I’ve been struck by census data on rural communities that shows that some rural towns across the country are rapidly urbanizing and others are losing population, especially young people. Vermont is ranked as one of the two oldest states in the nation and one of the two most rural states in the country. The two…
April 8, 2013 (MONTPELIER, VT) – The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) announced today the first round of communities to receive intensive services from its Digital Economy Project this year. The Vermont Digital Economy Project is designed to increase resilience and foster economic development in flood-impacted Vermont communities. In the past week, project staff…
Every time I commute to the Vermont Council of Rural Development office in Montpelier, I head north out of my hometown of Ludlow along Route 100 and pass through Plymouth, Bridgewater, Killington, Pittsfield, Stockbridge, Bethel, and Royalton to get to I-89. The bumpy roads en route include multiple bridges still under construction and some houses…
Guest post by Christine Friese, Assistant State Librarian Vermont Department of Libraries is pleased to be partnering again with VCRD and others in the Vermont Digital Economy Project. The Department will work with participating libraries in the areas of digital literacy and emergency preparedness. In partnership with Community College of Vermont (CCV), we will continue…
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…
Over the next 18 months, VCRD’s Digital Economy Project will be working to help Vermont communities, businesses and nonprofits become more resilient to natural and manmade disasters. The project will also explore ways to systematically use technology to reshape volunteer management and disaster recovery efforts, and to transform the relationship between citizens and government. Our…
We’ve had a busy few weeks at the Vermont Digital Economy Project! Not only were Sharon, Rob and I getting to know each other and beginning the great work we will be doing for the next 18 months, but on top of starting out, our first round of application were due on March 15. We…
I am excited to join the Vermont Council on Rural Development as the Director of the Vermont Digital Economy Project. The Vermont Digital Economy Project is funded by a disaster recovery grant from the Economic Development Administration and from the donations and expertise of its partners: IBM, the Snelling Center for Government, the Vermont Department…
The Working Lands Enterprise Board received a total of 387 applications for the three investment areas, for a total requested amount of $11,569,397. Some examples of requests include processing equipment, facility upgrades and expansions, marketing assistance, product development, technical assistance and start-ups. The maps below show the breakdown by investment category, as well as type…
Members of the Working Lands Coalition launched their “5-by-3” campaign on Wednesday, February 13, 2013, at the Vermont State House. The day included an early morning presentation to the Rural Economic Development Working Group (REDWG), testimony in front of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, and a press conference in the Cedar Creek Room. The…