STOWE, Vt. — The National Trust for Local News is expanding to a fourth state with the acquisition of the Vermont Community Newspaper Group, a family of award-winning weekly newspapers and digital platforms covering more than a dozen northern Vermont communities.
Thanks to a community-first decision by VTCNG’s owners, the National Trust will acquire five weekly newspapers and their websites serving more than a dozen communities in Northern Vermont. The titles are:
The deal will close this month. The entire VTCNG team, which includes 15 full-time and two part-time employees, will be retained. The group’s office will remain at its current location on Mountain Road in Stowe.
Citing increased financial stresses on their business, VTCNG majority owner Bob Miller and minority owners Judy Kearns and Biddle Duke earlier this year decided to establish nonprofit ownership by the end of 2026. They identified the National Trust, a nonprofit operating dozens of news organizations in three states, as the right home for VTCNG. They are selling the papers for a nominal fee. VTCNG will also continue to publish the biannual Stowe Guide & Magazine.
Under the National Trust, these publications will exist solely for public benefit. They will continue to operate under local editorial leadership, ensuring continuity for readers, advertisers, employees and vendors.
“Establishing a sustainable future for our community newspapers has been our priority for several years,” the owners said. “By selling these publications to the National Trust, not only can they survive but there will be investment in expanding coverage to thrive in a climate where local news is so important and increasingly difficult to find.”
The National Trust will preserve these well-known titles while providing the capital, expertise and infrastructure needed to unlock the publications’ growth potential.
“These publications have a solid foundation from which a stronger future can be built,” said Tom Wiley, chief executive officer of the National Trust. “They are vital local news sources for Northern Vermont, led by an experienced team that has trusted relationships with readers, advertisers and a wide range of community partners.”
The acquisition ensures VTCNG publications continue to provide enterprising hyperlocal journalism for their communities, while benefiting from the National Trust’s model of investment in news innovation, audience growth and community engagement.
News industry veteran Bill Stille will immediately begin working with the VTCNG team as a transition and transformation adviser provided by the National Trust. Stille is an experienced news media leader, having held leadership roles at The Detroit News, The Columbus Dispatch and The Buffalo News. His work will include identifying opportunities to strengthen partnerships and collaborate with statewide stakeholders.
The entrance into the Vermont market marks the latest stage of growth for the National Trust, which in July acquired two Georgia newspapers from McClatchy Media.
About The National Trust for Local News:
The National Trust is a nonprofit news organization providing quality, hyper-local community news across more than 50 newspaper titles in Maine, Georgia and Colorado. It uses philanthropy to invest in local newspapers but relies on earned revenue from subscriptions, advertising, events and more to sustain it. The Trust’s goal is to harness the power of local newspapers to build a more resilient, equitable and vibrant future for local news nationwide. Learn more at www.nationaltrustforlocalnews.org
About the Vermont Community Newspaper Group:
The Vermont Community Newspaper Group (VTCNG) is a media company based in the picturesque and bustling town of Stowe in the mountains of central Vermont. The group’s publications consistently rank among the best in Vermont and New England for both editorial and advertising excellence, winning numerous awards for journalism and design, including the prestigious General Excellence Award from the New England Newspaper & Press Association, and best weekly newspaper in the state from the Vermont Press Association.
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