Building Communities Grants Programs: Human Services and Educational Facilities Grants

The Building Communities Grants Programs: Human Services and Educational Facilities Grants program is administered by the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services. Its purpose is to provide competitive capital grants to eligible municipalities and nonprofit organizations for facilities that deliver human services, health care, educational programs, or educational opportunities in Vermont communities. Funding is intended for major maintenance, renovation, or development of qualifying facilities. Awards are competitive, not every applicant will receive funding, and successful applicants may receive less than the amount requested. The program is specifically designed as last-gap funding for shovel-ready projects. A project must be ready to begin construction or must already have begun; projects that remain in the conceptual stage should not apply. All permits required for the proposed project must already be in hand when the application is submitted or the application will be automatically denied. Grants are not intended as seed funding and do not support ongoing fundraising initiatives. For the same project, applicants may not apply for more than one Building Communities Grants award under Chapter 137 of Title 24 during the same calendar year. A different project at an alternate location may be eligible for a separate Building Communities Grants request. The maximum grant award is $25,000 per project, and requests for any amount up to that limit will be considered. Applicants must provide a 1:1 financial match equal to or greater than the amount requested. The matching funds must already be committed and in hand when the application is submitted rather than merely pledged. State or Federal funding sources may not be used toward this match, and in-kind labor, materials, or other in-kind services are also not permitted as matching contributions. Acceptable evidence can include an actual bank statement, a successful bond vote, a highlighted town budget line item, qualifying private grant documentation, signed fundraising or donation documentation, or a signed commitment letter. Eligibility is limited to municipalities and nonprofit organizations that provide human services or educational services within an individual Vermont community or recognized community service area. A Human Services Project is a facility-based project providing, coordinating, or organizing human services and/or health care for youth and adults within a community area. An Educational Facilities Project is a facility-based project that provides or coordinates educational programs or educational opportunities for youth or adult learners as part of its overall program offering. Nonprofit applicants must provide an IRS determination letter and the applicable Form 990, Form 990-EZ, or Form 990-N documentation. Municipalities are not subject to the IRS determination-letter requirement. Applicants must answer all questions on the three-page application and attachment checklist, and the application must be signed and dated. The project narrative must be three pages or less and should address the specified project narrative elements, including the effect of receiving less than the full request or no award. Applicants must provide a breakdown of project costs such as equipment, materials, and labor; documentation supporting the required financial match; all required permits; a Board of Directors list and terms of office if applicable; nonprofit tax documentation where applicable; and no more than three community support letters. Colored pictures, sketches, and other helpful supporting information may also be submitted. For energy-efficiency projects, applicants should provide documentation showing that the local power provider or Efficiency Vermont has reviewed and signed off on the proposal. The funder expressly encourages applications that are short, simple, and to the point rather than professionally produced. Applications are due September 30, 2026. If September 30 falls on a weekend, the deadline moves to the following Monday; September 30, 2026 falls on a Wednesday, so the stated 2026 deadline remains September 30. Applications may be emailed with supporting documentation to BGS.BuildingCommunitiesGrants@vermont.gov or submitted as one hard copy by U.S. Postal Service to the Department of Buildings and General Services, 133 State Street, 5th Floor, Montpelier, VT 05633-5801, Attention: Grants Administrator. Mailed submissions must be postmarked by the deadline, and hard copies should not contain staples or paperclips. Committee meetings are expected around early November, with the Building Communities Grants website updated after the committee meeting so applicants can determine whether they were awarded. Award decisions are final and not subject to appeal. Priority consideration is given to projects demonstrating strong community support, including successful local fundraising, broad community engagement, necessity or critical need, and the importance of grant funding to the project's success. Grants are for two years from the grant award date, and funded projects and required closeout documentation must be completed by the award end date. Questions may be directed to the Grant Administrator at 802-828-3519 or BGS.BuildingCommunitiesGrants@vermont.gov.

Keep the application short, simple, and to the point; apply only when the project is shovel-ready and all permits are in hand; clearly demonstrate strong community support and successful local fundraising; provide complete proof that the required 1:1 match is committed and in hand; explain the effect of a reduced award or no award; emphasize community reach, necessity, critical need, and the importance of the grant to project completion.