) on previously conserved farms, through a designated State agency or nonprofit partner, to ensure affordability for future generations of farmers.

Eligible entities submit a pre-application through the VHCB Conservation Applications & Funding Programs page.

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) purchases conservation easements on privately-owned working forestland and supports town forest acquisition as part of its conservation funding programs. Since 1987, VHCB funds have supported the conservation of more than 350,000 acres of agricultural land, natural areas, recreational land, and forestland.



Applications are submitted by eligible entities (typically land trusts or municipalities) for working-forest easement or town-forest acquisition projects.

Trees

VHCB purchases working-forest conservation easements and supports town forest acquisitions through its conservation funding programs.

Apply online by choosing the type of advising you wish to receive below:
- Farm Business Application
- Food Business Application 
- Forest Business Application

Vermont Farm and Forest Viability Program

The Viability Program offers business planning, succession planning, and technical assistance to enterprises&#x2004;that keep Vermont's working landscape in production. These include: farm businesses of all sizes and sectors; food businesses that process, store, market, or distribute local agricultural products; and forest products businesses such as maple producers, consulting forestry firms, loggers, sawmills, craftspeople and wood manufacturers.


Services

The Viability Program provides a range of services, from in-depth long-term business planning to short-term specialized assistance, including:

- Business Planning

- Enterprise Analysis

- Financial Record-keeping and Management

- Marketing and Sales

- Human Resources Management

- Management Coaching

- Retirement & Ownership Succession Planning


How It Works

The Viability Program matches participants with advisors who have the specific skills to meet their needs. The Viability Program contracts these advisors to provide on-site, one-on-one, custom-tailored assistance for participants. Services are provided free of charge following a $75 enrollment fee. In some cases, if the scope of work is larger than what the program can cover, participants will need to contribute to the consultancy fees. Participants who have completed the program may also be able to re-enroll in the Viability Program as their business evolves.



The Viability Program offers business planning, succession planning, and technical assistance to enterprises that keep Vermont's working landscape in production. These include: farm businesses of all sizes and sectors; food businesses that process, store, market, or distribute local agricultural products; and forest products businesses such as maple producers, consulting forestry firms, loggers, sawmills, craftspeople and wood manufacturers.

Services
The Viability Program provides a range of services, from in-depth long-term business planning to short-term specialized assistance, including:
- Business Planning
- Enterprise Analysis
- Financial Record-keeping and Management
- Marketing and Sales
- Human Resources Management
- Management Coaching
- Retirement & Ownership Succession Planning

How It Works
The Viability Program matches participants with advisors who have the specific skills to meet their needs. The Viability Program contracts these advisors to provide on-site, one-on-one, custom-tailored assistance for participants. Services are provided free of charge following a $75 enrollment fee. In some cases, if the scope of work is larger than what the program can cover, participants will need to contribute to the consultancy fees. Participants who have completed the program may also be able to re-enroll in the Viability Program as their business evolves.

The Viability Program's 1-on-1 business advising is open to farms, food businesses and forest products businesses of all types and sizes, so long as:
- the owner(s) is year-round Vermont resident, currently operating the business in Vermont,
- the owner(s) is actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business,
- the owner(s) has at least two years' experience managing the current business,
- the business has grossed at least $15,000 in the most recent tax year,
- for food businesses there is an added requirement that these businesses must be primarily involved in adding value to Vermont agricultural products, and
- for forest products businesses there is the added requirement that these businesses must be primarily involved in the harvesting, production, processing, storage, marketing, and/or distribution of local forest products.
The sole eligibility for forestland succession planning is that the participating family own forestland in Vermont.

A reduction or waiving of fees for meeting a certain criteria.

Discount

Forestry

Forest Residues

Timber

More Information by Business Type
- Farm Business Advising
- Forest Products Business Advising
- Food Systems Business Advising
- Forestland Ownership Succession Advising


Distribution

Diversification

Events

Trade Show

Trade Relief

Historically Underserved

Marketing

This is subsidized consulting, not a cash award — there is no grant amount to receive.

- What it costs you: "Services are provided free of charge following a $75 enrollment fee." That $75 is the only stated charge.
- When you might pay more: "In some cases, if the scope of work is larger than what the program can cover, participants will need to contribute to the consultancy fees." No threshold or split is published for when that kicks in or how much you would owe — ask staff before you scope a big project.
- What you get: "The Viability Program contracts these advisors to provide on-site, one-on-one, custom-tailored assistance for participants," matched to your needs across business planning, enterprise analysis, financial record-keeping and management, marketing and sales, human resources, management coaching, and retirement/ownership succession planning.
- No dollar award, payment rate, cost-share percentage, match requirement, or contract term in years is published. The value is delivered as advisor hours, and the program does not publish an hours cap.
- Re-enrollment is allowed: "Participants who have completed the program may also be able to re-enroll in the Viability Program as their business evolves."

Gates worth knowing before you pay the $75: year-round Vermont residency, active day-to-day management, at least two years running the current business, and gross receipts of at least $15,000 in the most recent tax year. (Forestland succession planning has only one requirement — that the family owns forestland in Vermont.)

All eligible applicants should have been contacted and received online application information already. If you have not been contacted or would like to discuss alternate methods of submitting your application, please be in touch with Betsy McGavisk by email (betsy@vhcb.org) or phone (802-828-5562)

Betsy McGavisk

When funding is available, Farm & Forest Viability Implementation Grants are available on a competitive basis to farm businesses that have completed an up-to-date business plan or transfer plan through the Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program to help implement specific goals of the business plans created through the program. 



The Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program is available on a competitive basis to Viability Program clients who participated in the Viability Program in 2022 or 2023.

Farmers Market

HVAC

Lighting

Repairs

Food Systems

Infrastructure

Conservation

A small competitive implementation grant, open only to farms that have already been through the Viability Program's business-planning track.

- Award range: "grants of $1,000 to $8,000 are available on a competitive basis to Viability Program clients who participated in the program in 2024 or 2025."
- Prerequisite: "A completed business or transfer plan is required in order to apply." The grant exists "to help implement specific goals of the business plans created through the program" — you cannot come in cold.
- No match or cost-share percentage is published for the Implementation Grant (unlike VHCB's sibling Water Quality Grant, which does require one-to-one match).
- Availability is conditional: "When funding is available, Farm & Forest Viability Implementation Grants are available on a competitive basis..." and "Eligibility requirements are determined each cycle, so please reach out to program staff to find out if you may be eligible."
- Cycle: "Applications are due Friday, May 1st, 2026, and decisions will be made in June 2026."

VHCB grants generally pay on a reimbursement basis: "you will be asked to submit copies of project invoices/receipts that demonstrate grant funds and any required match has been spent," then a disbursement form, then a check — "In total, this process make take several weeks." Partial reimbursement before project completion is possible only in extenuating circumstances.

PDF Instructions & Application

If you need assistance with the financial documents requested in the application, there is support available through UVM Extension. Please contact Zac Smith at zachary.m.smith@uvm.edu or 802-656-7624 for more information.

VHCB staff will be hosting 3 informational sessions which will provide a brief overview of the program and provide an opportunity for Q&A. Register here:
    - Wednesday, December 3, 2025 – 1:00pm-2:00pm
    - Thursday, December 18, 2025 – 11:00am-12:00pm
    - Monday, January 5, 2025 – 12:00pm-1:00pm


The Viability Program provides grants of up to $40,000 to help Vermont farmers invest in water quality-related on-farm infrastructure. This year, the program is funded by Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but VHCB reserves the right to use other funding sources if necessary. All grantees will be required to comply with VHCB and Federal ARPA requirements.



Eligible Applicants
Any Vermont farm with a gross farm income of $15,000 or more that is required to comply with Vermont’s Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs). 
Eligible Projects
Projects to make on-farm capital improvements that also have direct, positive impacts on water quality are eligible for funding. The following types of projects have been funded in the past: 
- Construction, renovation, or upgrades to farm infrastructure.
- Purchase of equipment that will be used frequently; is essential to the business; cannot be rented; and leads to innovative farm practices. Note that applications for equipment must include a price quote.

Water Management

Awards require one-to-one matching funds, meaning that VHCB can only pay for up to 50% of a project’s total cost.
Match can be in the form of state or federal awards or in the form of farm cash, loans, or in-kind labor from the applicant. A match waiver may be requested in the application. Awards will be paid on a reimbursement basis upon the receipt of project invoices.

List of Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) Funding Opportunities