Last verified October 24, 2026 · How we verify

Small business grants in Vermont

As of October 2026, a Vermont small business can be matched against 156 programs: 7 Vermont state programs, 4 multi-state programs that include Vermont, 62 national programs open to VT businesses, and 83 federal grants via Grants.gov.

We track 7 Vermont state programs. 5 are open or verified right now and named below. Most of these programs never run an ad. The money is real, but nobody tells you it exists. That's the part we fixed.

Vermont state programs

National programs open to VT businesses

Federal grants via Grants.gov

Vermont programs by the numbers

Who funds them: 3 funders: Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (3), First Children's Finance for the Vermont Child Development Division (DCF) (1), Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets) (1).
Award size: Awards from $30K to $50K.
Timing: 4 open now, 3 of them rolling. Soonest deadline: Working Lands Business Enhancement Grant (FY27), Dec 10, 2026. 1 between cycles.
What they fund: Agriculture (1), Childcare (1), Food & Restaurant (1), Manufacturing (1), Services (1), and 1 more; 2 open to any industry.

All 5 Vermont state programs we can name

Only Vermont's own programs, open ones first. Each names its funder and links to the official page. Annual programs spend most of the year between windows; the date tells you when to be ready.

Program	Amount	Status	Built for	Official link
Elevate Vermont Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development Verified Oct 19, 2026	up to $50,000	Rolling, apply anytime	A technology-based economic development program offering non-competitive matching grants of up to $50,000 to Vermont-based for-profit businesses that have received a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II award. Funds offset commercialization costs such as marketing, market research, and sales materials that cannot be covered by federal SBIR/STTR funding.	Official page ↗
Working Lands Business Enhancement Grant (FY27) Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets) Verified Oct 21, 2026	$10,000 - $50,000	Closes Dec 10, 2026	Vermont Working Lands grants of $10,000 to $50,000, with no match required, for farm, food and forest businesses: equipment, infrastructure, market development, research and workforce projects. Value-added food makers must source at least half their raw ingredients from Vermont, or use the grant to raise that share. Apply by December 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm.	Official page ↗
State Trade Expansion Program Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development Verified Oct 19, 2026	up to $30,000 per year for up to four of the eligible expenses	Rolling, apply anytime	An SBA-funded reimbursement grant program for Vermont small business exporters. Eligible businesses receive up to 75% reimbursement of pre-approved export-related expenses (trade shows, training, e-commerce, certifications, market research) up to $30,000 annually, with a 25% cash match required. Open to for-profit businesses with operations and employees in Vermont, U.S.-made products with 51% U.S. content, and at least one year in business.	Official page ↗
Brownfields Revitalization Fund – State Program Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development Verified Oct 19, 2026	up to 90% of the cost of implementing the approved CAP	Rolling, apply anytime	A rolling grant program that funds the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites in Vermont. For-profit, nonprofit, and municipal applicants can apply for grants covering up to 90% of approved Corrective Action Plan implementation costs, requiring a 10% match. Sites must be enrolled in BRELLA and have an approved CAP to be eligible.	Official page ↗
Make Way for Kids Infant and Toddler Capacity Building Grant First Children's Finance for the Vermont Child Development Division (DCF) Verified Oct 23, 2026	Per-project caps by provider type (family child care homes lower, centers higher; see guidelines); about 5-12 awards per round	Between cycles Usually opens around November 2026, based on past rounds	Pays for start-up of new infant/toddler child care programs, expansion that adds infant, toddler or preschool spaces, extended-hour care, or keeping classrooms from closing. Open to licensed or soon-to-be-licensed child care programs, family child care homes and businesses, with higher caps for centers than homes. Rounds run several times a year; the latest closed May 1 2026.	Official page ↗

We track 2 more Vermont programs that are not open, dated or verified closely enough to name here yet. The quiz still checks your business against them.

Multi-state programs that include Vermont

Each of these covers more than three states, so we list them here instead of counting them as Vermont state programs.

Closes in 2 days
Northeast SARE Farming Community Grant Program
Northeast SARE
Covers 12 states (plus DC), including VT
Typically $250,000 to $500,000 per project; approximately $1,500,000 allocated this cycle · Closes Oct 26, 2026 · Official page ↗
Northeast SARE Farmer Grant
Northeast SARE
Covers 12 states (plus DC), including VT
Awards range from $5,000 to $50,000 · Closes Dec 8, 2026 · Official page ↗
Northeast Dairy Farm Improvement and Modernization Grant
Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets)
Open in 11 states, including VT
Amount not stated · Reopens, date not announced yet · Official page ↗
Northeast Dairy Processor Modernization Grant
Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets)
Open in 11 states, including VT
Total funds available: $1,000,000 · Reopens, date not announced yet · Official page ↗

Also open to VT businesses: 62 national programs and 83 federal grants via Grants.gov. They are the same in every state, so we list them by who they fund: women-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned, or by industry.

Every verified grant deadline in the next 90 days is on one page: the live deadlines list.

Open right now in Vermont

Elevate Vermont: up to $50,000, rolling, apply anytime
Working Lands Business Enhancement Grant (FY27): $10,000 - $50,000, closes Dec 10, 2026
State Trade Expansion Program: up to $30,000 per year for up to four of the eligible expenses, rolling, apply anytime
Brownfields Revitalization Fund – State Program: up to 90% of the cost of implementing the approved CAP, rolling, apply anytime

Vermont small business grants, program by program

Elevate Vermont (Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development): up to $50,000

A technology-based economic development program offering non-competitive matching grants of up to $50,000 to Vermont-based for-profit businesses that have received a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II award. Funds offset commercialization costs such as marketing, market research, and sales materials that cannot be covered by federal SBIR/STTR funding. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 19, 2026. Official page ↗

Working Lands Business Enhancement Grant (FY27): $10,000 - $50,000, closes Dec 10, 2026

Run by Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets). Vermont Working Lands grants of $10,000 to $50,000, with no match required, for farm, food and forest businesses: equipment, infrastructure, market development, research and workforce projects. Value-added food makers must source at least half their raw ingredients from Vermont, or use the grant to raise that share. Apply by December 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 21, 2026. Official page ↗

State Trade Expansion Program (Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development): up to $30,000 per year for up to four of the eligible expenses

An SBA-funded reimbursement grant program for Vermont small business exporters. Eligible businesses receive up to 75% reimbursement of pre-approved export-related expenses (trade shows, training, e-commerce, certifications, market research) up to $30,000 annually, with a 25% cash match required. Open to for-profit businesses with operations and employees in Vermont, U.S.-made products with 51% U.S. content, and at least one year in business. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 19, 2026. Official page ↗

Brownfields Revitalization Fund – State Program (Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development): up to 90% of the cost of implementing the approved CAP

A rolling grant program that funds the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites in Vermont. For-profit, nonprofit, and municipal applicants can apply for grants covering up to 90% of approved Corrective Action Plan implementation costs, requiring a 10% match. Sites must be enrolled in BRELLA and have an approved CAP to be eligible. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 19, 2026. Official page ↗

Make Way for Kids Infant and Toddler Capacity Building Grant: Per-project caps by provider type (family child care homes lower, centers higher; see guidelines); about 5-12 awards per round, usually opens around November 2026, based on past rounds

Run by First Children's Finance for the Vermont Child Development Division (DCF). Pays for start-up of new infant/toddler child care programs, expansion that adds infant, toddler or preschool spaces, extended-hour care, or keeping classrooms from closing. Open to licensed or soon-to-be-licensed child care programs, family child care homes and businesses, with higher caps for centers than homes. Rounds run several times a year; the latest closed May 1 2026. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 23, 2026. Official page ↗

More small business grant lists

Straight answers

What's the difference between state, national, and federal programs?

State programs are run through Vermont agencies and partners and are limited to VT businesses or projects. Less competition. National programs are run by companies and foundations and are open to businesses in every state. Federal grants come through Grants.gov and tend to be larger and more paperwork-heavy.

Do I pay these back? How current is this list?

No. Grants are not loans. Each row shows the date we last checked it against the funder's own page. How we verify.

Which of these fit your Vermont business?

This page can't read your business. The 3-minute quiz can. It matches your industry, state, and ownership against all 156 programs and shows you where you stand.

See how many grants fit my business