Vermont Small Business Grants, Loans and Free Help: VtSBDC, VEDA, ACCD, VEPC and Working Lands

Vermont does not have one large fund that covers every new business. Help comes from several directions: free one-on-one advising, state and federal lenders, economic development incentives, targeted grants for farms and food businesses, and tax credits for projects in downtowns and village centers. The best place to start costs nothing. The harder part is matching a program to your industry, your location and your timeline.

This guide covers each major resource, what it does, and what to confirm before you apply. Figures and dates reflect what was verified on October 28, 2026. Programs change, so check the agency page before you build a plan around any of them.

Start with free advising from the Vermont SBDC

The Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) is the first call most owners should make. Its advising is no-fee, one-to-one and confidential, and it has been available since 1992. Advisors work with owners at every stage: starting, buying, growing, selling and managing a business.

The center also runs webinars and focuses on several areas, including disaster recovery, young entrepreneurs, veterans, exporting and importing, and intellectual property. You do not need to fit neatly into one of those areas to get help. To connect with an advisor, use the contact process on the VtSBDC website at vtsbdc.org.

A good advisor can help you tighten your business plan and cash flow projections before you approach a lender or apply for a grant. Those documents are the first thing most funders ask for, so this is often the cheapest improvement you can make.

Vermont small business loans from VEDA

The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has been lending to Vermont businesses since 1974. Its programs are listed below as of 2026. Program names and terms change, so treat this list as a map of what exists, not a term sheet:

• Small Business Loan Program
• Entrepreneurial Loan Program
• Local Development Corporation Program
• Northeast Kingdom Special Loan Program
• Broadband Expansion Loan Program
• Commercial and Agricultural Energy Loans
• C-PACE
• Vermont Agricultural Credit Corporation and forestry loans
• Disaster Recovery Loan Fund
• Brownfields Revitalization Fund
• Capital Access Program
• Loan Participation Program
• Venture Capital

The Loan Participation Program and Venture Capital are both funded in part through the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). This guide does not quote VEDA loan amounts, interest rates or repayment terms, because those change. Go to veda.org for current terms, and ask which program fits the specific use of funds you have in mind, such as equipment, real estate, working capital or energy upgrades.

Other Vermont lenders and helpers

• Vermont Community Loan Fund. A mission-driven lender that works with small businesses, child care programs and community spaces. It is worth a conversation if a traditional bank declines your project or your project has a strong community purpose.
• Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. A nonprofit that runs Business Sense tools for entrepreneurs. Confirm with the fund which tools are currently available before you plan around them.
• SBA Vermont District Office. Serves all 14 Vermont counties. SBA-backed loans are made by participating lenders, so the District Office is a good place to learn which local banks work with the SBA. Details are at sba.gov/district/vermont.

State economic development incentives through ACCD and VEPC

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) houses the Department of Economic Development, which oversees several programs that business owners often overlook.

• Vermont Economic Progress Council (VEPC). VEPC authorizes the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive (VEGI), a cash incentive tied to qualifying job and payroll growth. VEPC also authorizes tax increment financing (TIF) districts. VEGI is tied to growth you can document, so ask ACCD whether your planned hiring qualifies before you commit to a project.
• Vermont APEX Accelerator. Helps businesses pursue government contracting, which is useful if you plan to sell to state or federal buyers.
• Northern Border Regional Commission. Listed among the economic development resources connected to ACCD. Confirm whether your location and project are eligible with ACCD before you plan around it.

Working Lands Enterprise Initiative grants for farms and food businesses

The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) is run by the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. For FY2027 the initiative totals about $880,000 across its grants. It is the most direct grant option in this guide, but each grant has a short window and a specific eligible applicant.

Grant	Amount	Application window	Match
Business Enhancement Grant	$10,000 to $50,000	October 9, 2026 to December 10, 2026	None
Service Provider and Producer Association Grant	Confirm with the Agency	September 17, 2026 to November 5, 2026	Confirm with the Agency
Trade Show Assistance Grant	$2,000 to $7,500	Winter 2027 (confirm exact dates)	25%

As of October 28, 2026, the Business Enhancement Grant window is open and the Service Provider and Producer Association window closes on November 5, 2026. The Business Enhancement Grant is for farms, forest product businesses and food businesses that use Vermont-grown ingredients. Applicants may apply for only one WLEI grant in FY2027, so choose the one that matches your most important expense before you start.

Downtown and village center tax credits

The Vermont Community Investment Board administers the downtown and village center tax credits under 24 V.S.A. chapter 139. Credits under 32 V.S.A. chapter 151, subchapter 11J, require project expenditures over $5,000 in a designated downtown or village center (32 V.S.A. § 5930bb). The state reports that at least $3.5 million in credits is available in FY2027, and the next application deadline is July 1, 2027.

These are tax credits, not cash grants. Ask a CPA how the credits would apply to your tax situation before you count on them in your budget. Confirm current rules on the ACCD historic preservation tax credits page at accd.vermont.gov.

Remote worker and relocation grants: not confirmed

You may find references to a 2019 Remote Worker Grant Program. This guide does not present it as a current program. Before you plan around any remote-worker or relocation payment, check with ACCD to confirm whether it is open.

Get your business ready before you apply

Most of these programs ask for the same basics. Having them in order before you apply will save time.

• Register the entity. An LLC files Articles of Organization with the Vermont Secretary of State for a $155 filing fee. Use the Online Business Service Center at bizfilings.vermont.gov. Online filings are normally processed in less than 1 business day, while mailed filings take 7 to 10 business days. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation for the same $155 fee. You can reserve an LLC name for $25 for 120 days.
• Calendar your annual report. An LLC annual report costs $45 and is due by March 31 for a calendar-year LLC. A corporation annual report costs $60 and is due by March 15 for a calendar-year corporation. A missed annual report can terminate an entity, which can be reinstated, so do not let it lapse.
• Plan for the entity tax. Pass-through entities, including S corporations, partnerships and LLCs taxed as partnerships, owe a $250 minimum annual entity tax paid with Form BI-471 or BI-476. This does not apply to a disregarded single-member LLC.
• Open a Department of Taxes account if you need one. Vermont has no general state business license, but you must register for a business tax account if you collect sales and use tax, meals and rooms tax, or withholding. Register at tax.vermont.gov/business/register.
• Know which taxes apply to you. The 6% sales tax reaches goods and a short list of items, but almost no services. Contractors pay tax on the materials they buy and do not charge it to customers. Prepared food, coffee, bakery items eaten on the spot and catering fall under the 9% meals and rooms tax, which is 10% on alcohol. Fifty towns add a 1% local option tax. Short-term rentals owe the 9% rooms tax plus a 3% surcharge. If you buy goods to resell, the buyer gives you Form S-3 for the resale exemption.
• Maintain a Vermont registered agent. Every Vermont LLC must keep an agent for service of process, which must be a Vermont resident individual or a business with a Vermont place of business. A Statement of Change of agent costs $35 for an LLC.
• Check licensing for your trade. Vermont has no general business license. Regulated occupations are licensed by the Secretary of State's Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) or other state boards. Vermont has no general contractor license, but residential contractors register with OPR for jobs over $10,000. Electricians and plumbers are licensed by the Division of Fire Safety, not OPR.
• Check local rules. Vermont's 14 counties do not license or zone businesses. Towns, cities and villages handle zoning and local licenses, and their requirements differ widely. Ask your town clerk or zoning office before you sign a lease.

Next steps

Start with one advising appointment at the VtSBDC, then check VEDA for current loan terms and the agency pages for any grant window that is open. If you plan to sell to the state or grow your payroll, ask ACCD and APEX about incentives and contracting before you spend money. Keep your entity filings and tax accounts current, because most funders check them before they release money.

Important information

This guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Program rules, amounts, deadlines and eligibility change, so confirm every detail with the agency named before you apply, sign a loan agreement or claim a credit. For a complex financing, a business structure decision or any tax question, consult a qualified Vermont attorney or certified public accountant (CPA).