April 15, 2026
NOFA-VT is pleased to announce that we have awarded our seventh annual round of Resilience Grants to fund projects that will improve long-term resilience on farms and in communities across Vermont.
We received 97 applications (from 121 farmers) and $498,179.10 in requests from farmers around the state. Ultimately, we awarded 32 grants, benefiting a total of 40 producers, including multi-farm projects, totaling $174,705.80 in awarded funds, which is an 11.67% increase from what was awarded in 2025.
Seventeen (53%) of the grants were awarded to farm businesses that are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led, LGBTQ farmer-led, and/or disabled farmer-led, with ten (31%) of our recipients identifying specifically as BIPOC.
We continued to learn this year about how farmers define resilience and saw the continued intense need for flexible funding, often not available through other grant programs.
Themes
We saw some of the same strong recurring ‘resilience’ themes from past grant rounds, including:
- Water improvement projects such as solar-powered well pumps, gravity-fed spring box distribution infrastructure, and expansion of irrigation ponds for production resilience to drought.
- Purchasing tools to increase farm efficiency and resilience, such as an elderberry destemmer, fans and thermostats for high tunnels, a flame weeder, tractor implements, a bulk tank for milk storage, a commercial dishwasher, a wet seed cleaner to process vegetable seed crops, deer fencing, and a manure spreader. Many farms intend to share these tools and knowledge gained with farmers in their communities.
- Projects establishing systems needed to expand animal-based land management practices, including purchasing trailers and expanding barn space.
- Community-based projects such as developing educational opportunities on farms, increasing access to low-cost and culturally relevant foods, and decreasing barriers for farmers to vend at farmers markets.
- Projects that decrease reliance on large-scale corporations, allowing farmers more independence and autonomy over their crops.
In this time of growing financial and social uncertainty, the Resilience Grant program clearly provides farms with opportunities to continue investing in the social, environmental, and economic vitality of their rural communities.
Grant Process
We continued our participatory grantmaking process for this round of awards, with a transition of two out of four seats on the Review Committee. The committee built on the strong relationships and trust established last year, deepening its collaborative approach. Comprised of farmers and farmworkers, the committee advances our goal of increasing participatory democracy within the organization and shifting decision-making power into the hands of those we serve. Members were compensated for their time, and we maintained our commitment to ensuring that at least 50% of committee members are BIPOC farmers or farmworkers—a goal we successfully met. Through deliberate discussions, a comprehensive review of applications, and a revamp of the evaluation rubric, the committee determined which projects held the greatest potential to strengthen resilience on farms and within communities.
Funders
This year’s Resilience Grants were funded with donations to the NOFA-VT Resilience Fund as well as generous support from Canaday Family Charitable Trust, Modesty is My Best Quality Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation, Mascoma Bank, M&T Charitable Foundation, and WaterWheel Foundation. If you're interested in supporting the resilience of local farms, please consider donating to our Resilience Fund today.
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2026 Resilience Grantees
Badger Brook Meats and Salt & Soil Farm, Danville
In this incubator-inspired collaboration, Salt & Soil Farm will establish a vegetable enterprise on Badger Brook Meats’ land. Through this symbiotic partnership, farmers will share labor, tools, and expertise while drawing more customers to the farm store with an expanded selection of products. They also plan to host cooking classes featuring ingredients from both farms. Funding will support preparation of a new diversified vegetable field, including construction of a system to capture overflow spring water and the purchase of tools needed for occultation (tarping), flame weeding, broadforking, and pest management.
Birch Springs Farm, Whitingham
This farm will use funding to establish perennial crops, pollinator habitats, and on-farm biochar production. Support will cover the purchase of apiary equipment—including a nucleus bee colony and essential beekeeping supplies—along with organic lavender plants and seeds, and site preparation materials such as sand and gravel. Funding will also enable the construction of an upcycled biochar retort built from salvaged metal sourced at a nearby scrap yard.
Blue Goose Farm, Randolph Center
This small-scale, raw-milk dairy farm will use funds to purchase a 30-gallon bulk tank for milk storage and a commercial dishwasher for bottling raw milk in glass bottles to support their transition of the farm to a new location.
Boardman Hill Farm, West Rutland
This farm will use funding to extend its existing pond by two feet, increasing water storage capacity by approximately 60,000 gallons. The project was inspired by recent summer droughts and is designed to enhance climate resilience by expanding water availability for crop irrigation and supporting on-farm biodiversity.
Boneyard Farm, Fletcher
This farm will use funding to install a permanent deer fence around its organic market garden, protecting high-value crops—including perennial and overwintered plantings such as strawberries and garlic—from wildlife damage. The addition of a permanent fence will lower labor and material costs tied to temporary fencing and replanting, stabilize yields, and allow for more confident planning of diversified plantings. The farm also plans to share its experience by offering workshops, demonstrations, and practical guidance on wildlife management that aligns with organic practices.
Burlington Farmers Market, Burlington
This long-running Vermont farmers market will use funding to subsidize space fees for farmers, reducing financial barriers and making market participation more accessible. Lower vending costs will help farmers strengthen their business viability while continuing to show up, share their stories, and nourish the community.
Calabash Gardens, Shepard Moon Farm, Hogwash Farm, and Flying Dog Farm, Orange County
These farms will use funding to establish and expand a four-season, small-scale tannery using natural tanning processes. Together, they are developing a regional model that keeps materials, skills, and value within the local community—transforming hides into high-value, functional, and beautiful farm products.
Ezili's Respite Farm & Sanctuary and Bottomless Well Farm, Groton
This grant will support two collaborating farms in a direct mutual aid effort to provide culturally relevant goat products—both meat and dairy—to BIPOC and rural, low-income communities in Vermont. Funding will cover completion of essential infrastructure for the microdairy, purchase of a generator to provide backup power for the farm stand where goat products are stored, and repayment of debts incurred due to increased feed costs during the fall and winter drought. Additionally, the farms will establish an emergency fund for the Vermont Goat Co-op to address urgent needs that may arise during the 2026–2027 season.
Fresh Roots Farm, Sharon
This diversified organic vegetable farm will use funding to expand capacity and improve efficiency in scaling up production to meet the growing demand for local produce. Planned investments include rehabilitating an older greenhouse for year-round use, upgrading the wash/pack area, repairing the delivery van, purchasing new market tents and tables, and enhancing display equipment to better showcase farm products.
FUNJ Shrooming Company, South Burlington
This farm will use grant funds to establish a pilot-scale, automated Aerated Static Pile (ASP) composting system to manage its spent mushroom substrate (SMS). The project addresses a waste management challenge while creating a new value-added product. The farm also plans to donate a portion of the nutrient-rich SMS compost to community gardens, farm-to-school programs, food shelves, and other mission-aligned farms.
Granite Grains, West Haven
This farm will use funding to purchase a wet seed cleaner to process vegetable seed crops. The equipment is expected to cut seed processing labor by half, significantly increasing production capacity. The farmers also plan to share both their knowledge and equipment with neighboring farms to support farm viability and help sustain Vermont’s working lands.
Greywether Farm, Elmore
This farm will use grant funds to purchase a livestock trailer, providing a safe and efficient means of transport for both flock and shepherd. The new trailer will enable business expansion, with plans to double the summer flock to 160 head within three years. This growth will also allow the farm to manage an additional 35 acres of otherwise unmanaged pasture through a non-owned land stewardship model. The project will strengthen farm resilience by enhancing safety for animals and farmers, while supporting broader community resilience through expanded sustainable land management
Ishtar Collective, Barre
For the past five years, this collective’s food justice program has grown free vegetables for the community, creating opportunities for sex workers and other survivors of trafficking and incarceration to connect with their neighbors, build labor solidarity, and develop agricultural skills. Funding will support expansion by purchasing a commercial reach-in refrigerator and a vegetable wash sink, enabling increased production and improved post-harvest efficiency.
Julia Ramsey, Randolph Center
This draft horse-powered business provides custom agricultural and forestry services, including plowing, fieldwork, pasture clipping, haymaking, logging, and firewood harvesting. Julia will use grant funds to purchase an aluminum livestock trailer suitable for two draft horses. The trailer will improve operational efficiency and expand opportunities for draft horse work within the community, strengthening local economic, social, and environmental resilience for land and business owners alike.
Kindred Creative Residence & Agro-ForesT, Fletcher
This BIPOC-owned organization, which models homesteading through regenerative agriculture, community outreach, and nature-centered S.T.E.A.M. education, will use funding to establish an agroforestry-based food system on 66 acres. The project will reintroduce and cultivate edible and medicinal forest-floor plants in wild-simulated beds within existing woodlands, while planting fruit- and nut-bearing trees and shrubs throughout the open field areas.
Milkweed Farm, Westminster West
This farm will use funding to purchase exhaust fans, shutters, thermostats, and circulation fans for two greenhouses to provide proper and automatic ventilation. The project marks an important step toward automating farm systems, allowing farmers to save time and focus their energy on other key aspects of production and management.
Moonrise Maple Farm, Brookfield
This Black, queer, woman-led farm continues the tradition of sugaring with old-time practices—buckets, draft horses, and a wood-fired evaporator fueled by 15 cords of hand-split wood. The farm will use grant funds to invest in essential infrastructure as it transitions to a new location. Serving as a gathering place for Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities from across the U.S., the farm invites visitors to “experience the sweetness of Vermont” while reconnecting with the land through sustainable living and regenerative agriculture.
New Farms for New Americans, Burlington
This organization currently supports 68 refugee households who grow food to nourish their extended families, save money, cultivate culturally significant crops, and help keep Vermont’s landscape in agricultural production. Funding will be used to purchase tractor implements that will enable the organization to manage and maintain the farm more independently, reducing the need for subcontracted work. The equipment will also provide training opportunities, increasing farmer autonomy and strengthening community-led land stewardship.
Peacham Greens, Peacham
This farm will use funding to restore an existing water source and develop a gravity-fed spring box distribution system with a buried transmission line and frost-free hydrant—a setup known as spring development with gravity flow distribution. The system’s slope and run are expected to produce 10–15 PSI of water pressure, enabling efficient drip irrigation and other low-pressure applications without electricity. This project will expand food production while reducing costs, energy use, and long-term infrastructure risks.
Peaked Hill View Farm, Bakersfield
This diversified farm will use funding to build a walk-in cooler within an existing barn structure. The project will reduce food waste, improve energy efficiency, and provide year-round storage for fresh vegetables grown in the farm’s high tunnel.
Roo's Farm, Penkinsville
This farm will use funding to purchase and install a multi-zone mini-split system, enabling year-round use of three key work areas: the farm store, its classroom space, and the milkhouse. The system will allow the community to access fresh products and participate in farm classes year-round while providing farmers with winter employment in a healthier, more comfortable work environment. This energy-efficient upgrade will also reduce operating costs and benefit barn animals by supplying fresh water year-round—eliminating the need to shut off water lines during winter.
Shat Acres Highland Cattle & Greenfield Highland Beef, Plainfield
This grass-fed beef operation will use grant funds to replace a manure spreader that is no longer functional. The new equipment will enable the farm to efficiently apply organic fertilizer to improve soil health and forage quality while reducing nutrient runoff and supporting sustainable pasture management.
Steadyfoot Farm, Walden
This farm will use funding to purchase three tools—a 40-inch flame weeder, a sprinkler/wobbler irrigation kit, and a drill-powered tilther—to address challenges related to weed pressure, water management, and soil disturbance. Together, these investments will help the farm adapt to increasingly variable weather conditions, reduce labor demands, and protect long-term soil health.
Sunday Bell Farm & Knob Hill Farm, Daville
These farms will use funding to purchase a corn picker, build a corn crib, and buy a corn sheller with a grinder. This equipment will allow these farms to start growing and harvesting organic corn for feeding dairy cattle, pigs, and chickens, decreasing their dependency on commodity grain.
Sunny Hill Farm, Randolph Center
This off-grid, diversified farm will use funding to purchase a solar-powered well pump and water distribution system. The project will eliminate the weekly labor, expense, and mental burden of operating a gasoline generator or hauling water, improving efficiency and sustainability on the farm.
The Mackenzie, Woodstock
This farm will use funding to establish a climate-resilient orchard system by addressing drainage challenges and creating raised planting beds for perennial tree crops. As increasingly intense rainfall and prolonged soil saturation make traditional orchard establishment more difficult, this project will demonstrate adaptive solutions. The farm will document the entire process—from soil testing and drainage corrections to bed construction and early orchard performance—and share results through farm visits, written materials, and peer-to-peer learning. This effort will help other Vermont farmers avoid costly establishment mistakes as climate conditions continue to shift.
The People’s Farmstand, Mama’s Farm, & The Family Room, Burlington
These three interconnected organizations serving BIPOC, refugee, immigrant, and other vulnerable families will use funding to strengthen the capacity of a refugee-led farm, Mama’s Farm, to steward land, grow culturally important foods, and nourish its community in trusted, welcoming spaces. Funding will support the construction of a small heated greenhouse, enabling the farm to start its own seedlings on-site and improve production reliability. Complementary investments in soil testing, targeted amendments, and technical planning will enhance soil health, boost yields, and build ecological resilience. Additionally, the project will fund the purchase of culturally meaningful vegetables from Mama’s Farm for free distribution through The People’s Farm and the Family Room—creating stable farm income while ensuring fresh, familiar food reaches local families.
Unicorn Flower Farm, Manchester Center
This farm, which specializes in growing cut flowers such as dahlias and antique-toned annuals and offers community education, will use funding to establish key systems—including lighting, cold storage, organized workspaces, a rainwater pump, and Wi-Fi for safety checks. These improvements will support a farmer with a disability in engaging in steady, meaningful work while enabling the farm to expand its operations sustainably.
Valley Clayplain Forest Farm, New Haven
This farm will use funding to purchase an elderberry destemmer, enabling a significant increase in harvest volume, efficiency, and profitability by eliminating the time-intensive process of hand destemming. The farm also plans to make the equipment available to other local growers, helping cover maintenance costs while supporting shared community infrastructure.
Westminster Wagyu Farms, Westminster
This farm will use funding to purchase a Farm Master grain mixer, allowing them to create customized feed rations that best support their steers’ health and growth. The equipment will enable the farm to source organic grains from neighboring farms, reducing reliance on large grain suppliers and strengthening local agricultural connections.
Woods Edge Gardens, Thetford
This farm will use funding to clear a small section of land, purchase a 30-foot Gothic-style high tunnel, and build additional growing tables. These improvements will enable consistent germination and cultivation of a wider range of native plants while providing greater protection from increasingly volatile weather conditions.
Woven Roots, Craftsbury
This farm is raising a new team of oxen to provide animal-powered energy for farm operations. Grant funds will support the construction of a run-in shed to shelter the oxen, Ben and Terry, and to store small equipment. The project aims to deepen the local culture of sharing and bartering among neighboring farms while fostering community education, engagement, and appreciation for the renewable energy that animal power provides.
Learn more about Resilience Grants >