Montpelier, VT—The Vermont Natural Resources Council is pleased to announce the latest grant recipients for the Small Grants for Smart Growth program. Grantee selections are made by VNRC and a grant selection committee on a rolling basis. The Committee chose the Town of Wilmington Recreation Commission and the Town of Waterbury to be awarded a combined $5,000 in the most recent round of funding.
The Small Grants for Smart Growth program was developed by VNRC in 2018 in partnership with Beth Humstone, co-founder of the Vermont Forum on Sprawl and former chair of the VNRC Board of Directors, and her son, Chris Gignoux, to support community-based initiatives seeking seed capital to affect change on a local level.
“The grants are designed to help communities jumpstart strategies to achieve smart growth, such as downtown living or promotion of walking or cycling. Both the Waterbury and Wilmington proposals meet those goals in creative and inclusive ways.” —Beth Humstone
Since its inception, the Small Grants for Smart Growth fund has disbursed more than $50,000 to Vermont-based programs in over two dozen towns across the state.
“What excites me about these grants is what comes next. Waterbury and Wilmington have already done the hard work of listening to their communities — this funding helps them take that momentum and turn it into something people can see and experience. That’s how lasting change happens in Vermont: one community at a time, one step at a time.” — Lauren Hierl, Executive Director, VNRC
The Town of Wilmington Recreation Commission will use its $2,500 award to fund design planning for the revitalization of Wilmington’s centrally located downtown park. The volunteer-run commission will work with designers to create a plan that reflects community priorities—identified through a public survey—including play components for all ages, a walking and biking path, seating, shade, and space for multigenerational community events. Because the park sits in a floodway and flood fringe area, the design will also account for the geographic and maintenance considerations unique to the site.
“We are so grateful to the support from Vermont Natural Resources Council as their funding will help us to create a beautiful design for a revived town park. We envision the park serving as a space of recreation and gathering for the entire community of all ages and walks of life, with natural playscape functions, a walking/biking path, gazebo, and space for events.” —Town of Wilmington
The Town of Waterbury will use the awarded $2,500 to conduct a Demonstration Project in the Waterbury Center Village Center during the summer of 2026. The project will test proposed transportation design changes—including pedestrian walking paths and new crosswalks—recommended by transportation consultants Stantec following community input gathered through public meetings, surveys, focus groups, and walking tours. Despite being one of the most popular destinations in the state, the Village Center currently has virtually no accommodations for pedestrians, bicyclists, or those with mobility challenges, making it difficult and unsafe to navigate outside a vehicle.
“Through the Better Connections program we’re aiming to improve the safety and accessibility of the Waterbury Center Village Center and surrounding area for pedestrians, bicyclists, and others. We were delighted to be awarded a VNRC Small Grant for Smart Growth because it will help us conduct a demonstration project this summer around our town green to show residents and visitors the kinds of improvements we can make to help our community become safe and accessible for everyone.” —Duncan McDougall, Town of Waterbury representative
These two projects reflect a broader tradition of community-driven smart growth work that the Small Grants program has supported across Vermont since 2018. Past recipients have tackled similar challenges: the South Hero Land Trust used a grant to help develop a non-motorized, multi-use trail network connecting community resources and natural areas at the core of South Hero—a project that mirrors Wilmington’s goal of linking the park to the broader downtown and making it accessible to all. In Burlington, Old Spokes Home used grant funding to launch a Transportation Equity Coalition and mobility audit in the Old North End, centering community voices in transportation planning much as Waterbury has done through its months of public outreach and focus groups. The Danville Village to Village Steering Committee leveraged a Small Grant to engage residents around revitalizing the historic 1871 Danville Railroad Station as a recreation and transportation hub—demonstrating how a single catalytic investment can unlock further funding and lasting community benefit. In each case, a modest seed grant helped turn a community vision into measurable momentum.
About VNRC:
VNRC’s mission is to promote a healthy environment and resilient communities for all Vermonters today and into the future.
About Small Grants for Smart Growth:
The Small Grants for Smart Growth program is made possible with financial support from Beth Humstone, co-founder of the Vermont Forum on Sprawl and former chair of the VNRC Board of Directors, and her son, Chris Gignoux. Grants of $500 to $2,500 are available from VNRC throughout the year on a rolling basis. Learn more at https://vnrc.org/small-grants-for-smart-growth/