by Joseph Gresser as seen in The Chronicle: https://bartonchronicle.com/ GREENSBORO — Community leaders who attended the annual meeting of the Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA), held at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro on September 26, heard Paul Costello of the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) explain his organization’s work. The council…
As seen in the Rutland Herald: https://www.rutlandherald.com/opinion/editorials/two-vermonts/article_131453ae-20ea-576a-adc8-facc6ce56370.html Vermont seems to have a pretty good story to tell right now. But indications are that there really are “Two Vermonts.” According to the new Rural Life Survey commissioned by Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS, generally Vermonters enjoy life in their rural communities, and most say they’re…
By Peter Hirschfeld as seen on VPR: https://www.vpr.org/post/vpr-vermont-pbs-rural-life-survey-spotlights-vermonters-optimism-also-challenges#stream/0 Listen here: https://cpa.ds.npr.org/vpr/audio/2019/10/vpr-news-poll-overview-20191021.mp3 A survey of 801 Vermonters, conducted between Aug. 26 and Sept. 9, is part of a project by VPR and Vermont PBS called “This Land: The Changing Story of Rural Vermont.” The poll results suggest that story is complicated. Vermonters generally enjoy life in…
The brilliant, irrepressible, irresistible Paul Bruhn, one of Vermont’s most effective leaders and beloved citizens, passed away on Thursday the 19th of September. In addition to being the founder and Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Paul was a giant in the field of historic preservation and community development, and a key leader…
Vermont’s stagnating population has concerned residents and policymakers for years. Census data shows that from 2010 to 2018, 10,000 more people left Vermont than moved into the state.
By Julia Purdy, as seen in the Mountain Times: http://mountaintimes.info/poultney-grapples-gmc-closure/ Poultney is at a crossroads with the impending shuttering of Green Mountain College, but with characteristic community spirit, some 200 residents, in addition to 19 state and federal agencies, town officials, UVM, planners and the college itself, came together last Thursday, March 7 in a…
Read VCRD’s 2018 Annual Report for an overview of our programming, updates from 2018, and what we’re looking forward to in 2019.
By Kate Barcellos as seen in the Rutland Herald: https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/poultney-seeks-guidance-from-municipal-developers-legislators/article_95de33b7-fea6-5f2f-8714-89de1b7cce55.html POULTNEY — School will be out — and not just for the summer — once June rolls around for Green Mountain College, and locals are wondering what to do once hundreds of students, staff members and faculty pack their bags. The town and GMC will…
Paul Costello, VCRD Executive Director, was interviewed by this Georgia newspaper about what is working in Vermont as Georgia looks to set policy that improves opportunity in rural Georgia. Scroll to the end! ———————- By Maggie Lee, as seen in the SaportaReport: https://saportareport.com/georgia-and-other-states-have-rural-prosperity-on-their-minds-now-how-to-get-it-done/ The tale of town versus country is an old one. In metro…
Thanks to Senator Leahy for his work to include the continuation of authoriation, by statute, for State Rural Development Councils (SRDC) in the new Farm Bill. The authorization will ensure that SRDC’s – including VCRD – will be able to continue their important work of strengthening rural communities in their states. —————— As seen in…