Ben & Jerry’s Foundation – Vermont Community Action Team Grants (2026)

Rolling Grants Generally Under $2,000 for Local Vermont Nonprofits

The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation is accepting applications for its Vermont Community Action Team Grant Program, providing small grants generally under $2,000 to local, community-based nonprofit organizations addressing basic needs and supporting underserved populations throughout Vermont.

Applications may be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling monthly basis.

Funding priorities include organizations serving seniors, youth, low-income residents, and communities of color, as well as programs improving access to food, housing, healthcare, elder care, childcare, and other essential resources.

Organization: Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
Support Type: General operating and project grants
Typical Funding Amount: Generally under $2,000
Geographic Focus: Vermont
Application Timeline: Rolling
Review Schedule: Monthly

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Important 2026 Funding Status

As of August 2026, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation website continues to identify the Vermont Community Action Team Grant Program as OPEN, and applications may still be submitted through its online grant system.

However, the Foundation announced in July 2026 that its corporate funding has been stopped and that it expects to suspend operations effective December 31, 2026, unless it receives a favorable ruling in its ongoing legal challenge.

Organizations interested in this opportunity should therefore consider applying promptly and verify the program’s status directly with the Foundation before investing significant time in an application.

About the Funder

The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation was established to support grassroots organizations and community-based initiatives creating positive social change.

In Vermont, the Foundation has a particularly strong commitment to supporting the communities where Ben & Jerry’s employees live and work.

The Vermont Community Action Teams, known as CATs, are groups of employees based at Ben & Jerry’s three Vermont manufacturing and office facilities.

Employees participate directly in reviewing grant applications and recommending funding decisions.

The three Community Action Teams are based in:

• Waterbury
• St. Albans
• South Burlington

Each team reviews applications from a different region of Vermont based on where the applicant organization is located.

What Are Community Action Team Grants?

Community Action Team grants are designed to provide relatively small but useful investments in local Vermont organizations.

The CATs provide both:

• General operating support
• Project support

Grants are generally under $2,000.

In addition to awarding grants, Community Action Teams organize community service projects that engage Ben & Jerry’s employees in local volunteer activities.

What This Program Supports

The program emphasizes organizations addressing basic human needs and underserved populations.

Food Access & Hunger Relief

Programs improving access to nutritious food and other essential resources may be particularly strong candidates.

Potential projects include:

• Food pantries
• Community meals
• Food distribution
• Hunger relief programs
• Nutrition access

Housing & Homelessness

Organizations helping Vermonters access safe and stable housing may qualify.

Examples could include:

• Homeless shelters
• Housing assistance
• Transitional housing support
• Basic household needs
• Programs preventing homelessness

Healthcare

Community-based organizations working to improve access to physical or mental healthcare may be considered.

Childcare

Programs improving access to affordable, safe, and supportive childcare are specifically identified as a priority.

Elder Care

Programs supporting Vermont seniors and helping older adults maintain health, safety, independence, and social connection may also be competitive.

Youth Programs

The Foundation specifically identifies young people as an underserved population of interest.

Programs creating accessible opportunities, services, or support for Vermont youth may be strong candidates.

Other Basic Human Needs

The Community Action Teams maintain a relatively broad definition of basic needs.

Local programs helping underserved Vermont residents achieve greater stability, health, safety, and quality of life should consider whether their work aligns with the program.

Priority Populations

Funding preference is given to organizations serving underserved populations, including:

• Seniors
• Youth
• Low-income residents
• Communities of color
• Residents in underserved areas of Vermont

Applicants should clearly explain who their program serves and what barriers those residents face.

Additional Funding Priorities

Preference is also given to organizations that:

• Address basic human needs
• Serve underserved areas of Vermont
• Improve access to housing
• Improve access to food
• Improve access to healthcare
• Improve access to elder care
• Improve access to childcare
• Have a strong volunteer base
• Can demonstrate community support
• Do not rely exclusively on Ben & Jerry’s Foundation funding
• May have limited access to mainstream sources of philanthropic support

For smaller or grassroots organizations that struggle to compete for larger institutional grants, this last priority may make the Community Action Team program particularly relevant.

Eligible Organizations

To be considered, applicants must be located in Vermont and fall into at least one of the following categories:

• Local, community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
• Organizations working through a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
• Municipal schools
• Municipalities

The program is designed specifically for local Vermont organizations and programs, rather than statewide or national organizations.

Geographic Focus

Funding is available throughout Vermont, but applicants must be locally based.

Each application is assigned to a Community Action Team based on the applicant’s location.

The Community Action Teams are connected to Ben & Jerry’s facilities in:

• Waterbury
• St. Albans
• South Burlington

Organizations should emphasize their direct connection to their local Vermont community and the residents who will benefit from the proposed funding.

Funding Amounts

💰 Typical Grant: Generally under $2,000

The Foundation does not publish a formal minimum award.

Because these are intentionally small community grants, organizations should make a focused request and clearly explain what a relatively modest contribution will accomplish.

Strong requests might fund specific needs such as:

• Program supplies
• Food
• Equipment
• Participant assistance
• Transportation
• Community activities
• Basic operating expenses
• Other clearly defined local needs

General Operating Support Is Available

One particularly useful feature of this opportunity is that Community Action Teams may provide general operating support, not just restricted project grants.

That can make this program especially valuable for smaller nonprofits that need flexible funds to maintain essential community services.

Applicants should choose the type of request that best reflects their actual organizational need.

Ineligible Requests

The Community Action Team program does not fund:

• Individuals
• Scholarship programs
• Organizations or programs based outside Vermont
• Statewide organizations or programs
• National organizations
• Businesses
• Business associations
• Other foundations
• Regranting organizations
• Discretionary requests
• Emergency requests

Religious organizations are generally ineligible unless they operate outreach programs that benefit the broader community.

Local affiliates of statewide organizations may be eligible even though statewide programs themselves are not.

The Foundation also will not fund programs or purposes that could be perceived as directly benefiting a Ben & Jerry’s employee or the employee’s family.

Local Organizations vs. Statewide Organizations

This distinction is particularly important.

The Community Action Team program is intentionally designed for local, community-based Vermont organizations.

A statewide nonprofit generally is not eligible simply because it serves Vermont residents.

However, a local affiliate of a larger organization may qualify if it has a clear community-based presence and the request benefits a defined local population.

Application Frequency

There is no formal limit on how often an organization may apply.

However:

An organization may receive funding only once per calendar year.

The Foundation also recommends moderation in the number of applications submitted.

Organizations may have only one active application at a time across the Foundation’s different grant programs.

Applicants should therefore determine which Ben & Jerry’s Foundation opportunity is the strongest fit before applying.

Application Timeline

📅 Application Timeline: Rolling / ongoing
📅 Review Schedule: Monthly
📅 Formal Deadline: None

Applications may be submitted at any time through the Foundation’s online grants management system.

The Community Action Teams meet almost every month, but the Foundation does not guarantee that an application will be reviewed during the same month it is submitted.

Applications submitted during the final weeks of a month may be reviewed during the following month.

All applicants will be notified of the funding decision, whether the request is approved or declined.

Application / Request Process

The application process begins with a review of the Community Action Team eligibility requirements.

Applicants must then:

Step 1: Complete the Eligibility Questionnaire

Organizations must complete the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation online Eligibility Questionnaire.

Applicants should carefully review the program guidelines first because the questionnaire generally may be completed only once per year.

Step 2: Create or Access an Organization Account

Eligible organizations must use the Foundation’s online grants management system.

Organizations that have previously applied should use their existing organizational account rather than creating a duplicate account.

Step 3: Submit the Application

Complete and submit the Community Action Team grant application through the online system.

Mailed applications are not accepted.

Apply / Learn More:

➡️ https://benandjerrysfoundation.org/vermont-grants/community-action-team/

Eligibility Questionnaire:

➡️ https://benandjerrysfoundation.org/eligibility-questionnaire/

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for organizations that:

• Are based in Vermont
• Operate at the local or community level
• Are seeking a relatively small grant
• Serve seniors, youth, low-income residents, or communities of color
• Address food, housing, healthcare, childcare, elder care, or other basic needs
• Have strong volunteer involvement
• Can demonstrate community support
• Have limited access to larger mainstream funding sources
• Need flexible general operating or project support
• Can clearly show what a grant of less than $2,000 will accomplish

The program may be particularly attractive for small and grassroots Vermont nonprofits.

Rather than requiring a large-scale initiative, the Community Action Team model is designed to make relatively modest investments in organizations doing important work within their immediate communities.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Program Status: Currently listed as open as of August 2026; Foundation operations face potential suspension at the end of 2026
Funding Amount: Generally under $2,000
Application Timeline: Rolling
Review Schedule: Monthly
Geographic Focus: Vermont only
Eligible Applicants: Local 501(c)(3) nonprofits, fiscally sponsored organizations, municipal schools, and municipalities
Priority Populations: Seniors, youth, low-income residents, and communities of color
Priority Needs: Food, housing, healthcare, elder care, childcare, and other basic human needs
Support Types: General operating and project support
Funding Frequency: An organization may receive one grant per calendar year
Best Suited For: Small, locally focused Vermont organizations serving underserved populations
Key Strategy: Make a focused request that demonstrates a clear local need, strong community support, and a tangible impact from a relatively small grant.