§ 405. Charitable purposes; enforcement
(a) A charitable trust may be created for the relief of poverty; the advancement of education or religion; the promotion of health, scientific, literary, benevolent, governmental, or municipal purposes; or other purposes the achievement of which is beneficial to the community.
(b) If the terms of a charitable trust do not indicate a particular charitable purpose or beneficiary or if the designated charitable purpose cannot be completed or no longer exists, the trustee, if authorized by the terms of the trust, or if not, the Probate Division of the Superior Court may select one or more charitable purposes or beneficiaries. The selection must be consistent with the settlor’s intention to the extent it can be ascertained.
(c) The settlor of a charitable trust, the Attorney General, a cotrustee, or a person with a special interest in the charitable trust may maintain a proceeding to enforce the trust. (Added 2009, No. 20, § 1; amended 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 236, eff. Feb. 1, 2011.)
Structure Vermont Statutes
Chapter 4 - Creation, Validity, Modification, and Termination of Trust
§ 401. Methods of creating trust
§ 402. Requirements for creation
§ 403. Trusts created in other jurisdictions
§ 405. Charitable purposes; enforcement
§ 406. Creation of trust induced by fraud, duress, or undue influence
§ 408. Trust for care of animal
§ 409. Noncharitable trust without ascertainable beneficiary
§ 410. Modification or termination of trust; proceedings for approval or disapproval
§ 411. Modification or termination of noncharitable irrevocable trust by consent
§ 414. Modification or termination of uneconomic trust
§ 415. Reformation to correct mistakes
§ 416. Modification to achieve settlor’s tax objectives
§ 417. Combination and division of trusts
§ 418. Intentional and unlawful killing; termination of interest in trust