For five years, the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) has hosted a dedicated group of new and emerging leaders from across the state who are focused on transformative, community-scale climate economy projects. From tool lending libraries to starting an energy committee, Climate Catalysts have made significant contributions to their communities.
VCRD is now accepting applications for the sixth Climate Catalyst Leadership Program. The six-month program engages participants with in-person and virtual gatherings and one-on-one support. In order to make sure there are no barriers to participation, the program is free and stipends are offered. Since the program’s inception in 2020, nearly 75 Vermonters have participated in this program sparking innovative projects in their hometowns and beyond.
“This program provides the opportunity for people at various stages of life to come together across the state and across networks,” states program manager, Laura Cavin Bailey. “Individuals work through their own place-based project while also gaining support from, and fostering connections with, the other participants. ”
Climate Catalysts Leadership Program participants will come with a project idea and work toward developing their concepts into reality while building peer connections, strengthening leadership skills and receiving project development support. VCRD works to support locally-generated ideas and projects and the outstanding local leaders who champion them.
An applicant’s project may be as a community volunteer, part of paid work, or something they are doing as an elected town committee member. Previous Climate Catalysts have included college students, retirees, planning commissioners, farmers, town energy/climate committee members, teachers and more. Interested participants may also choose to focus on a group project. The program is open to high school aged students and up.
“I did not anticipate just how impactful this preparation was,” said Laurie Wilson, a member of the 2024 Climate Catalyst group who serves on the energy and climate committee in the town of Chittenden. “After the course was completed, I was surprised by the amount of focus and intentionality that had been manifested in my thinking. My attitude about what I could do personally just seemed to expand.”
The Climate Catalysts Leadership Program is made possible by support from Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity (VLITE) and other generous foundations and donors of VCRD. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.vtrural.org/climate-economy/climate-catalysts-leadership-program/. The application deadline is Thursday May 1st at 5 pm.