Vermont Farm Fund
Vermont Farm Fund is a nonprofit revolving loan fund, founded in 2011 under The Center for an Agricultural Economy, that provides Emergency, Business Builder, and New Producer loans exclusively to Vermont-based farmers and food producers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersHardwick, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Vermont Farm Fund does
Vermont Farm Fund (VFF) is a nonprofit revolving loan fund founded in 2011 as a program of The Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE), headquartered in Hardwick, Vermont. It provides small-dollar credit exclusively to Vermont-based farmers and food producers through three programs: Emergency Loans of up to $15,000 at 0% interest for crisis recovery; Business Builder Loans at 3% interest for farm business growth and capital investment; and New Producer Loans targeted at beginning farmers. The organization is staffed by 1-10 employees and operates within a defined Vermont agricultural ecosystem rather than as a statewide or national lender.
Over approximately a decade of operation, VFF has disbursed more than $2 million in loans across 80+ documented Vermont farm cases. Its disaster-response lending has been activated multiple times, including after Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 and subsequent flooding events, positioning it as a counter-cyclical capital source for Vermont's small farm sector. Partnerships with Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Farm Viability, NRCS, and the Working Lands Initiative provide referral channels and co-funding capacity.
Revenue mechanics are consistent with a revolving nonprofit loan fund: interest income on Business Builder Loans at 3% APR is the primary earned revenue stream, with Emergency Loans contributing only principal recycling due to the 0% rate. Philanthropic contributions and state-level program support likely supplement earned revenue, but the input does not disclose fundraising totals. Geographic restriction to Vermont is structural and limits addressable market growth, while the CAE parent affiliation and embedded partner network shape its distribution model as community-based rather than commercial.
Vermont Farm Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vermont Farm Fund
- Legal name
- Vermont Farm Fund
- Website
- https://vtfarmfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Vermont Farm Fund is a nonprofit revolving loan fund, founded in 2011 under The Center for an Agricultural Economy, that provides Emergency, Business Builder, and New Producer loans exclusively to Vermont-based farmers and food producers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vermont Farm Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Community Lending
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)
Keywords
Where Vermont Farm Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hardwick
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Vermont Farm Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Loan Interest Income: VFF operates as a revolving loan fund where loans are made to Vermont farmers and food producers. The fund generates revenue through interest on loans (Business Builder loans at 3% interest), and as borrowers repay loans, funds replenish for the next cycle of borrowers. Emergency loans are offered at 0% interest for disaster relief.
- Donations: VFF accepts donations to support emergency loans for farmers affected by flooding. Donations directly enable the fund to make Emergency Loans up to $15,000 at 0% interest.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Emergency Loans up to $15,000 at 0% interest |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Vermont Farm Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vermont Farm Fund is a nonprofit revolving loan fund that provides no-hassle, friendly-term loans to Vermont farmers and food producers. It offers Emergency Loans (up to $15,000 at 0% interest) for disaster recovery, Business Builder Loans for farm expansion and infrastructure, and New Producer Loans for beginning farmers. As repaid loans replenish the fund, capital continuously cycles back into new loans to support Vermont's agricultural economy.
Product overview
Vermont Farm Fund operates as a revolving loan fund offering three distinct loan programs to Vermont farmers and food producers. The core offerings include Emergency Loans for disaster recovery (up to $15,000 at 0% interest), Business Builder Loans for infrastructure and equipment investments, and New Producer Loans for beginning farmers. As a true revolving loan fund, repaid loans are replenished for subsequent borrowers, creating a sustainable cycle of agricultural financial support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Emergency Loan Emergency loans up to $15,000 at 0% interest for Vermont farmers and food producers affected by natural disasters, flooding, fire, or other urgent situations requiring quick capital access.
- Business Builder Loan Low-interest loans (3% interest) designed to help Vermont farmers and food producers invest in infrastructure, equipment, value-added processing, and business expansion to increase efficiency and profitability.
- New Producer Loan Loans specifically designed for new and beginning Vermont farmers to help them establish operations, purchase equipment, and build sustainable agricultural businesses.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $2 million in loans to Vermont farmers and food producers over 10 years
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Vermont Farm Fund
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Vermont Farm Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Vermont Farm Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE)coreThe Vermont Farm Fund is a program of The Center for an Agricultural Economy. CAE is the parent organization that administers VFF. The relationship is integral to VFF's mission and operations.
- Vermont Land TrustcoreVermont Land Trust's Farmland Access Program helps farmers acquire land. VFF works with farmers purchasing through this program, providing loans to help with infrastructure investments needed on newly acquired properties.
- Vermont Farm Viability ProgramcoreVermont Farm Viability Program provides business planning support to farmers. VFF often works with farmers who have developed plans through this program, and the program refers farmers to VFF for financing.
- NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service)minorNRCS provides grants for conservation and farm improvements. VFF loans often serve as bridge financing, allowing farmers to complete projects while awaiting NRCS grant payouts.
- Working Lands InitiativeminorWorking Lands grants help Vermont farms invest in their operations. VFF loans complement these grants by providing matching funds or bridge financing.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Vermont Farm Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Foodshed Capital: A nonprofit (formerly the Carrot Project) that provides capital and business assistance to small farmers and food producers in the Northeast. Directly comparable in mission, target customer, Strolling-Up-type loans, and focus on filling the gap conventional lenders leave for small and beginning farms.
- Kiva: A nonprofit crowdfunding platform that provides 0% interest loans to small businesses, including farmers, through a network of trustees and partners. Comparable in its 0% small-ticket model, mission-driven underwriting, and use of community-based funding.
- California FarmLink: A nonprofit that provides loans, land-linking, and business education to beginning and underserved farmers in California. Highly comparable mission and product set to VFF, including emergency-style and growth-style loans for small farms, though operating in a different geography.
- The Carrot Project: A predecessor/legacy brand of Foodshed Capital that provided loans and assistance to small and mid-sized farms in New England. Directly comparable to VFF in target customer, mission, and small-ticket loan products for Northeast sustainable farms.
- Vermont Community Loan Fund: A Vermont-based community development financial institution providing flexible loans and capital to small businesses, including farms and food enterprises. Highly comparable because it operates in the same Vermont geography, serves similar underserved borrowers, and uses a relationship-based, mission-driven lending model.
Broad incumbents
- USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA): The federal agency that administers farm loan programs for beginning, minority, and emergency lending to U.S. farmers. Comparable in providing subsidized and emergency farm credit in Vermont, but as a much larger, federally backed program with different speed and process.
- Yankee Farm Credit: A Farm Credit System association serving Vermont and surrounding New England states with loans to farms and forest products businesses. Comparable as a regulated agricultural lender serving the same Vermont borrower base, though at materially larger scale and with conventional underwriting.
- Farm Credit East: A large Northeast-focused agricultural lending cooperative serving Vermont farmers with operating, equipment, and real-estate loans. Comparable as a major source of farm capital in the same geography, though it is a much larger, for-profit cooperative serving established borrowers.
Emerging players
- Steward: A private capital platform that lends to small sustainable farms and ranches through crowdfunded senior debt. Comparable in funding small regenerative farms that mainstream banks underserve, though it operates nationally and is for-profit rather than nonprofit.
Regional players
- Maine Farmland Trust: A regional nonprofit that supports farmland access, farm viability, and the local food economy in Maine, including farm financing programs. Comparable mission and regional focus on Northeast small farms, but primarily Maine-based rather than Vermont-based.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vermont Farm Fund social profiles
Digital presenceVermont Farm Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vermont Farm Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Vermont Farm Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vermont Farm Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vermont Farm Fund
What does Vermont Farm Fund do?
Vermont Farm Fund is a nonprofit revolving loan fund that provides no-hassle, friendly-term loans to Vermont farmers and food producers. It offers Emergency Loans (up to $15,000 at 0% interest) for disaster recovery, Business Builder Loans for farm expansion and infrastructure, and New Producer Loans for beginning farmers. As repaid loans replenish the fund, capital continuously cycles back into new loans to support Vermont's agricultural economy.
Is Vermont Farm Fund a public or private company?
Vermont Farm Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Vermont Farm Fund founded?
Vermont Farm Fund was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Vermont Farm Fund based?
Vermont Farm Fund is headquartered in Hardwick, United States, in the North America region.
How does Vermont Farm Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Loan Interest Income is the primary driver. The others are donations.
Who are Vermont Farm Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Foodshed Capital, Kiva, California FarmLink, The Carrot Project and Vermont Community Loan Fund. Broad incumbents are USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), Yankee Farm Credit and Farm Credit East. Steward is listed as an emerging player. Maine Farmland Trust is listed as a regional player.
Does Vermont Farm Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vermont Farm Fund.
What industry is Vermont Farm Fund in?
Vermont Farm Fund's product category is Agricultural Community Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations. Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 6153.