READING, Vt.– The Reading Community Trust is excited to be a member of the 2024 Village Trust Initiative (VTI) cohort, and will receive an award of $300,000 to support predevelopment expenses and restoration construction on a historic building in the Village of Felchville. The Village Trust Initiative, a village revitalization program made possible by a Congressionally Directed Spending Award from former Sen. Leahy and a partnership between the Preservation Trust of Vermont (PTV), Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), and Vermont Community Foundation (VCF), will provide both expertise and funding to communities with fewer than 2,500 residents. This new partnership of the three organizations will support 20 Vermont communities over the next several years, to form a community trust and undertake a transformational revitalization project in their historic village. By helping communities define a vision for their future and complete revitalization projects, the VTI will build community capacity, preserve a sense of place, and ensure Vermont villages are dynamic places for future generations.