diff --git a/cmake/link_vt.cmake b/cmake/link_vt.cmake
index 1fb71103be..16e3ebd636 100644
--- a/cmake/link_vt.cmake
+++ b/cmake/link_vt.cmake
@@ -183,15 +183,9 @@ function(link_target_with_vt)
       message(STATUS "link_target_with_vt: fmt=${ARG_LINK_FMT}")
     endif()
 
-    if(${vt_external_fmt})
-      target_link_libraries(
-        ${ARG_TARGET} PUBLIC ${ARG_BUILD_TYPE} fmt::fmt
-      )
-    else()
-      target_link_libraries(
-        ${ARG_TARGET} PUBLIC ${ARG_BUILD_TYPE} ${FMT_LIBRARY}
-      )
-    endif()
+    target_link_libraries(
+      ${ARG_TARGET} PUBLIC ${ARG_BUILD_TYPE} ${FMT_LINK_TARGET}
+    )
 
   endif()
 
diff --git a/cmake/load_bundled_libraries.cmake b/cmake/load_bundled_libraries.cmake
index 26658dff73..c555e63150 100644
--- a/cmake/load_bundled_libraries.cmake
+++ b/cmake/load_bundled_libraries.cmake
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ endif()
 # CLI11 always included in the build
 add_subdirectory(${PROJECT_LIB_DIR}/CLI)
 
-# use included fmt or external one
+# Use an external fmt package or configure VT's shared DARMA fmt provider.
 if(${vt_external_fmt})
   # user should provide 'fmt_DIR' or 'fmt_ROOT' to CMake (unless fmt is installed in system libs)
   if(fmt_ROOT)
@@ -31,11 +31,23 @@ if(${vt_external_fmt})
     message(STATUS "vt_external_fmt = ON but neither fmt_DIR nor fmt_ROOT is provided!")
   endif()
   find_package(fmt 10.2.1 REQUIRED)
-
+  set(FMT_LIBRARY "")
+  set(FMT_LINK_TARGET fmt::fmt)
+  set(vt_uses_parent_fmt 0)
 else()
-  set(FMT_LIBRARY fmt)
-  add_subdirectory(${PROJECT_LIB_DIR}/fmt)
-  set_darma_compiler_flags(${FMT_LIBRARY})
+  include(setup_fmt)
+  darma_setup_fmt(
+    SOURCE_DIR         "${PROJECT_LIB_DIR}/fmt"
+    VENDORED_TARGET    fmt
+    OUT_LIBRARY        FMT_LIBRARY
+    OUT_LINK_TARGET    FMT_LINK_TARGET
+    POST_ADD_COMMAND set_darma_compiler_flags
+  )
+  if(FMT_LIBRARY)
+    set(vt_uses_parent_fmt 0)
+  else()
+    set(vt_uses_parent_fmt 1)
+  endif()
 endif()
 
 # yaml-cpp always included in the build
diff --git a/cmake/setup_fmt.cmake b/cmake/setup_fmt.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fdc8429144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/setup_fmt.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+include_guard(GLOBAL)
+
+# Configure one compiled fmt provider across a hierarchy of DARMA projects.
+#
+# The first project in a hierarchy builds its vendored fmt. Later projects
+# reuse that fmt::fmt target and only contribute their local include layout
+# (for example fmt-vt, fmt, or fmt-lb). Exact FMT_VERSION equality is required
+# so local headers never call into an incompatible compiled fmt implementation.
+#
+# Copy this file into each repository and replace add_subdirectory(fmt) with:
+#
+#   include(cmake/setup_fmt.cmake)
+#   darma_setup_fmt(
+#     SOURCE_DIR         lib/fmt
+#     VENDORED_TARGET    fmt
+#     OUT_LIBRARY        FMT_LIBRARY
+#     OUT_LINK_TARGET    FMT_LINK_TARGET
+#   )
+#
+# VT, comm, and loc use lib/fmt + fmt; LB uses tpl/fmt + fmt-lb.
+# Optional POST_ADD_COMMAND names a project function which is called only when
+# the current project owns and compiles the vendored target.
+function(darma_setup_fmt)
+  cmake_parse_arguments(
+    PARSE_ARGV 0
+    DARMA_FMT
+    ""
+    "SOURCE_DIR;VENDORED_TARGET;OUT_LIBRARY;OUT_LINK_TARGET;POST_ADD_COMMAND"
+    ""
+  )
+
+  foreach(required_arg
+      SOURCE_DIR VENDORED_TARGET OUT_LIBRARY OUT_LINK_TARGET)
+    if(NOT DARMA_FMT_${required_arg})
+      message(FATAL_ERROR "darma_setup_fmt requires ${required_arg}")
+    endif()
+  endforeach()
+
+  if(IS_ABSOLUTE "${DARMA_FMT_SOURCE_DIR}")
+    set(fmt_source_dir "${DARMA_FMT_SOURCE_DIR}")
+  else()
+    get_filename_component(
+      fmt_source_dir
+      "${DARMA_FMT_SOURCE_DIR}"
+      ABSOLUTE
+      BASE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"
+    )
+  endif()
+
+  file(GLOB fmt_base_headers "${fmt_source_dir}/include/*/base.h")
+  list(LENGTH fmt_base_headers fmt_base_header_count)
+  if(NOT fmt_base_header_count EQUAL 1)
+    message(
+      FATAL_ERROR
+      "Expected one fmt base.h below ${fmt_source_dir}/include, found "
+      "${fmt_base_header_count}"
+    )
+  endif()
+
+  list(GET fmt_base_headers 0 fmt_base_header)
+  file(STRINGS
+    "${fmt_base_header}"
+    fmt_version_line
+    REGEX "^# *define FMT_VERSION [0-9]+"
+    LIMIT_COUNT 1
+  )
+  if(NOT fmt_version_line MATCHES "FMT_VERSION +([0-9]+)")
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not read FMT_VERSION from ${fmt_base_header}")
+  endif()
+  set(local_fmt_version "${CMAKE_MATCH_1}")
+
+  # The first DARMA project in the CMake hierarchy owns fmt. It need not be
+  # the top-level CMake project: consumers commonly add VT as a subdirectory
+  # without configuring fmt themselves (for example vt-sample-project).
+  if(NOT TARGET fmt::fmt)
+    # fmt is compiled as ordinary C++20 and its module target is disabled by
+    # the caller. Prevent CMP0155 from requiring a compiler dependency scanner
+    # (for example clang-scan-deps) for these non-module sources.
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_SCAN_FOR_MODULES OFF)
+    add_subdirectory("${fmt_source_dir}")
+
+    if(NOT TARGET ${DARMA_FMT_VENDORED_TARGET})
+      message(
+        FATAL_ERROR
+        "${fmt_source_dir} did not create target "
+        "'${DARMA_FMT_VENDORED_TARGET}'"
+      )
+    endif()
+    # VT and comm already expose fmt::fmt. LB's renamed vendored target is
+    # fmt-lb, so supply the common provider alias here when it is absent.
+    if(NOT TARGET fmt::fmt)
+      add_library(fmt::fmt ALIAS ${DARMA_FMT_VENDORED_TARGET})
+    endif()
+
+    if(DARMA_FMT_POST_ADD_COMMAND)
+      if(NOT COMMAND ${DARMA_FMT_POST_ADD_COMMAND})
+        message(
+          FATAL_ERROR
+          "Unknown POST_ADD_COMMAND: ${DARMA_FMT_POST_ADD_COMMAND}"
+        )
+      endif()
+      cmake_language(
+        CALL ${DARMA_FMT_POST_ADD_COMMAND} ${DARMA_FMT_VENDORED_TARGET}
+      )
+    endif()
+
+    set_property(
+      TARGET ${DARMA_FMT_VENDORED_TARGET}
+      PROPERTY INTERFACE_DARMA_FMT_VERSION "${local_fmt_version}"
+    )
+    set(fmt_owned_library "${DARMA_FMT_VENDORED_TARGET}")
+    message(
+      STATUS
+      "${PROJECT_NAME}: building vendored fmt ${local_fmt_version}"
+    )
+  else()
+    get_target_property(fmt_provider_target fmt::fmt ALIASED_TARGET)
+    if(NOT fmt_provider_target)
+      set(fmt_provider_target fmt::fmt)
+    endif()
+    get_target_property(
+      parent_fmt_version
+      ${fmt_provider_target}
+      INTERFACE_DARMA_FMT_VERSION
+    )
+    if(NOT parent_fmt_version)
+      message(
+        FATAL_ERROR
+        "The parent fmt::fmt target was not configured by setup_fmt.cmake; "
+        "its version cannot be verified."
+      )
+    endif()
+    if(NOT local_fmt_version STREQUAL parent_fmt_version)
+      message(
+        FATAL_ERROR
+        "fmt version mismatch: ${PROJECT_NAME} has ${local_fmt_version}, "
+        "but the parent provider has ${parent_fmt_version}."
+      )
+    endif()
+
+    # The projects intentionally use different include directory names while
+    # sharing fmt's ABI. Make this project's headers visible through the one
+    # parent provider without installing or compiling another fmt library.
+    target_include_directories(
+      ${fmt_provider_target} INTERFACE
+      $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${fmt_source_dir}/include>
+    )
+
+    # The provider may install a different header layout (for example fmt-lb).
+    # Consumers of this project's installed headers still need its local fmt
+    # include names, even though they link to the parent's compiled library.
+    if(FMT_INC_DIR)
+      set(fmt_install_include_dir "${FMT_INC_DIR}")
+    else()
+      include(GNUInstallDirs)
+      set(fmt_install_include_dir "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}")
+    endif()
+    install(
+      DIRECTORY "${fmt_source_dir}/include/"
+      DESTINATION "${fmt_install_include_dir}"
+      COMPONENT fmt-core
+      FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.h"
+    )
+
+    set(fmt_owned_library "")
+    message(
+      STATUS
+      "${PROJECT_NAME}: reusing parent fmt ${parent_fmt_version}"
+    )
+  endif()
+
+  set(${DARMA_FMT_OUT_LIBRARY} "${fmt_owned_library}" PARENT_SCOPE)
+  set(${DARMA_FMT_OUT_LINK_TARGET} fmt::fmt PARENT_SCOPE)
+endfunction()
diff --git a/cmake/trace_only_functions.cmake b/cmake/trace_only_functions.cmake
index 8584aa652f..4cabf84356 100644
--- a/cmake/trace_only_functions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/trace_only_functions.cmake
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ function(create_trace_only_target)
     CONFIGURATIONS            ${build_type_list}
   )
 
-  install(TARGETS ${FMT_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VT_TRACE_LIB})
+  if(FMT_LIBRARY)
+    install(TARGETS ${FMT_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VT_TRACE_LIB})
+  endif()
 
   export(
     TARGETS                   ${VT_TRACE_LIB}
diff --git a/cmake/vtConfig.cmake.in b/cmake/vtConfig.cmake.in
index bb68c85a20..cc1c6c52e7 100644
--- a/cmake/vtConfig.cmake.in
+++ b/cmake/vtConfig.cmake.in
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ endif()
 set (VT_INCLUDE_DIRS "@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/include")
 set (VT_CXX_COMPILER "@CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER@")
 
-if (@vt_external_fmt@)
+if (@vt_external_fmt@ OR @vt_uses_parent_fmt@)
   set (fmt_DIR @fmt_DIR@)
   set (fmt_ROOT @fmt_ROOT@)
   find_dependency(fmt REQUIRED HINTS @fmt_DIR@ @fmt_ROOT@)
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 6572399cae..6f81975a8d 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -300,7 +300,9 @@ install(
 
 install(TARGETS ${BROTLI_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VIRTUAL_TRANSPORT_LIBRARY})
 install(TARGETS ${ENG_FORMAT_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VIRTUAL_TRANSPORT_LIBRARY})
-install(TARGETS ${FMT_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VIRTUAL_TRANSPORT_LIBRARY})
+if(FMT_LIBRARY)
+  install(TARGETS ${FMT_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VIRTUAL_TRANSPORT_LIBRARY})
+endif()
 install(TARGETS ${YAMLCPP_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VIRTUAL_TRANSPORT_LIBRARY})
 install(TARGETS ${JSON_LIBRARY} EXPORT ${VIRTUAL_TRANSPORT_LIBRARY})