Vermont Farm and Forest Business Plan Implementation Grant

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.

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.

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)