 The Village Revitalization Initiative, a partnership of Senator Patrick Leahy, the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development brought federal dollars and new life to rural villages across Vermont. Started in 2005, this innovative partnership supported 27 projects in 25 different communities. Grants from this project helped conserve historic architecture, inspired community use, increased viability and livability, and rewarded community commitment. And they did it all in towns that had fewer than 2,000 people, whether opening a shuttered opera house, rehabilitating a village grocery store, or building an active community center. The projects increased the vitality and the beauty of their village center, and a variety of historic sites. Through it all, the Preservation Trust provided technical assistance to grantees, managed to federal grant and helped turn $2.5 million in federal grants into almost $30 million of investments.