Rupert Village Trust

What Rupert Village Trust does

Rupert Village Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation incorporated in Vermont in 2019, dedicated to historic preservation and community development within the Designated Village Center of Rupert, Vermont. The Trust owns and operates the historic Sheldon General Store building (built circa 1890 as a farmer's exchange and grange hall), which it acquired through a generous donation in 2019 and supplemented with adjacent land purchased from the Town in 2022. Its core offering is the Sheldon Store Community Center, which delivers regular programming including a weekly Saturday Coffee Hour (with Flour Girl Bakeshop and Tall Cat Coffee), monthly Drawing Night, Potluck Dinner, Music Jam, Game Night, and Fiber Fridays.

The organization runs a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model rather than a traditional sales motion. It does not sell products or services; instead, it relies on charitable donations from community members, capital campaign contributions for renovation work, and government/institutional grants (including inclusion in Senator Leahy's $10 million Village Trust Initiative announced in November 2025 and a $3,010 Vermont Arts Council grant in September 2024). Disclosed operating cost is approximately $60 per day for the Sheldon Store (taxes, insurance, utilities). Distribution is entirely physical, centered on the Sheldon Store at 2824 Route 153, Rupert, Vermont, with supplemental outreach through Facebook, Instagram, the website (rupertvillagetrust.org), email, and local media. There is no proprietary technology, no digital product, and no headcount beyond a single Communications Director (Morgan Horton) supported by a six-member volunteer board.

Planned expansion includes a community café on the main floor of the Sheldon Store, to be operated by an independent tenant under a Community Supported Enterprise arrangement modeled on the Preservation Trust of Vermont's program. The Trust serves the approximately 700 residents of Rupert, with secondary attendance from surrounding Vermont communities, and partners with organizations including the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Vermont Council on Rural Development, Vermont Community Foundation, Vermont Arts Council, TreeSong Yoga, and the Rupert Historical Society.

Name

Rupert Village Trust

Legal name

Rupert Village Trust

Website

https://rupertvillagetrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Rupert Village Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that owns and operates the historic Sheldon General Store in Rupert, Vermont as a community center, hosting weekly and monthly cultural, educational, and social events for the town's approximately 700 residents, with a café planned.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development and Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Historical Sites (712120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Community development
• Historic preservation
• Nonprofit management
• Community center
• Rural revitalization

Headquarters

HQ city

Rupert

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization relies on charitable donations from community members, including both one-time gifts and recurring monthly donations to support day-to-day operations, utilities, insurance, and maintenance costs.
2. Capital Campaign: Larger project-specific donations to fund the Sheldon Store renovation project, including septic upgrades, renovations, and bringing the space up to code for Phase II development.
3. Government Grants: Funding from congressionally directed spending awards, such as the $10 million Village Trust Initiative grant from Senator Leahy's office, to support rural revitalization projects.
4. Café Lease Revenue: Future revenue stream from leasing space to an independent café operator through the Community Supported Enterprise model.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rupert Village Trust operates a community center inside the historic Sheldon General Store building in Rupert, Vermont, hosting regular cultural, educational, and social events (coffee hours, drawing nights, potluck dinners, music jams, game nights, fiber Fridays) for local residents. The trust is renovating the building to add a community café operated by an independent operator under a Community Supported Enterprise arrangement, with the goal of providing the town's only casual gathering place.

Product overview

Rupert Village Trust operates a single unified offering: the Sheldon Store Community Center in the historic Sheldon General Store building. The organization provides community gathering space and events programming, with plans to add a café operated by an independent operator on the main floor. The community center serves as the primary hub for social, educational, and cultural activities in Rupert, Vermont.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sheldon Store Community Center A community center housed in the historic Sheldon General Store building (built circa 1890), offering event space, gathering opportunities, and community programming for the residents of Rupert, Vermont.
• Community Events Programming

Quantifiable outcome

• Daily operating cost of $60 per day covers taxes, insurance, and utilities for the Sheldon Store.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Preservation Trust of VermontcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Collaborating on the Village Trust Initiative, a $10 million rural revitalization program providing planning, technical, and capital support for community development projects in historic Vermont villages.
• Vermont Council on Rural DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Partnering with the Village Trust Initiative to support rural revitalization projects and community development in Rupert and other Vermont communities.
• Vermont Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Partnering with the Village Trust Initiative providing funding and support for rural community development projects.
• Vermont Housing and Conservation BoardmajorOthersListed as a partner organization providing funding and support for historic preservation and community development initiatives.
• Vermont Arts CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization supporting arts and cultural programming at the Sheldon Store community center.
• GNAT-TVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal public access television station partner providing media coverage and promotion of community events.
• Tall Cat Coffee RoastersminorOthersCoffee supplier for the Sheldon Store's Weekly Coffee Hour events.
• Vermont Rural PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting rural Vermont communities through policy advocacy and development.
• Battenkill CreameryminorOthersLocal creamery providing dairy products for community events.
• TreeSong YogaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides regular yoga classes at the Sheldon Store. Contact: Brooke Hughes-Muse.
• Shed LightminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on the Rupert Village Trust partnerships page.
• Flour Girl BakeshopminorOthersProvides baked goods for Weekly Coffee Hour events at the Sheldon Store.
• JA's WorkshopminorOthersLocal workshop/partner organization listed on the partnerships page.
• Sherman's StoreminorOthersLocal Rupert business listed as a community partner.
• Rupert United Methodist ChurchminorOthersLocal church partner in community events and programming.
• Congregational Church of RupertminorOthersLocal church partner in community events and programming.
• Rupert Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for historic preservation efforts in Rupert.
• R.K. Kittay LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Game Night events held the second Friday of each month at the Sheldon Store.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Vermont Arts Council: Partner organization that provided a $3,010 grant to RVT. Supports arts and cultural programming in Vermont communities, comparable in cultural programming focus though with a broader state-level mandate.

Regional players

• Preservation League of New York State: Regional historic preservation nonprofit operating in adjacent geography with comparable advocacy, grantmaking, and community development programs for historic buildings and village centers.

Direct peers

• Vermont Community Foundation: Partnering organization funding rural community development projects through the Village Trust Initiative. Operates as a statewide community foundation providing grants, technical support, and capital for Vermont nonprofits—directly comparable role at greater scale.
• Vermont Council on Rural Development: Village Trust Initiative partner supporting community development in rural Vermont towns. Mission and beneficiary community closely aligned with RVT's rural community-building focus.
• Preservation Trust of Vermont: Core strategic partner running the Community Supported Enterprise model that RVT plans to use for its café. Operates as a statewide historic preservation and rural community development nonprofit, directly comparable in mission and operating model.
• Vermont Land Trust: Statewide Vermont nonprofit focused on land conservation and supporting vibrant rural communities. Highly comparable as a community-based nonprofit working in historic preservation and rural Vermont.
• Merck Forest and Farmland Center: Vermont nonprofit referenced in board member Debra Fuller's background that combines historic land stewardship, public programming, and community events on a conserved property—comparable in operating model and rural mission.

Broad incumbents

• Main Street America: National movement focused on revitalizing older and historic downtowns and village centers. Comparable mission around community-based economic development of historic main streets, though operating at network/program level rather than single-site.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: National-scale nonprofit focused on saving historic places. Broader incumbent in the same historic preservation and community revitalization space RVT operates in, but at national rather than village scale.

Others

• Rupert Historical Society: Local Rupert partner organization also engaged in historic preservation. Small, mission-aligned community organization, comparable in scale and geographic focus though with narrower archival rather than programming orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rupertvillagetrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/rupertvillagetrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rupert Village Trust