The Vermont Women’s Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation announced the organization has awarded $411,650 to 46 nonprofit organizations across Vermont this year. Foundation representatives say grants support programs that “advance economic security, opportunity, and health and well-being for women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals statewide.”
Grant recipients in Windham County include:
• Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, Expanding the BEEC Early Career Environmental Educator Training Program; Brattleboro, $11,250.
• Community Asylum Seekers Project, General Operating Support; Brattleboro, $7,500.
• Ethiopian Community Development Council, General Operating Support; Bennington and Brattleboro, $7,500
• Green Mountain Camp for Girls, General Operating Support; Dummerston, $7,500.
• HatchSpace, Teaching trades and skills to southern Vermont women through HatchSpace Rosie’s Girls camps and Woodworking for Women courses; Brattleboro, $11,250.
• River Gallery School, Empowering Futures: Advancing Creative Career Pathways: Year Two; Brattleboro, $9,400.
This year’s grantmaking “reflects the power of collective giving,” Emily Bush, director of the Vermont Women’s Fund, said in a news release. “Together, donors have helped us surpass $400,000 in grants for only the second time in the fund’s 30-year history. These investments support efforts to expand childcare access, advance pay equity, strengthen leadership opportunities, and create a more equitable future for women and girls across Vermont.”
For the second consecutive year, the Vermont Women’s Fund saw record demand, receiving $1.3 million in funding requests during the 2026 grant cycle. The requests reflect growing pressures facing Vermont communities as nonprofit organizations work to address widening funding gaps.
During the same period, the fund also received record philanthropic support, with individuals and community partners in Vermont and beyond contributing to meet the growing need. Grant applications were reviewed by the Vermont Women’s Fund Council, a statewide group of leaders committed to advancing gender equity across Vermont.
“We are witnessing incredible community support, but the pressures on Vermont women and girls are intensifying,” said Council member Alison Whritenour. “We cannot ignore the widening gaps in essential needs like stable housing, personal safety, and accessible childcare. As nonprofits face unprecedented demand, our collective commitment to supporting one another must grow even stronger.”
Since its founding in 1994, the Vermont Women’s Fund has invested in organizations and initiatives that improve the lives of women and girls across the state and address systemic barriers to gender equity. Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for funding can expect the next grant cycle to open in January 2027. Visit vermontcf.org or call 802-388-3355 for more information.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.