VOREC Community Grant Program Pre-App Deadline

The VOREC Community Grant Program (VCGP) is intended to fund community projects that support and grow local economies by leveraging outdoor recreation. 

• Current status: The next grant round will launch by October 2026.  Full details will be available after launch!
• Eligible applicants: Municipalities, non-profit organizations and other governmental entities
• Funding source: One-time State General Funds, Vermont Recreational Trails Fund 
• Total funds available: $275,000 

The Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) Community Grant Program supports outdoor recreation projects that drive economic growth and enhance community well-being. Funded by one-time allocations by the Vermont General Assembly, we are launching the fifth VCGP grant round this fall.

In order to maximize the impact of the available funding, the upcoming grant round will focus on project development and promotion. This grant will fund projects that will support local outdoor recreation economies, but need design, scoping, or planning work done to unlock other funding. This program will also help communities and organizations share information about their amazing recreation resources and businesses by supporting marketing, branding, and other promotion.

The upcoming grant round will be closely tied to the vision, common objectives, and themes of Move Forward Together Vermont. The scoring system will be designed to elevate projects that address equity and climate resilience. Example projects that might score well could include:

• Contracting a landscape architect to complete a park design for a FEMA buyout property
• Creating a regional outdoor recreation marketing plan to attract outdoor recreationists to downtown businesses
• Community-informed planning for both building and sharing information about accessible trails
• Program development for classes or community events focused on building confidence in the outdoors
• Creating a town-wide outdoor recreation wayfinding plan and installing signs/kiosks using accessible signage principles
• Developing a community economic recovery plan focused on supporting local businesses, and outdoor recreation resources following emergencies and natural disasters.
• Developing a climate risk mitigation plan and preparing permit applications for identified trail improvement projects.

The upcoming grant round will be supplemented by Vermont Recreational Trail Funds.  This portion of the funding will be available only to trail planning projects, due to statutory funding constraints.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants will include municipalities and nonprofits. New grantees will be prioritized, but previous successful grantees will still be eligible to apply. Current VCGP grantees with active grants as of Dec. 13, 2026, will not be eligible. The selection process will ensure that the next batch of VCGP funded projects are spread across the state.

Grant amounts will range from $7,500 recommended minimum to $50,000 maximum.  Holding true to VCGP history, no match will be required.

2027 Grant Round Anticipated Timeline

• Pre-applications open and application materials released by Tuesday, October 6, 2026
• Pre-application submission deadline:  Sunday, December 13, 2026
• Full application submission deadline: Wednesday, February 17, 2027
• Grant application review and selection: mid-February – late March 2027
• Compliance reviews and grant agreement development: April – June 2027
• Anticipated project implementation period: July 1, 2027 – December 31, 2028