The Vermont Historical Society and the Lost Mural Project are teaming up to offer funding for research projects on Vermont’s immigration and Jewish history. Five grants of $500 each will be awarded to local nonprofits or municipalities in Vermont that propose eligible projects.
The Lost Mural Project, the nonprofit organization funding the grants, preserves and educates on the “Lost Shul Mural,” a unique piece of 20th-century Jewish art in Burlington. According to Lost Mural Project cofounder Aaron Goldberg, the new grants are intended to foreground the stories and cultural contributions of immigrant communities in Vermont. Given Lost Mural Project’s art focus, projects that research immigrant and Jewish art history will be given priority in the application process.
Historical society executive director Stephen Perkins said his organization will administer the grants to help the Lost Mural Project expand its local impact beyond a singular piece of art. He added that offering even small grants to local history organizations encourages them to think about “aspects of history that aren’t as traditional as what we might think of as historical society work.”
The Trump administration has cracked down on immigration, instating travel bans and arresting thousands. Perkins said that while this partnership is not politically timed — planning for these grants began before President Donald Trump took office — immigration history is important to think about in the current political climate.
Eligible projects must be presentable through exhibits, collections, oral histories, publications, presentations or another form and will be published on the Lost Mural Project’s website. Of the five available grants, two will be given for work completed in 2025 and three will be awarded after September 1 for work completed in 2025 and 2026.
Applications for the new grants are now open, with the review process beginning on August 1. More information can be found here.
This article appears in The Food Issue 2025.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
