What The Stone Trust Inc does

The Stone Trust Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 and headquartered in West Dummerston/Brattleboro, Vermont, dedicated to preserving and advancing the traditional craft of dry stone walling. It operates eight training sites across the United States—two in Vermont and one each in New Hampshire, New York, Colorado, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee—delivering hands-on instruction in a craft with deep historical roots in North America and Europe. The organization serves hobbyists, professional wallers, landscape architects, hardscape contractors, and design/build companies seeking both introductory and advanced training.

Its core offering is a five-level curriculum structured around the four-tier Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain (DSWA-GB) certification pathway, with an additional introductory level to broaden the on-ramp for beginners. Instruction is delivered by DSWA-GB certified professionals. The Trust also maintains what it describes as the largest display of dry stone walling in North America and partners with institutions such as the Vermont Granite Museum to extend its educational reach.

The business model is that of a mission-driven nonprofit with diversified revenue streams: paid workshop registrations, tiered membership subscriptions ($75 hobbyist, $375 professional, $1,000 corporate/design-build), retail sales of professional Trow & Holden tools, a professional waller directory and referral service, and tax-deductible donations. There is no venture funding, no equity structure, and no enterprise sales motion; growth is organic, supported by a small staff of 1–10 employees and periodic site expansions.

Name

The Stone Trust Inc

Legal name

The Stone Trust

Website

https://thestonetrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Stone Trust Inc is a Vermont-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that teaches and certifies practitioners in traditional dry stone walling through eight US training sites, serving hobbyists, professional wallers, landscape architects, and design/build firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Craft Education

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Masonry (Brick, Block & Stone) (EDAOAAAB)

Keywords

• Dry stone walling education
• Masonry craft training
• DSWA certification programs
• Stone walling workshops
• Landscape construction training

Headquarters

HQ city

West Dummerston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Workshop Fees: The Stone Trust generates revenue through fees charged for workshops ranging from introductory one-day courses to multi-day intensive programs and certification tests. Workshop prices vary by duration and type, with pricing not explicitly disclosed in publicly available sources.
2. Retail Store: The Stone Trust operates an e-commerce store selling tools (Trow & Holden products), books, apparel, and other dry stone walling supplies. Products include hand hammers, chisels, carbide tools, batter boards, and instructional materials.
3. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership programs providing benefits including discounts on workshops and store purchases, publications, newsletter access, and professional listings. Membership tiers range from $75/year (student) to $1,000/year (corporate).
4. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations supporting the organization's mission to preserve and advance dry stone walling. Donors can contribute to the Annual Fund or Entry-Level Professional Waller Scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Stone Trust delivers hands-on dry stone walling education and certification through workshops taught by DSWA-GB Certified Instructors at eight training sites across the United States. Offerings span five progressive skill levels (Introductory through Master Waller) plus four DSWA-GB certification levels, supplemented by a retail store for tools and supplies, a professional member directory, a project referral service, and tiered membership programs.

Product overview

The Stone Trust is a nonprofit organization established in 2010 in southern Vermont, dedicated to preserving and advancing the art and craft of dry stone walling. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio centered on five progressive levels of workshops (Introductory through Master Waller), DSWA-GB certification programs at four levels, and eight training sites across the US. Additional offerings include an e-commerce store selling tools and books, six tiers of membership programs, a professional contractor directory, project referral service, and educational resources including videos, podcasts, and technical specifications. The portfolio is designed to take learners from novice to master craftsman through hands-on training, certification, and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dry Stone Walling Workshops Hands-on educational workshops teaching dry stone walling techniques at five progressive skill levels (Introductory, Fundamentals, Dry Stone Waller, Advanced Waller, and Master Waller), taught by DSWA-GB certified instructors at training sites across the US in 1-day, 2-day, and multi-day formats.
• DSWA-GB Certification Programs Four-level certification program through the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain (DSWA-GB): Level I (Initial), Level II (Intermediate), Level III (Advanced), and Level IV (Master Craftsman), with practical walling skill assessments at each level.
• The Stone Trust Store E-commerce storefront selling dry stone walling tools (Trow & Holden hammers, chisels, carbide tools, batter boards), books, apparel, and instructional materials.
• Membership Programs Six membership tiers (Individual $125/year, Family $250/year, Student $75/year, Professional $325/year, Design/Build Company $625/year, Corporate $1,000/year) offering discounts on workshops and store purchases, publications, newsletter access, online forum, professional listings, and project referrals.
• Professional Member Directory Interactive map and directory of DSWA-GB certified professional waller members, displaying contact information, business descriptions, certification levels, and locations to help property owners find qualified contractors.
• Project Referral Service Free service connecting potential clients with professional dry stone wall contractors drawn from The Stone Trust's certified professional member network.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vermont Granite MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2018 to create The Stone Trust Central Valley training site at the Vermont Granite Museum in Barre, Vermont. The museum, founded in 1994 to preserve the story of the local granite industry, provides space for a 60' free-standing wall with cheek ends, stone shaping materials, and Level III feature wall.
• Scott FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScott Farm in Dummerston, Vermont hosts The Stone Trust Center, the largest display of dry stone walls in North America. The 1862 barn houses the 3000 sq ft training center with over 1000 sq ft of indoor wall constructed with hand-picked Vermont field stone.
• Opus 40coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Opus 40 in Saugerties, New York to offer Stone Trust workshops at the historic bluestone quarry. Harvey Fite's 6.5-acre earthwork sculpture is undergoing multi-year restoration led by professional Stone Trust members. The site serves as both a training location and conservation project.
• Broadview FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadview Farm in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire hosts The Stone Trust NH training site featuring multiple training walls built with local and quarried NH stone, including an arched bridge, tall garden wall, and curved walls.
• Northland Landscape NurseryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Northland Landscape Nursery in Isanti, Minnesota (Twin Cities region) begun in 2019, offering over 150 feet of outdoor classroom space for workshops accommodating up to 22 participants.
• Early Bird FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly Bird Farm in Longmont, Colorado hosts The Stone Trust CO training site, the most western training location less than an hour from Denver International Airport. Offers introductory and foundational courses in the Rocky Mountain region.
• Laurel Stoneworks LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaurel Stoneworks LLC in South Fork, Pennsylvania hosts The Stone Trust PA training site, located in the Laurel Highlands of south-central Pennsylvania.
• The LandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Land in Kingston Springs, Tennessee hosts The Stone Trust TN training site, offering workshops in the Nashville area.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heartwood: Traditional building crafts education organization offering courses in timber framing, masonry, log construction, and related heritage trades. Comparable workshop-based, multi-level craft training model for traditional building skills.
• North House Folk School: Minnesota-based folk school offering hands-on craft courses including traditional building trades. Comparable as a nonprofit craft-education institution using a workshop-based, multi-level curriculum model at a rural training site.
• Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain: The UK-based parent organization that issues the four-level DSWA-GB certification The Stone Trust administers in North America. Direct peer as the originator and steward of the same certification standards and craft curriculum globally.
• The Stone Foundation: UK charity dedicated to preserving and promoting the craft of dry stone walling through education, training, and heritage advocacy. Most directly comparable peer mission-wise — preservation-focused training in the same craft tradition.
• Drystone Conservancy: Canadian organization dedicated to preserving and promoting dry stone walling heritage through workshops, demonstrations, and certification. Directly comparable craft-education mission in the North American market.
• Yestermorrow Design/Build School: Vermont-based nonprofit design/build school offering hands-on courses in woodworking, construction, and sustainable design. Comparable as a craft-and-construction-focused residential education institution in the same New England geography.

Others

• Trow & Holden Company: Family-owned Vermont manufacturer of stoneworking tools (hammers, chisels, carbide tools) sold through The Stone Trust's retail store. Adjacent supplier-partner rather than competitor — comparable only as ecosystem participant in the dry stone craft supply chain.
• Mason Contractors Association of America: National trade association representing masonry contractors, offering education, certification, and workforce development for the broader masonry industry. Adjacent rather than direct — overlaps in hardscape/masonry training but emphasizes mortared masonry rather than dry stone craft.

Broad incumbents

• Building Stone Institute: North American trade association for the building stone industry, providing education and credentials for stone-related professionals. Adjacent to The Stone Trust's curriculum with broader industry scope and commercial quarry/fabricator members.
• National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center: Federal training program providing hands-on preservation craft instruction including masonry and stonework. Comparable craft-education mission for historic preservation trades with a public-sector rather than nonprofit funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-stone-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Stone Trust Inc