Windham Foundation

The Windham Foundation: From the Sheep Barns, the path leads back up the hill past the pond to The Windham Foundation. The foundation was established in 1963 by Dean Mathey, a successful investment banker and philanthropist from New Jersey, and his cousin Matt Hall who was president of the Bunbury Company. The Halls maintained a summer home in Grafton . Together, they established the foundation initially to help preserve, restore and revitalize the town of Grafton.

Today, the Windham Foundation works to preserve and enhance the social, economic, and cultural vitality of Vermont’s smaller communities and their rural way of life, especially within and around the town of Grafton, Vermont. The Foundation focuses on Vermont’s history, natural resources, and agrarian traditions.

The Windham Foundation is an operating foundation. It operates the Grafton Inn which has been open for over 200 years, the Grafton Village Cheese Company which has made award-winning artisan cheese for more than 50 years, and the Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center. The Foundation operates these social enterprises to ensure that the region’s and the state’s rural economy remain viable.

In addition to these activities, the Foundation offers philanthropic, charitable, and educational programs and supports the village of Grafton through its preservation of historic buildings, open land stewardship, and financial support in the form of taxes and grants.

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