A way for towns to engage and bring together their residents, set common goals and directions in a neutral and facilitated structure, and access resources that will help them take action on those goals.
On April 16, over 100 Vergennes community members gathered in a community meeting to consider the ideas that were discussed through the Vergennes Community Visit process and to set priorities for action. At the Community Meeting participants reviewed all the issues that the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) Visiting Team had heard in focus…
The citizens of Vergennes have set the top three priorities for their city, in an effort to take a big picture approach to planning for the future. More than 100 people turned out to a community meeting last week. It was the second event in a three-month “Community Visit” facilitated by the Vermont Council on…
Last year, VCRD completed a 6-month Community Visit in the southern Vermont town of Manchester. This process helped Manchester residents whittle 22 issues and ideas about how to focus community efforts to build a better Manchester by 2020 into four priorities for future action. One of these priorities is to Attract Higher Education Opportunities. The…
Snapshot of Community Projects as a Result of a VCRD Community Visit Almost all towns have built community spirit and engaged new volunteers. Projects have been advanced and accomplished ranging from a town merger in Richford, to building a senior living project in Wilmington, revitalizing downtowns in Bellows Falls and Brandon, or building a youth…
We completed our 3-month Community Visit process in Guilford. Community members identified 3 priority areas for future action: Develop a Small Business Incubation Space in Guilford Redevelop the Grange Building Support the Development of the Church as a Community Center and Early Childhood Education Center. Read the Report and Action Plan To learn more about…
It was humbling to be part of the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s visiting team for the Guilford Community Visit on October 15th. The Town of Guilford is a community just south of Brattleboro, along Vermont’s southeastern border with Massachusetts, that is comprised of five hamlets, each with its own character. There were many reasons…
We completed our 3-month Community Visit process in Manchester. Community members identified 4 priority areas for future action: Develop a Small Business Incubator Become a Biking Center and Destination Attract Higher Education Opportunities Redevelop the Riverside and Open a Riverwalk Read the Report and Action Plan To learn more about Manchester, read the 2014 Manchester…
Vermonters across the state know that local action makes our communities vibrant. But local action often needs support from regional, state and even federal levels to achieve goals for prosperity. To respond to this need in Vermont, the Vermont Council on Rural Development provides local leaders with the resources they need to build capacity for…
During the Community Visit process in Cabot, community members identified 3 priority areas for future action: Develop a Cabot Agricultural Network Develop a Community Arts Center Improve Community Communications Read the Report and Action Plan. To learn more about Cabot, read the 2012 Cabot Community Profile.
During the Community Visit process in Bennington, community members identified 4 priority areas for future action: Advance a Bennington Community Center and Improve the Recreation Center Develop a Bennington Vision Statement and Advance Community Communications and Positive Town Image Collaborate to Address Poverty and Build a Poverty Working Group Make Downtown Bennington a Destination, and…