Green Mountain College file photo.
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Raj Peter Bhakta, owner of the eponymous liquor company and the former Green Mountain College campus in Poultney, Vermont, is offering to donate some of the campus buildings and surrounding land to a qualified Catholic mission-based organization as a "gift." He has opened a public Request for Proposals (RFP). Bhakta took possession of the property in 2020 with a bid of $5 million at auction, after the former environmental college had closed down in 2019.
Bhakta was the founder of WhistlePig Whiskey before being bought out of the Shoreham-based distiller. He subsequently started Bhakta Spirits and located it in Poultney.
A press release announcing the gift stated that the property involved is estimated to be worth in excess of $20 million in value by prior Maltz Auctions assessments. It went on to say that the offered properties present a rare chance to repurpose a historically rich, aesthetically beautiful, and strategically located campus for meaningful Catholic mission, education, and service. "Green Mountain College was originally founded in 1834 as a Methodist institution; The gift will return this singular site to its original Christian calling."
"This gift is about stewardship," said Bhakta. "The Green Mountain College campus is a magnificent resource, and I am seeking a Catholic organization with the vision and capability to use it for good — to serve people, purpose, and faith."
Raj Peter Bhakta in front of the former GMC administration building. Courtesy photo.
About The Gift
The Gift includes several of the most prominent and usable assets of the Green Mountain College campus:
- Withey Hall | Office and administrative building with a commercial kitchen and dining hall, including expansive public gathering spaces
- The Griswold Library | a multi-level, spacious, and light-filled academic resource center
- Sage and Lyman Hall | two recently renovated dormitories consisting of 54+ rooms combined
- Waldron Gymnasium | a substantial athletics center complete with an indoor swimming pool, exercise gym, locker rooms, and indoor basketball court with retractable bleachers
- Green spaces and land | including open quad areas, outdoor gathering spots, pristine river frontage, and pedestrian pathways
The donation also includes necessary access and circulation areas to ensure independent use and functional access.
Ideal Reuse Scenarios
Bhakta envisions the property being used for:
- Catholic education — satellite campuses, academic programs, or classical schools
- Retreats and formation programs — youth, family, or clergy retreats
- Mission centers — housing Catholic outreach, arts, or cultural initiatives
Located in the scenic village of Poultney near the New York–Vermont border, the 155-acre campus includes nearly a mile of river frontage, with classic brick buildings and open-air quads ideal for institutional and community life.
Preferred Recipient
The donor seeks to identify a Catholic mission-based organization with demonstrated leadership, vision, and long-term operational capacity who can support operating and maintenance expenses of minimum $1.5mm per year. Eligible entities may include:
- Dioceses
- Religious orders
- Catholic colleges, universities, or seminaries
- Faith-based nonprofits or apostolates
- Organizations with capacity for site maintenance, programming, and public benefit
How to Apply
Interested organizations should submit proposals via https://giftacollegecampus.com. This RFP portal includes detailed site information, FAQs, images, and submission instructions. Deadline for initial expressions of interest is March 31, 2025.
"This is not just a gift of architecturally remarkable buildings — or even of an historic, singular, campus site originally founded for Christian purpose nearly two centuries ago," Bhakta said. "It's a gift of opportunity — the chance to revive a campus for mission, formation, and future generations of the Catholic Church."
POULTNEY, Vt., Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bhakta
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